Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment has approved funding of about PLN 12.33 million (approx. USD 3.1 million) from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management for the drilling of a geothermal research well in the neighborhood of Przylasek Rusiecki in Krakow.
The Krakow GT-1 research and exploration will be located in the Nowa Huta district of Krakow and will be drilled to a depth of 1820 meters. The drilling location has been carefully selected based on geological, environmental, and logistical factors. The project is also in line with the recommendations of the Polish Geological Institute, which had previously emphasized the geothermal potential for heating, recreational, and balneotherapeutic purposes.
The total project cost is estimated at PLN 14.17 million, with the city’s own contribution accounting for the balance from the funding. If positive results are obtained from the exploration well, a second drilling well will be drilled for reinjection.
The geothermal project is part of the concept of the “Krakow – Nowa Huta Przyszlosci” project which envisions a geothermal well co-located with key elements such as a recreation centre and a science and technology park. Krakow aims to use geothermal resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels as energy sources.
The Ministry reported that 52 communes from all over Poland have submitted applications for funding for geothermal research. The selected projects were those that were deemed to have the best chance of success, particularly for district heating. Indeed, geothermal activity in Poland is at an uptick – just a few months ago, the drilling of a 7-kilometer geothermal well in Szaflary was reported to have hit the halfway mark.
