Fostering the implementation of shallow geothermal hybrid heating and cooling systems in the Danube Region
Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B DanubeDescription
Pilot actions focused on utilisation of shallow geothermal potential elaborated by the assistance of the IT decision support tool(EN)
Community-based transnational planning model for launching local and regional shallow geothermal projects(EN)
Report on experiences of elaborated pilot regional development proposals focusing on utilisation of shallow geothermal potential(EN)
Transnational Action Plan for fostering shallow geothermal use in the Danube Region(EN)
Cooperating institutions supporting the sustainable utilisation of shallow geothermal energy in the Danube Region(EN)
Digital platform with built-in virtual marketplace – modular web-based decision support system for fostering installation of shallow geothermal hybrid heating and cooling systems(EN)
Testing the digital platform and virtual marketplace through national webinars(EN)
Thematic information
Priority:
(VI-B_D_2) Priority 2 - A greener, low- carbon Danube RegionPriority specific objective:
RSO2.2. Promoting renewable energy in accordance with Directive (EU) 2018/2001, including the sustainability criteria set out thereinPriority policy objective (Interreg specific objective):
PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobilityType of intervention:
046 Support to entities that provide services contributing to the low carbon economy and to resilience to climate change, including awareness-raising measuresPartners (13)
Lead Partner: Međimurska energetska agencija d.o.o
Partner’s ID if not PIC: HR78619083316
Address: Bana Josipa Jelačića, 40000 Čakovec, Croatia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Sectoral agency
Website: https://www.menea.hr/
Total budget: EUR 327 701.40
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 262 161.12
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 65 540.28
- LIR Evolucija
-
Name: LIR Evolucija
Partner’s ID if not PIC: BA4403517360009
Address: Bulevar Stepe Stepanovića, 78000 Banjaluka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Legal status: private
Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs
Website: http://www.lir.ba
Total budget: EUR 106 378.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 85 102.40
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 21 275.60
- Regionalna razvojna agencija Bačka doo Novi Sad
-
Name: Regionalna razvojna agencija Bačka doo Novi Sad
Partner’s ID if not PIC: RS10668405
Address: Bulevar Mihajla Pupina , 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Regional public authority
Website: http://www.rda-backa.rs
Total budget: EUR 120 160.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 96 128.00
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 24 032.00
- Regionalna agencija za ekonomski razvoj Šumadije i Pomoravlja
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Name: Regionalna agencija za ekonomski razvoj Šumadije i Pomoravlja
Partner’s ID if not PIC: RS100559100
Address: Kralja Petra I, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Regional public authority
Website: http://www.redasp.rs
Total budget: EUR 73 462.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 58 769.60
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 14 692.40
- Fakultet inženjerskih nauka Univerziteta u Kragujevcu
-
Name: Fakultet inženjerskih nauka Univerziteta u Kragujevcu
Department: Department of Energy and Process Engineering
Partner’s ID if not PIC: RS101576499
Address: Sestre Janjić, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
Department address: Sestre Janjić, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations
Website: http://www.fink.rs/sr/
Total budget: EUR 111 000.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 88 800.00
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 22 200.00
- Universitatea Tehnică din Cluj-Napoca
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Name: Universitatea Tehnică din Cluj-Napoca
Department: Energy Transition Research Center
Partner’s ID if not PIC: RO22736939
Address: Memorandumului, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Department address: George Baritiu, 400020 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations
Website: https://www.utcluj.ro/en/
Total budget: EUR 334 734.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 267 787.20
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 66 946.80
- Centrum vedecko-technických informácií SR
-
Name: Centrum vedecko-technických informácií SR
Partner’s ID if not PIC: SK2020798395
Address: Lamacska cesta, 84005 Bratislava, Slovakia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: National public authority
Website: https://www.cvtisr.sk/
Total budget: EUR 179 256.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 143 404.80
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 35 851.20
- InnoGeo Kutató és Szolgáltató Nonprofit Kft
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Name: InnoGeo Kutató és Szolgáltató Nonprofit Kft
Department: Geothermal District Heating Service Hub
Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU14165009-2-06
Address: Dugonics tér, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
Department address: Vág u., 6724 Szeged, Hungary
