LEGAL ASPECTS OF UTILIZATION OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Geotermalna energija je toplota, ki nastaja in je shranjena v notranjosti Zemlje. Med obnovljivimi viri je edina, ki ne spada med sončne vire saj je neprestano razpoložljiva, ne glede na vremenske razmere. Na površje se prenaša v obliki tople geotermalne vode ali pare. Njena temperatura narašča z enoto globine kar izraža geotermični gradient. Možnosti njene uporabe pogojuje temperatura vira. Ločimo visokotemperaturne vire s temperaturo nad 150° C, ki jih izrabljamo za proizvodnjo elektrike in nizkotemperaturne geotermalne vire pod 150° C, ki jih v glavnem izrabljamo neposredno za ogrevanje. Izkoriščanje geotermalne energije je učinkovitejše, če jo uporabljamo kaskadno, torej na različnih, vedno nižjih temperaturnih nivojih. Zakonsko področje raziskav in izrabe geotermalne energije in termalnih vod v Sloveniji trenutno urejajo štirje zakoni: Zakon o varstvu okolja, Energetski zakon, Zakon o rudarstvu ter Zakon o vodah. Ključen problem rabe geotermalne energije je ignoranca države in pomanjkljiva oziroma neenotna zakonodaja, kar zavira njen razvoj. V prihodnosti bo zato nujno sprejetje enotnega zakona o geotermalni energiji z jasno definicijo vira in načinov njegove uporabe. Rezultati dosedanjega razvoja kažejo tudi, da ni dovolj dostopnih finančnih sredstev namenjenih razvoju uporabe geotermalnih virov, kar bi prav tako rešili z enotno zakonodajo in enotnim nadzornim organom, ki bi se ukvarjal z celotno vejo geotermije v Sloveniji. Največji del potencialne geotermalne energije se nahaja v Pomurju, ki je hkrati najmanj razvita regija v državi. To je še en razlog, zakaj mora država začeti intenzivneje spodbujati najprej raziskave in potem tudi izrabo geotermalne energije. Tako bo bistveno pripomogla k razvoju regije, posledično pa tudi države. Pozitiven vpliv na razvoj izkoriščanja geotermalne energije bi prav gotovo imelo tudi oblikovanje skupne čezmejne politike o geotermalnih virih na območju celotne Evropske unije.Geothermal energy is the heat stored inside the Earth’s core. It is the only renewable non-solar source of energy that doesn’t depend on weather conditions. It surfaces in the form of warm geothermal water or water vapor. Its temperature is increasing with depth what is defined by geothermal gradient. Options of geothermal energy use depend on the temperature of the source. There are high temperature geothermal sources with temperatures over 150°C used mainly for the production of electricity, and low temperature geothermal sources under 150°C used directly for heating. Utilization of geothermal energy is more efficient if used in successive way, thus on different progressively lower temperature levels. For the time being, there are four different laws in Slovenia that are regulating legal field of researches and utilization of geothermal energy and thermal waters: Environmental law, Energy law, Mining law and Water law. Key problem of the use of geothermal energy is ignorance of the country and inadequate, uncommon legislation that stands on the way of its progress. That is why it is urgent to adopt uniform geothermal energy law with evident definition of the geothermal source and manners of its use. Outcomes of previous development show that Slovenia doesn’t assign enough financial resources to the development of geothermal utilization. That problem could also be solved by uniform geothermal law and uniform regulatory board which would be engaged by the overall geothermal utilization in Slovenia. Largest share of potential geothermal energy is in Pomurje region which is the least developed region in the country. This is yet another reason, why our country has to encourage the research of geothermal sources and its potential, and furthermore the utilization of geothermal energy. That will also contribute to the development of the region and consequently of the entire country. One of the positive impacts on the development of geothermal utilization would most definitely be the formation of uniform cross-border policy concerning geothermal sources in the entire European Union