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Croatia Signs Grant Agreement to Drill Four Geothermal Heating Wells

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 ZapreÅ¡ić 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...

Poland Leads the Charge to a Sustainable Future with Industria's Partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR for Green Energy

Rolls-Royce SMR and Polish company Industria have joined forces to revolutionize the country's energy infrastructure with the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Alan Woods, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Director of Strategy and Business Development, left, and Szczepan Ruman, CEO of Industria (Image: Rolls-Royce SMR)

Industria, part of the state-owned Industrial Development Agency JSC (IDA), has chosen Rolls-Royce SMR for the Central Hydrogen Cluster with the aim to produce 50,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen annually. With the potential of "up to three" SMRs and the possibility of replacing over 8GW of coal-fired power plants, this collaboration has the power to shape a sustainable future for Poland.

Tom Samson, CEO of Rolls-Royce SMR, said this partnership has "enormous potential" and could support thousands of high-skilled jobs in both Poland and the UK. 

Meanwhile, President of the Board of IDA, Cezariusz Lesisz, sees this as a "great opportunity" to build new competencies in the Polish industry and support the country's energy security and resilience.


Szczepan Ruman, CEO of Industria, says participating in the supply chain of parts and modules for Rolls-Royce SMR is a "great opportunity" for the region and industry in southern Poland. With the support of IDA Group, Ruman aims to secure Polish industry's strong participation in the SMR industry of the future and secure clean energy sources for the grid, industry, and clean hydrogen production.


Poland is in the midst of a major shift towards nuclear energy as part of its decarbonization efforts, with initiatives to bring SMRs to the country at various stages of progress. The Rolls-Royce SMR, with a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurized water reactor, is expected to become operational in the UK by the end of the decade. With this new collaboration, the future of energy in Poland looks bright, clean, and sustainable.

SMR

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors that are designed to generate clean and sustainable energy. Unlike conventional large nuclear power plants, SMRs are much smaller in size, making them more cost-effective, scalable, and safer. They are also able to operate on a variety of fuel types, including low-enriched uranium, thorium, and recycled fuel, which helps reduce the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation.

 SMRs use nuclear reactions to heat water, producing steam that drives a turbine to generate electricity. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear reactions produce very little greenhouse gas emissions and have a much lower impact on the environment. The technology also enables the generation of electricity at a constant rate, providing a reliable source of energy that is not subject to the fluctuations of wind or solar power.

Furthermore, SMRs have a much smaller footprint compared to traditional nuclear power plants, making them ideal for deployment in areas with limited space or challenging environmental conditions. This, in turn, helps reduce the impact on local communities and wildlife, making SMRs a much greener alternative to traditional energy sources.

Overall, the small modular reactor technology has the potential to play a significant role in the transition to a low-carbon energy future. By providing clean, reliable, and scalable energy, SMRs can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy security, and promote sustainable development.

To find out how a Rolls Royce SMR plant looks like and parts of a SMR kindly go through our earlier article here: https://alphaxioms.blogspot.com/2023/02/rolls-royce-and-czech-republic-join.html

source:(https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Poland-s-Industria-selects-Rolls-Royce-SMR-for-hyd)

#Poland #SustainableFuture #RollRoyce #SMR

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