Two Thirds of EU's Geothermal Potential in Hungary

Around 43 GW of enhanced geothermal capacity in the European Union could be developed at costs below EUR 100/MWh today, comparable to coal and gas electricity. The largest potential is concentrated in Hungary, followed by Poland, Germany and France, according to a new study by the global energy think tank EMBER that accelerates the clean energy transition with data and policy.

The organization highlights that advances in drilling and reservoir engineering are unlocking geothermal electricity across much wider parts of Europe, at a time when the power system needs firm, low-carbon supply and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Once limited to a few favorable locations, geothermal is now positioned to scale.

Explaining Hungary's outstanding potential, the Hungarian Geothermal Association points out that one reason for this is the high temperature increase with depth: the geothermal gradient is approximately 45°C/km, compared to the average value of 20-30°C/km. Thus, at a depth of 500 meters, the average temperature is already 35-40°C, at a depth of 1,000 meters it is 55-60°C, at a depth of 2,000 meters it is 100-110°C, and in warmer areas it can even reach 120-130°C.

On the other hand, a significant part of the country's territory contains debris sediments or karstified, cracked limestone and dolomite rocks under the surface, which are saturated with water and have considerable water-conducting capacity. Fluid is also needed to bring the heat from natural geothermal systems to the surface. In Hungary, thermal water – which is at least 30°C according to the domestic definition – is available in more than 70% of the country's territory as a medium for geothermal heat.

Therefore, Hungary could make a significant contribution towards clean energy goals set by the European Union – in line with the words of the ‍Policy Director of the European Geothermal Energy Council, Sanjeev Kumar. He stresses that the EU’s Geothermal Action Plan must include clear commitments to liberate Europe’s power sector from costly fossil fuel dependency. "The potential to replace 42% of coal and gas generation with geothermal is simply too significant to ignore. Ember’s report highlights the crucial role geothermal plays in delivering affordable energy, security, and competitiveness. With Energy Ministers and the European Parliament calling for concrete action, it is now up to the European Commission to remove the barriers to mass geothermal deployment." No doubt, the potential Hungary holds can play a pivotal role in clean energy production in this field once proper EU guidelines are in place.