Legal status: public
Organisation type: SME
Website: http://www.innogeo.hu
Total budget: EUR 156 887.80
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 125 510.24
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 31 377.56
- Geološki zavod Slovenije
-
Name: Geološki zavod Slovenije
Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI23064145
Address: Dimičeva ulica, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations
Website: https://www.geo-zs.si
Total budget: EUR 104 910.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 83 928.00
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 20 982.00
- Lokalna energetska agencija za Pomurje
-
Name: Lokalna energetska agencija za Pomurje
Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI88018822
Address: Martjanci, 9221 Martjanci, Slovenia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Sectoral agency
Website: http://www.lea-pomurje.si
Total budget: EUR 248 724.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 198 979.20
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 49 744.80
- Forschung Burgenland GmbH
-
Name: Forschung Burgenland GmbH
Department: Sustainable Innovation
Partner’s ID if not PIC: ATU56954228
Address: Campus, 7000 Eisenstadt, Austria
Department address: Campus, 7000 Eisenstadt, Austria
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations
Website: https://www.forschung-burgenland.at/
Total budget: EUR 308 602.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 246 881.60
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 61 720.40
- Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Rudarsko-geološko-naftni fakultet
-
Name: Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Rudarsko-geološko-naftni fakultet
Department: Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering and Energy
Partner’s ID if not PIC: HR99534693762
Address: Pierottijeva, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Department address: Pierottijeva, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations
Website: https://www.rgn.unizg.hr
Total budget: EUR 195 881.80
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 156 705.44
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 39 176.36
- CROST Területfejlesztési Nonprofit Kft
-
Name: CROST Területfejlesztési Nonprofit Kft
Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU26555029-2-02
Address: Rákóczi út, 7621 Pécs, Hungary
Legal status: public
Organisation type: Business support organisation
Website: http://www.crost.hu
Total budget: EUR 213 303.00
Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 170 642.40
Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%
Partner contribution: EUR 42 660.60
Partners map
Lead partner
Project partner
Summary
Project acronym: Danube GeoHeCo
Project ID: DRP0200244
Project start date: 2024-01-01
Project end date: 2026-06-30
Project status:
ongoingRelevant linked projects:
- Transforming abandoned wells for geothermal energy production - TRANSGEO (CE0100071) (EN) | Direct synergy between these two projects lies in common goal, which is fostering the geothermal energy exploitation by applying different solutions (TRANSGEO – repurposing of abandoned gas and oil wells for geothermal energy exploitation; Danube GeoHeCo - foster the integration of shallow geothermal solutions into existing fossil-fuel based domestic HC systems) and implementing activities oriented towards awareness rising, enhancing capacities and encouraging collaboration of key stakeholders and target groups which are similar in both projects. With this in line, it is possible to arrange joint events and in this way act together and foster joint initiative in geothermal energy exploitation as well as in transnational action plans which should be developed within both projects. (EN), Analysis of the shallow geothermal energy exploitation potential and its' use in heating of rural and semi rural area - RuGeoHeat (DTP-SMF1-132)
- (EN) | The RuGeoHeat project played an important role in setting up the baseline for analysis of the shallow geothermal energy exploitation potential and its use in covering heating demand of rural and semi rural areas in Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary. These countries are placed in the Pannonian basin and they have the similar potential for geothermal energy exploitation as is the case with other Danube GeoHeCo included countries which is a key element for joint action. With this in line, the project results will be used as a good starting point in defining the relevant criteria catalogue for IT tool development and specification of most promising locations for shallow geothermal energy exploitation. Since the project was also focused on exploring funding opportunities for launching shallow geothermal energy projects, the Danube GeoHeCo project partners will rely on the findings while searching possible financing schemes for launching their shallow geothermal energy projects defined in the framework of Danube GeoHeCo project. (EN), Improving the energy efficiency of geothermal energy utilisation by adjusting the user characteristics - User4GeoEnergy (2018-1-0502) (EN) | Funded through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation this on-going project aims at the long-term improvement in the efficiency of geothermal operations and a decrease in their environmental footprint.
