Analysis of changes in the utilization of thermal water and geothermal energy in the north great plain region (Northeastern Hungary)

Probably, the most urgent problem of mankind in the 21st century to find a way to satisfy the energy demand of the world’s population - having reached seven billion people in 2011 - preferably from renewable sources, by endeavoring to apply environmentally sparing methods. From Hungary’s perspective...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kulcsár Balázs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Novi Sad, Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management 2012-01-01
Series:Geographica Pannonica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-8724/2012/0354-87241202056K.pdf
Description
Summary:Probably, the most urgent problem of mankind in the 21st century to find a way to satisfy the energy demand of the world’s population - having reached seven billion people in 2011 - preferably from renewable sources, by endeavoring to apply environmentally sparing methods. From Hungary’s perspective, it is a goal of priority significance, as it is an area that is not abound in fossil energy resources, and thus becoming increasingly exposed to the energy policies of the producer countries. If Hungary, which has favorable endowments in the field of renewable energy resources, lays larger emphasis on the application and processing of environmental industry technologies, the economic vulnerability of the country can be mitigated. This study discusses the distribution of the utilization of geothermal energy and its carrying medium, thermal water among the sectors of the economy, as well as its changes over time, the utilization potentials of alternative energies in the northeastern region of Hungary. This region has outstanding facilities in the field of thermal water and geothermal energy resources, yet their utilization rate - with respect to the available thermal water capacities - is rather low. It is a consequence of the regulatory requirements posed on operators, high investment and maintenance costs, the general shortage of resources, the difficult situation of the industries and municipalities, as well as the fact that the solid and liquid media of energy storage lying at depths of thousands of meters, the methods and potentials of exploitations, their sustainability are not or are just partly known.
ISSN:0354-8724
1820-7138