IMPORTANCE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IN THE AREA OF SEMBERIJA IN THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy, and environmental protection in recent years, has given an even greater importance to the use of alternative renewable energy sources. One of the most important sources of energy, used worldwide for more than 100 years, is geothermal energy. Its presence in the waters and rocks opens the possibilities for its wider use for various purposes. It plays an important role in the developed countries or in the countries that are more focused on the use of geothermal energy. However, compared to the fossil fuels that are the main source of energy, geothermal energy is used only in negligible percentage. Sudden environmental pollution in recent years, opened more space for the use of geothermal energy. Balkan countries have an important place on geothermal map of Europe, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the Republic of Srpska stands out as a significant area where geothermal energy is accumulated as an important resource. In the Republic of Srpska there are more characteristic areas with the presence of thermal waters, but the most important is Semberija, where the temperature at depths of 1200 – 2500 m ranges from 75 – 100 0 C. Possibilities of using this energy are multiple, such as heat for various purposes or in electric energy production. Its use, in the area from which it is exploited and in the area where it would be used, will change the quality of the environment because it will partially or completely replace the current use of fossil fuels.