THE MOST PROSPECTIVE AREAS OF USE OF THERMAL WATERS FOR HEATING PURPOSES IN THE POLISH LOWLANDS

Abstract

Abstract. The paper presents results of assessment of geothermal energy resources accumulated within nine Paleozoic and Mesozoic aquifers in the Polish Lowlands, carried out within the framework of the project entitled "Geothermal aliases of the Mesozoic and Paleozoic formations - geological analysis and thermal water and energy resources in the Polish Lowlands". The project commissioned by the Polish Ministry of Environment was carried out in the years 2004-2006 by a research team of specialists from several institutions, with AGH - University of Science and Technology in Kraków as a leader. The paper presents also the results of studies and proposals for geothermal investment projects in selected towns of central and northwestern Poland. Potential locations of the new geothermal projects are determined. Towns with the most favourable geological and hydrogeological conditions and appropriate market of heat consumers for a geothermal plant construction are indicated. The calculation area amounts approximately to 270 thousand km2 that represents more than 87% of the territory of Poland. As regards the amount of accumulated energy, the most interesting and promising areas of the Polish Lowlands occur in the Warsaw, Mogilno-Lódź (in the central part of Poland) arid Szczecin (in the northwestern part of Poland) troughs.