| Abstract |
The use of geothermal energy, focused on substitution of fossil fuels and improvement of environment in Slovakia, started in 1958, when the Department of public health and Committee for building were in charge with the investigation of outlet geothermal heat from water of Slovak spas to use it for district heating and commercial areas. In some sites the direct heating by thermal water has gradually started, similarly as the heating with heat pumps and the warming of supply water with heat exchangers. Recently in Slovakia not only the geothermal energy of natural spring thermal water is used, but mainly of geothermal wells located away of thermal springs outflow areas. On behalf of wider and systematic use of these energetic sources it is necessary to understand the peculiarities of particular occurrences of the geothermal energy sources as well as their attributes and possibilities of their use. This emphasizes the urgent seeking of energetic sources in the future providing sufficient amount of energy with lowering both consumption of fossil fuels and loading of environment. Regarding the long-term perspective in the frame of the concept of sustainability, the transition from the use of non-renewable sources towards the energetic systems based on renewable energy sources (RES) utilisation is suggested. Among RES the use of geothermal energy plays the foremost role. For comparison, the use of renewable sources of energy in Slovakia recently represents only 2.6 % from the total consumption of primary energetic sources. |