Marković and Požgaj at the Forum on the Potential of Geothermal Energy in Croatia

Croatia holds significant potential for the development of geothermal energy, particularly in regions with geothermal sources such as Podravina, northwestern Croatia, Međimurje, and Zagorje. These areas boast a thermal gradient (temperature increase per unit meter) that is 60% higher than the European average.

On this topic, the Rotary Club Bjelovar and the Croatian Economic Association organized a forum titled "Economic Potential of Geothermal Energy in Croatia", held in Bjelovar.

Among the many experts participating in the panel are the Mayor of Mali Bukovec Municipality, Darko Marković, and the director of Bukotermal, Alen Požgaj. Other panellists include Martina Tuschl, Head of the Geothermal Energy Sector at the Hydrocarbons Agency; Dražen Jakšić, Director of the Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute; Igor Kovačević, Chief Operating Officer of CROSCO; and Tomislav Čorak, Executive Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group.

The opening presentations sparked numerous questions and comments from the audience, fostering optimism that Croatia’s geothermal potential will be significantly more utilized in the future.

It is worth recalling that Bukotermal has completed exploration on the Lunjkovec–Kutnjak geothermal field, confirming all prerequisites for constructing a geothermal power plant with a capacity of approximately 16 megawatts. It was determined that geothermal water at a depth of 2,430 meters reaches the temperature of 142.03°C, making it an excellent resource for electricity generation and laying the groundwork for conceptual design, environmental approval, and power plant planning.