First “Deployment Desk” Meeting in Čakovec, Croatia

As part of the Danube GeoHeCo project, the first “deployment desk” meeting was held in Croatia, bringing together relevant national, regional, and local stakeholders in the field of shallow geothermal energy.

The meeting took place on 3rd of December 2024 in Čakovec, Croatia in Technology Innovation Center Medimurje and was organised by Medjimurje Energy Agency Ltd. and Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering. The main aim of the meeting was to establish a “deployment desk” uniting key national, regional, and local stakeholders in Croatia important for promotion of shallow geothermal energy usage and development of shallow geothermal solutions. For stakeholders unable to attend the meeting in person, online participation was ensured by the ZOOM platform.

During the meeting, participants were given a brief overview of the project and the “deployment desk” concept, which is closely tied to engaging external stakeholders in the project's implementation. This approach aims to provide systematic support to project partners in promoting the adoption of geothermal heat pumps.

Through collaboration with partner organizations on joint investments, it also seeks to build capacities and facilitate knowledge exchange to increase expertise and the number of professionals available for the sustainable transformation of the energy sector, with an emphasis on geothermal energy exploitation.

In addition to introductory presentations, participants were engaged in two key discussions. The first discussion was focused on conducting a SWOT analysis of the environment for the development and application of shallow geothermal solutions in Croatia.

The second discussion revolved around identifying existing support measures for shallow geothermal energy currently under implementation. Participants also provided proposals for potential measures that could positively influence the utilization of shallow geothermal energy in Croatia and beyond, based on their own experiences.

Thanks to the establishment of the project's “deployment desk” in Croatia, members will collaboratively formulate development proposals for the use of shallow geothermal energy, considering the local context and priorities. They will reach a consensus on key challenges, potentials, and incentives and propose necessary amendments to the existing legislative framework to create an enabling environment for the wider usage of shallow geothermal heat pumps.

To further strengthen cooperation among stakeholders, another “deployment desk” meeting is planned for 2025, providing participants with an opportunity to share their experiences in utilizing shallow geothermal energy.