- The project complements investment measures and the Danube GeoHeCo initiative by increasing the economics of geothermal DH's through developing a mathematical model of such systems (energy source – heat distribution – end users) in order to identify solutions for system optimization. The tools (the mathematical model, most importantly) will be a great asset for Danube GeoHeCo when assessing system potential and offering shallow geothermal solutions for DH operators. (EN), Danube Region Leading Geothermal Energy – DARLINGe (DTP1-1-099-3.2) (EN) | 10 ERDF and 5 IPA partners representing geological surveys, university, industry, regional energy and development agency, ministry and municipality from 6 countries worked together to improve energy security and efficiency in the Danube Region by promoting sustainable utilisation of the existing, however still largely untapped deep geothermal resources in the heating sector. InnoGeo Ltd was responsible for coordinating all activities in the Hungarian-Romanian-Serbian three-border pilot area and offered its expertise to all work-packages of the 2.5M EUR budget project carried out between 2016-2019.
- DARLINGe provided valuable outputs in forms of policy and regulation mapping, geological potential assessment, heat market analysis with regards to the target area. With a significant overlap between the region of activities of DARLINGe and Danube GeoHeCo synergies are foreseen by the use of DARLINGe findings in Danube GeoHeCo.
- The specific objectives of the DARLINGe project were to increase the use of geothermal energy and help the penetration of energy efficient cascade systems and matching them with heat-markets, to establish a market-replicable tool-box consisting of 3 complementary modules for sustainable geothermal reservoir management and to establish advance stakeholder cooperation (establishment of a Transnational Stakeholder Forum) to foster geothermal developments and to create a strong geothermal value chain.
- (EN), Geothermal Research and Development for the Sustainable Abstraction of Thermal Water Sources in the South Great Plain Region (TECH_08-A4/2-2008-0174) (EN) | Aimed at dynamic water resource modelling, the core activities of this robust project were research into the novel technologies of injection to sandstone reservoirs and development of a new dephenolisation technology for used thermal waters. InnoGeo Ltd. carried out the elaboration of a know-how intensive service package in injection and developed, published and disseminated the marketable outputs of the 1.3M EUR budget regional cooperation project in 2009-2012.
- As with DARLINGe synergies are foreseen in the utilisation of the TECH_08 project's outputs and project results in understanding the geothermal potential and reservoir characteristics of the target area. (EN), Establishment of the South Great Plain Thermal Energy Cluster (DAOP-1.2.1-2008-0032) (EN) | Led by InnoGeo Ltd and aimed at the outlining of a roadmap for thermal energy developments in the South Great Plain Region, the project compiled, and since updated communal, industrial, agricultural and R+D geothermal projects of the Southern Great Plain Region, highlights best-practices, offers partner-matching, and outlines future plans. Although completed several years ago, this project is still relevant for its in-depth analysis of municipal energy systems in place in the Southern Great Plain Region and provide orientation for rolling out project results to potential users outside the Danube GeoHeCo consortium. (EN), INTELLIGENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES PROMOTION - INER
- Interreg IPA CBC Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro
- (EN) | The main project objective was to increase energy efficiency, use of renewable energy sources and intelligent energy management in project regions through promotion, raising awareness, improving knowledge, competences and enabling transfer of best practices between project territories. The project involved implementation of pilot actions pertaining to installation of new capacity of RES of 0,492 MW and reduction of energy spending consumption in public buildings of 102558 kWh in 2023. The main synergies with Danube GeoHeCo pertain to promotion of renewable energy sources potentials and benefits, implementation of RE pilot actions and sharing related best practices across the project region. (EN), TERritory, energy & Employment - TERRE SEE Transnational Cooperation Program
- (EN) | The project intended to demonstrate that wise and integrated exploitation of endogenous resources to produce renewable energy (from different sources as biomass, sun, water, wind) is an effective engine for a self-generated and sustainable local development in the areas, based on PPP between public institutions (regions, provinces, municipalities), private operators (overall farmers, breeders and woods' owners, investors in RES), and local communities, to get revenues and employment opportunities in less developed or marginal zones, and thus to promote tailored paths of growth and development based on a proper use of local resources. Project involved pilot activities of installation of new capacity of RES in the project region. The main synergies with Danube GeoHeCo are related to promotion of use of RES and its benefits for local development, as well as implementation of RE pilot actions. (EN), Low Enthalpy Geothermal ENergy Demonstration cases for Energy Efficient building in Adriatic area - LEGEND
