Újbuda Gets Approval to Explore Its Geothermal Energy Potential Budapest’s Újbuda district has received approval to examine whether geothermal energy can contribute to its future heating and energy needs. The decision places one of the capital’s most densely populated districts at the centre of Hungary’s broader effort to make better use of its underground thermal resources. The approval does not mean that a geothermal power plant or district-heating system will be built immediately. Instead, it allows the district and its partners to investigate the geological conditions, technical feasibility, environmental implications and financial requirements of using heat stored beneath the city. The project could eventually support cleaner heating, reduce dependence on imported natural gas and strengthen Budapest’s energy resilience. Its success, however, will depend on careful geological research, responsible water management, transparent public consultation and a realistic financing model. Wh...
Buech Energy Center: How a Large-Scale Geothermal Probe Field Will Transform Bern’s District Heating Introduction: A new chapter for urban heat supply in Bern In western Bern, the Buech energy center is pioneering a smart, circular approach to urban heating: capturing excess waste heat, storing it underground during warm months, and returning it to the district heating network when buildings need warmth. The recent completion of pilot geothermal probes, deep exploratory boreholes, and groundwater monitoring marks a major step toward a planned geothermal probe field of roughly 1,100 probes drilled to about 300 meters. This project demonstrates how geothermal probe fields and seasonal heat storage can unlock major efficiency gains when combined with waste heat utilization and a modern district heating system. Why Bern’s approach matters: combining waste heat utilization with seasonal storage Municipalities increasingly face two parallel challenges: reducing fossil fuel dependence and mak...