Hungary promotes geothermal energy as part of EU presidency

Hungary, which holds the EU presidency for the next six months, will promote geothermal energy to attract investment. The initiative is part of a continuum of support planned under Poland’s EU presidency in early 2025. Viktor Horváth, Deputy Secretary of State for Energy Transition, highlighted the approach at the event “Geothermal Energy: Light Under Your Feet” organized by the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) in Brussels, Belgium. While Viktor Orbán was advocating for Russian gas, the war changed everything. Geothermal energy could be the solution.

Hungary’s Geothermal Energy Goals

Hungary wants to strengthen the regulatory and financial framework for geothermal energy, aligning it with mining, thermal water management and environmental protection. Horváth stated: “We want to integrate (la géothermie) into the Council programme and hope for a strong impetus.” Together with Poland, Hungary intends to accelerate the implementation of this action plan in order to fully exploit Europe’s geothermal potential.

European Geothermal Action Plan

The European Geothermal Action Plan is proposed to address the labour, skills, financing and permitting challenges that currently hold back the development of geothermal energy. This proposal reflects EGEC’s call for a strong European geothermal policy, illustrated by the recent publication of the Geothermal NOW manifesto.

Situation and prospects for geothermal energy in Hungary

Currently, geothermal energy accounts for about 6.5% of the total heat production in Hungary, with one geothermal power plant in Tura with an installed capacity of 2.7 MWe and 7.0 MWth. The Hungarian government has published a national strategy aimed at doubling the use of geothermal energy by 2030.

Prospects and investments

Daniel Mes from the office of European Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra supports these proposals, stating that “we need to think about how to invest in this business model, how to invest in drilling, facilitate permitting and share best practices on safety and public acceptance. Certainty of drilling needs to be established quickly, it is not about public awareness, but about permitting”. Hungary and Poland, under their EU presidencies, could set an important milestone for the European geothermal sector. By strengthening policies and improving the regulatory and financial framework, the EU could see a significant expansion of geothermal energy, contributing to a more diverse and resilient energy sector.