- IPA ADRIATIC CBC Program
- (EN) | The overall objective of LEGEND was the promotion of energy efficiency concepts and low-enthalpy geothermal energy benefits in the Adriatic area through the development of demonstration cases all over the cooperation space in public and residential buildings utilising GCHP (Ground Coupled Heat Pumps) as well as the development of cost/benefit monitoring activities and policy and financial supporting schemes. The project carried out an assessment of the technological, environmental and economic key-factors (supported by a Life Cycle Assessment analysis) to address practical applications with high transferability potential in 7 countries and 11 regions of the IPA Adriatic area and public - private partnership models to facilitate the diffusion and use of geothermal technologies. Synergies are substantial with the Danube GeoHeCo project in terms of promotion of geothermal energy utilisation and benefits of its application. (EN), Geological Service for Europe (Horizon.2.5, duration: 2022-2027) (EN) | Geological Service for Europe is an ongoing project. One of its objectives is to deliver pan-European inventories, characterizations, and knowledge for geothermal energy resources and temporary storage of heat and cold. This encompasses the development of integrated and harmonised European databases, resource atlases, and an associated knowledge and competence hub for stakeholders. The harmonised and generalised pan-European synthesis and characterization of known shallow geothermal potential, along with references to guidelines, standards, vocabularies, and metadata, will serve as a valuable source of data and knowledge for the development of the proposed IT decision support tool for design and technology optimization, as well as the implementation of pilot investments. (EN), MUSE - Managing Urban Shallow geothermal Energy (GeoERA), (Horizon 2020, duration: 2018-2021). (EN) | The project MUSE investigated the resources and potential conflicts of use associated with the utilisation of shallow geothermal energy in urban areas across Europe. It delivered essential geoscientific subsurface data to stakeholders through a user-friendly web-based GeoERA information platform. The outcomes of the project comprise a comprehensive collection of methods, approaches, and tools that can be adapted, upgraded, and implemented in the development of the proposed IT decision support tool for design and technology optimization. (EN), GeoPLASMA-CE - Shallow Geothermal Energy Planning, Assessment and Mapping Strategies in Central Europe (INTERREG CENTRAL EUROPE, duration: 2019-2019); (EN) | The project GeoPLASMA-CE aimed to foster the utilisation of shallow geothermal energy in heating and cooling strategies in central Europe. It successfully established a web portal to disseminate information on shallow geothermal energy use and connect individuals interested in this topic across Europe. This web-based interface facilitated collaboration between geoscientific experts and public as well as private stakeholders, providing accessible knowledge about resources and risks associated with geothermal energy for territorial energy planning and management strategies in central Europe. The web portal developed within the project GeoPLASMA-CE serves as a good example upon which the proposed web-based digital platform with in- built virtual marketplace can be built. (EN), REnewable COGeneration and storage techNologies IntegraTIon for energy autONomous buildings - RE-COGNITION – H2020 – no.815301/2019 (EN) | The main ambition of the project is to develop a future and technology-proof integrated solution aiming to maximise the utilisation of the energy that is locally produced by building-level renewable energy technologies, and to reduce implicitly and explicitly induced costs, towards Zero Energy Building. The project aims to deploy a Renewable Energy Integration Framework able to incorporate existing, as well as newly developed Renewable Energy Sources and storage components, along with peripheral electrical and thermal loads. These findings could be integrated while developing an assessment IT tool for design and technology optimization of the shallow geothermal hybrid heating and cooling systems. (EN), Sun coupled innovative Heat pumps – SunHorizon – H2020 – no. 818329/2018 (EN) | The main objective of the project is to demonstrate up to TRL 7 innovative and reliable solutions, which use heat pumps (thermal compression, adsorption, reversible) properly coupled and managed with advanced solar panels (PV, Hybrid, thermal). In fact, the two of them together can provide heating and cooling to residential and tertiary