Search

Poland belongs to the countries with limited waters intended for drinking resources. To meet this problem, the Management Board of Geotermia Mazowiecka SA carries out activities to determine the possibilities of using exploited geothermal waters other than energy purposes. In addition to energy, the geothermal water is used for recreation and balneotherapy in "Termy Mszczonów" and for the production of drinking water for the local water supply system. Some water needs to be discharged into surface watercourses due to a lack of coherence of heating and water supply needs. For recognizing this problem innovative research project entitled: "The development of a method for injecting after energy-used geothermal waters into selected geological structures" was prepared and implemented as part of the Regional Operational Program of the Mazowieckie Voivodship for 2014-2020 (Priority Axis: Research and development activities of enterprises). This project has resulted in the launch of the installation pumping excess water to the quaternary sandy leyer. Based on the results from the first year of operation of the project, it can be assumed that it is possible to achieve nearly 100% reduction of water discharge and, consequently, the full use of producted geothermal waters. In summary, it can be stated that the geothermal plant in Mszczonów is a unique installation not only on the Polish but also international scale. The proof of this is not only the scale of rational use of water for energy purposes (cooling from 41°C to about 17°C), but also their development in other areas, for example in "Termy Mszczonów" and for the production of waters intended for drinking. The article presents the results of the first year (2019) of operation of the water injection system. During this period, in cooled water discharged into surface watercourse nearly 50% reduction was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a review of the geological and hydrogeological data of the Lower Cretaceous aquifer in the Polish Lowlands and discusses the possibilities for the utilisation of geothermal water resources in existing and new district heating systems. Based on experience related to the use of thermal waters in existing geothermal systems, and using data from the literature, assessments have been made of the energy and environmental effects of the application of low-enthalpy geothermal resources from the Lower Cretaceous aquifer as a source of heat for urban district heating systems. The authors concluded that the implementation of such solutions could result in the production of approximately 4 PJ of geothermal energy annually. To date, these resources have only been developed in three locations—Mszczonów, Uniejów and Poddębice—with the total amount of energy generated annually reaching 100 TJ/year. Similar district heating networks in 120 nearby localities have been also identified. Here, specified geological and hydrogeological conditions enable the extraction of heat from the investigated Lower Cretaceous aquifer, with the aim of using this for heating purposes. To achieve this goal, multiple measures are required, including the following: raising public awareness through appropriate education programmes aimed at the youngest school children; systemic, efficient energy management measures at the central, regional and local levels, and providing financial support and ensuring regulations and laws aimed at improving the development of geothermal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural sector, which is highly dependent on water, is urged to build on improved water management practices and explore available options to match supply and demand because of the water scarcity risks and a sustainable and productive agri-food chain. Geothermal water is an energy source used to generate electricity and/or heat. After harnessing its energy, the remaining water can be used as a water source for irrigation following treatment because of its high ionic content. Geothermal fields are mostly located in rural areas where agricultural activities exist. This would be a good match to decrease the transportation cost of irrigation water. The energy demand of the desalination process for agriculture is higher, requiring additional post-treatment processes. Fossil fuels to fulfill the energy requirements are becoming expensive, and greenhouse gas emissions are harmful to the environment. Thus, efforts should be directed towards integrating renewable energy resources into desalination process. This work focuses on presenting a comprehensive review of geothermal water desalination which is powered by renewable energy and provides specific cases from Turkey and Poland. Furthermore, possible new generation renewable energy systems in desalination are introduced, considering their potential application in the desalination of geothermal water for agricultural irrigation. • RE use in desalination of geothermal water for irrigation is reviewed. • A novel approach that integrates RESs into agri-food chain is presented. • Specific cases of geothermal water desalination from Turkey and Poland are given. • Possible new generation RESs in desalination by capacitive deionization are explored. • Advantages/disadvantages of RE use in geothermal water desalination are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]