Bukotermal Begins Exploration with a Joint Investment of 19 Million HRK by Varaždin County and the Municipality of Mali Bukovec
Exploration is underway at the Kutnjak-1 well at the Lunjkovec-Kutnjak field, conducted by Bukotermal. The progress of the work was reviewed by Dr. Josip Križanić, President of the County Assembly, Darko Marković, Mayor of the Municipality of Mali Bukovec, and Kristina Turk, Municipal Councillor of Legrad.
The petroleum operations, which involve measuring static pressure and temperature at the Kutnjak-1 well, are being carried out by experts from Crosco, a Zagreb-based company. Bukotermal Ltd., owned by Varaždin County and the Municipality of Mali Bukovec, is the project client. The company was established to exploit the geothermal energy potential in eastern Varaždin County.
Currently, Bukotermal is conducting exploration that includes investigating geothermal potential and testing existing wells, such as Kutnjak-1. Varaždin County and the Municipality of Mali Bukovec are jointly investing 19 million HRK in this exploration project.
Dr. Josip Križanić, President of the County Assembly stated that the County firmly supports this project.
„We expect a smaller power plant to be constructed in the first phase, with the surplus heat utilized for greenhouses in the municipalities of Mali and Veliki Bukovec. We are hopeful that the measurements will meet expectations, enabling us to leverage excess heat for energy purposes,“ Križanić said, adding that the County plans to recapitalize Bukotermal with 12.5 million HRK through a budget revision.
Darko Marković, Mayor of the Municipality of Mali Bukovec, announced that in the fall, the Kutnjak-1 and Lunjkovec-1 wells would undergo workover and detailed testing.
"Before workover, we had to measure temperature and pressure along the entire well depth. Based on this data, we will finalize the main projects, which are nearing completion, and apply for a mining permit from the Ministry of Economy to proceed with workover and detailed testing."
He explained that the first phase would include the utilization of two existing wells from the 1970s, with a capacity of up to 2 MW, to construct a smaller geothermal power plant. One well will be used for production and the other for injection.
In the second phase, five additional wells would be drilled, three production and two injection wells, allowing for a new power plant with a capacity of 10-12 MW. In the third phase, the heat from both geothermal power plants would be used by farmers in such a way that heat pipes would be drawn from the power plant to the greenhouses and greenhouses, in order to heat them during the winter for flower and vegetable cultivation.
"About 12 MW of electricity and five times more thermal energy will suffice to make Varaždin County energy-independent. There are many power plants and energy facilities powered by renewable energy sources. This aligns with the County's goal, and additional benefits for the municipalities of Mali Bukovec and Legrad will be ensured," said Marković.
He added that the main testing should be concluded by the end of the year, with results submitted to the Ministry at the beginning of the next year. A contract on the exploitation of the geothermal field is expected within one to two months.
"We assume that by the middle of next year the document will be obtained which would enable the start of designing the geothermal power plant (GTE). The design phase takes about six months to a year, after which construction can begin. Building a smaller geothermal power plant in the first phase is not construction-intensive, so if everything goes as planned, the power plant could be operational by the end of 2025," Marković explained.
Kristina Turk, Municipal Councillor of Legrad emphasized that the project builds on the excellent collaboration between the neighbouring municipalities of Mali Bukovec and Legrad.
"We anticipate significant benefits for our communities. The Municipality of Legrad is available for all projects through the announcement of public tenders and is ready to maintain good relations between Varaždin and Koprivnica-Križevci Counties," stated Turk.
Geothermal energy is fully green and renewable, recognized as such by the European Union. Soon, most geothermal projects will be eligible for co-financing through EU funds. Additionally, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan has identified geothermal energy as a priority, offering funding opportunities for exploration and development.