buildings with lower emissions, energy bills and fossil fuel dependency. Moreover, the project will realise a cloud-based functional monitoring platform to be the “performance data mine”. The Danube GeoHeCo project can capitalise on these findings and foster the integration of SG heat pumps with additional renewable energy solutions. (EN), Sea for Heritage Energy Transition – SEAHEaT (ref.no.58); EEA and Norway grants 2014-2021 with national co-financing of the Republic of Croatia (EN) | The project promotes the use of thermal energy of the sea through heat pumps in energy renovation projects of buildings that represent cultural assets. The Republic of Croatia has an extremely high density of such facilities, and their concentration is particularly pronounced in the coastal area. Therefore, the pilot installation of a heat pump system that uses seawater as an energy source in the area of Istria County will be carried out in two buildings of the Special Hospital for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation "Martin Horvat" in Rovinj. The hospital has a central heating system that uses fuel oil as an energy source, which will be replaced with HPs, utilising seawater through a series of wells located at the shoreline. The project also has an educational component. Numerous activities will be carried out during the project knowledge transfer, such as specialised seminars for designers and installers who want to get involved in projects using sea thermal energy. The main synergy with Danube GeoHeCo is related to replacing existing heating systems with shallow geothermal, to promoting the use for RES as well as implementing pilot actions. (EN), Mapping of the shallow geothermal systems in the Republic of Croatia – PLIGES (ref.no.111); EEA and Norway grants 2014-2021 with national co-financing of the Republic of Croatia (EN) | The project’s aim is to conduct the first comprehensive overview of the installed shallow geothermal systems in Croatia. Currently, there is no system wide monitoring or control of the use of heat pumps used to harness the shallow geothermal energy potential. Therefore, it is difficult to give estimation on the total installed capacity as well as energy utilisation from shallow geothermal resources.
- National energy policies call for the increase of the shallow geothermal resources use, since the efficiency of these systems is higher than of the systems using conventional fossil energy resources or air source heat pumps. Concurrently, the potential of shallow geothermal resources in Croatia is recognized as being significant. The primary barrier to the wider use of this technology is the technically and financially more demanding process of planning, designing and its implementation. Also, the technology as well as good practice examples are not visible in the wider expert community.
- The synergy with Danube GeoHeCo is seen in promoting the use of shallow geothermal energy, showing good practices of such systems and organising seminars and workshops for interested parties.
- (EN)
Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 481 000.00
Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 984 800.00
Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%
Co-financing sources:
Investments, deliverables, policy contributions
(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)
Deliverables:
Contribution to wider strategies and policies:
Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:
Programme Common Output Indicator:
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RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
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RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
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RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
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RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
Programme Common Result Indicator:
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RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
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RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:
Programme Result Indicator:
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ISI - Organisations with increased institutional capacity due to their participation in cooperation activities across the borders, Measurement unit: No. of organisations
Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR
Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project
Financing programme
2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube
Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme
2024-12-18
No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)
82 / 139 (58.99%)
No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)
910 / 1 381 (65.89%)
Notes on the data
Source of estimation of the number of projects as of 2025-03-17: Website of the programme
Method for estimating the number of partners as of 2025-03-17: Average partners per project based on the average of the previous period.