Continued interest in development in the Czech Republic

Tanvald, Bohemia, Czech Republic (source: flickr/ korom, creative commons)

Alexander Richter 17 May 2013

The Czech Republic and Slovakia are increasingly looking at geothermal as a valid energy option. Various projects are in planned in these countries. In 2013 the Czech Republic decreased FIT tariffs significantly, while Slovakia is targeting investors with higher tariffs.

Since the increased build out for solar installations, renewable energy technologies are increasingly looked at critically by the general public. The high feed in tariffs have resulted in higher electricity prices, which decreases public support for geothermal and resulted in a decrease of the FIT tariffs for geothermal by about 25% in 2013.

For geothermal plants that would come online in 2013, a FIT of about EUR 0.12797 kWh ($0.173) would be paid, for own use an added bonus of EUR 0.0897 kWh ($0.121) is available. The FIT is guaranteed for 20 years.

Currently there is no geothermal power generation capacity installed in the Czech Republic. A recent action plan though expects an installed capacity of 4 MW for 2013 and a production of 8 GWh. In 2014, so the action plan, a geothermal power generation of 20 GWh/ year should be achieved, while the overall capacity until 2020 is expected to remain at 4 MW.

This would not utilize the geothermal potential of the country. In 2007, the local energy company CEZ, estimated a potential of 250 MW for power generation and a potential of 2,000 MW thermal for heating purposes, this based on 60 explored geothermal formations in the country.

One of the pioneers for geothermal development in the Czech Republic is company Entergeo, founded in 2012. The company is recently in discussion with various municipalities for potential project locations. In 2014 work on a geothermal plant is expected to start in the North Bohemian municipality of Tanvald. This will likely be an EGS project, like most projects in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

With the municipality of Semily another North Bohemian location has explored the possibility of a geothermal power plant and has already reserved a transmission connection with CEZ for a 7 MW plant. Entergeo is the likely developer for the project. The company estimates the average project cost for a geothermal power plant in the Czech Republic of around EUR40-60 million ($54-81 million) … this for a likely plant size of around 4-7 MW.

Another company called Geoterm CZ in Detrichov at Frydlant has been trying to get a project off the ground since 2004 and now expects first exploration drilling to start this year. The company registered a potential plant size of 7-8 MW.

Source: Tschechien Online (in German)