Geothermal district heating in Beiuș
Overview
One successful example of geothermal use in Romania is Beiuș, a city in the west of the country that has harnessed hot water from geothermal sources since the late 1990s. As the municipality states on its website, geothermal changed the "face of the city”, as not only residential but also commercial and industrial buildings are connected to the geothermal wells. Among other beneficiaries are two hospitals, two schools, public buildings, individual houses, and a swimming pool, all of which use the district heating system with its 10 substations. This system not only increases the use of renewable energy in Beiuș but also allows the city to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels.
Technical Data
Initially, research and evaluation of the geothermal reservoir was carried out as part of a European Union project, with contributions from: Ltd Iceland, GTN Germany, SC Edilul Beiuș Romania, SC Transgex Oradea Romania. Installation started in 1995, and by 1996 a geothermal reservoir was discovered of 1850-2460-meters depth, with a thickness of 500-600 meters and with temperatures ranging between 75 and 88 ºC. This fraction is located within limestone and magnesite. In 1999 a line shaft pump was installed to process 45 liters per second of geothermal water at 83 ºC. The geothermal water was then used for residential districts and the main institutions of the city.
Over time, demand increased, and by 2004 a second well and later that year another line shaft pump was built to provide similar hot water conditions at 85 ºC. Finally, in 2010, a third well was drilled to reinject the depleted geothermal water back into the earth, creating a closed-loop system. 200,000 Gcal that are consumed by the city originate from the geothermal installation.
Financial Background
Overall, the project has a value of € 4.3 million partially resulting from European funds to support the sustainable development of the city of Beiuș. The geothermal heating system offers clear economic advantages for Beiuș residents due to comparatively lower heating costs, especially during winter. Furthermore, it has created new jobs during the facility’s operational period and the modernisation efforts.
Further extensions of the geothermal hot water use are planned for Beiuș. For instance, an aquapark will be built, that will rely on geothermal heat, adding to the city's attractiveness.
Summary
Commissioning: starting in 1996
Well depth: around 2 km
Temperature: 82-83 º C
Heat production: 200,000 Gcal
Budget: € 4,3 million