| Summary: | The project’s overall objective is to promote the utilization of geothermal energy and resources as areliable renewable energy resource through demonstration actions in three cities involved in theproject as CONCERTO Areas. Geothermal energy is the least known and least expanded RES inEurope, though its relevance and importance should deserve much more attention. By using thepractically unlimited internal heat of earth, geothermal energy has one of the highestpotential of all RES. When compared with other RES – like solar or wind – its main advantage isthe practically constant energy and heat output it can provide. Besides the well known geothermalregions like Iceland or the region of Tuscany (Larderello) in Italy, Central-Eastern Europeancountries have exceptional geothermal resources. These resources are either unexploited due tothe lack of technological know-how or their use is carried out in an unsustainable way; geothermaldistrict heating projects lack the energy efficiency component and the used thermal water isgenerally not re-injected but instead released to surface waters. The Geothermal Communities project, joint action of 16 individual partners, demonstrates the bestavailable technologies for the use of geothermal energy combined with innovative energy efficiencymeasures and with the integration of other renewable energy sources in three differentpilot sites (Hungary, Slovakia and Italy). Furthermore, the project integrates a large number of citiesas project partners (from Serbia, Romania, Poland and Macedonia) that either already have ongoinggeothermal initiatives and are keen on adopting the latest technologies (e.g. Oras Sacueni, Romania)or they would like to realise brand new systems by taking advantage of the project’s results and itscompetent consortium (e.g. Subotica, Serbia). FP7
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