Croatia Signs Grant Agreement to Drill Four Geothermal Wells for Urban Heating Croatia has approved a major new investment to expand the use of geothermal energy for district heating in four cities. Velika Gorica, Osijek, Vinkovci, and Zaprešić are set to receive an additional EUR 35.3 million for geothermal development, including the drilling of four new wells that could support urban heating systems by 2030. The funding marks the second phase of a broader geothermal program designed to convert Croatia’s underground heat resources into reliable, domestic energy for homes, public buildings, businesses, agriculture, and industry. Across the two phases, the total investment in the four locations is expected to reach approximately EUR 86 million. The project is significant because it moves Croatia’s geothermal strategy beyond exploration. The country is now preparing the infrastructure needed to create production-and-injection well pairs, establish closed geothermal systems, an...
Geothermal Power in the Western United States: A Transmission and Planning Roadmap to 2030 Introduction The Western United States is approaching a decisive period for geothermal power. Electricity demand is rising because of data centers, industrial electrification, population growth, electric vehicles and the replacement of retiring fossil-fuel generation. At the same time, utilities are under growing pressure to add clean resources that can operate reliably when solar and wind output declines. Geothermal power is well positioned to fill this role. Unlike weather-dependent generation, geothermal plants can provide firm electricity for long periods, support grid reliability and reduce the amount of storage required in deeply decarbonized power systems. However, the industry’s expansion will depend on more than subsurface heat and drilling technology. By 2030, transmission access, resource planning, project finance, permitting and utility procurement will determine whether geothermal be...