Electrocentrale Bucuresti (ELCEN), the state company that provides heat for Bucharest's residents, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sage Geosystems, a US-based company specializing in geothermal energy technologies. This partnership aims to conduct a feasibility study on integrating geothermal resources into Bucharest's central heating system. 

The MoU was signed by ELCEN's General Director Claudiu Crețu in the presence of US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Romanian Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja, during the P-TECC Ministerial Business Forum. This forum, held on July 23-24 in Bucharest, focuses on energy and climate cooperation between Europe and the US.

Under the agreement, ELCEN will provide access to relevant data and infrastructure while contributing technical expertise and operational knowledge specific to Bucharest's centralized heating system. 

Sage Geosystems will perform the technical and geological analysis and conduct the feasibility study for geothermal energy utilization. 

"The geothermal resource could heat Bucharest, reducing pollution and heating costs. This study will show where we can drill and how to exploit local geothermal energy efficiently," said Claudiu Crețu. 

The collaboration aims to ensure sustainable and economically efficient heating solutions for Bucharest, aligning with national and European goals for sustainable energy transition. 

This initiative builds on a February 2024 agreement between ELCEN and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) to explore geothermal investment projects. 

The project is expected to create significant benefits, including modernizing Bucharest's heating system and potentially expanding geothermal heating solutions based on the study's findings.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Electrocentrale Bucuresti ELCEN)