| Title | SYNERGYS – Systems for Energy Synergies: Concept and Current Status |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lucie Janku |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | borehole thermal energy storage, enhanced geothermal system, well logs, seismics, RINGEN |
| Abstract | SYNERGYS is a pioneering project aimed at advancing energy transition through integrated renewable technologies. Located in Litoměřice, Czechia—a region historically reliant on fossil fuels—the project seeks to establish synergies between photovoltaic systems, solar thermal systems, heat pumps, several borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) fields, hydrogen production, and an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). The system will supply heat and power to the RINGEN geothermal research centre, utilizing photovoltaics, a hydrogen fuel cell, and low-temperature BTES for self-sufficiency. Higher-temperature systems are planned to integrate with the town’s district heating, replacing coal with geothermal energy. Geothermal exploration in the area began in the 2000s. In 2007, well PVGT-LT1 was drilled through over 700 m of Cretaceous, Carboniferous and Permian deposits, rhyolite ignimbrite, and basement metamorphic rocks to a depth of 2,111 m. The Cretaceous sediments host two major aquifers. Monitoring wells drilled in 2025 are collecting temperature and groundwater flow data to inform the design of BTES fields. A narrow damage zone possibly linked to the Litoměřice Fault was observed in the crystalline basement, with seismic surveys in late 2024 aiming to clarify fault geometry and basin structure. Downhole stress measurements and well log analyses will assess fault influence on the proposed EGS. Temperature logs indicate a temperature of approximately 60°C at 2 km depth, with geothermal gradient of 22-26°C/km in the crystalline basement. The project targets creating an EGS reservoir at 3–3.5 km depth for sustainable geothermal heating solutions. |