• The “Making Thermal Waters Accessible in Poland” programme (2020–2028) supports local authorities in the exploration and identification of underground geothermal resources.
• Under this programme, 41 municipalities across Poland will receive funding to carry out exploratory boreholes.
• The total amount of grants from the NFOŚiGW earmarked for research work across the country is PLN 573 million.
• Wielkopolska is implementing five geothermal research projects with NFOŚiGW funding
• Among the municipalities in the Wielkopolska region seeking to energy from deep within the Earth is Września, which has secured PLN 10.27 million for this purpose.
• Due to the support from the governmental programme, local authorities can minimise the financial risk associated with exploring for geothermal resources.
• The NFOŚiGW provides funding for the research stage, and the decision on whether to build a heating plant is only taken once the adequate yield of groundwater has been confirmed.
• The NFOŚiGW is planning further programmes to support the development of existing geothermal wells and installations, including the District Heating Transformation Fund, as well as the “Green Transition - Geothermal Energy” programme, financed by Norwegian funds (EEA Financial Mechanism 2021-2028).

We are moving on from the terms of the contract to taking action. It is time to begin research work to assess the site and determine the extent to which geothermal water in Września can supply the local district heating system, support the development of tourism or be used to heat greenhouses. Geothermal energy offers vast potential, and the specific possibilities will be determined by the parameters obtained during the research

- said Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, during the symbolic launch of a trial geothermal well in Września.

Harnessing heat from deep within the Earth offers a huge opportunity to improve air quality and move away from fossil fuels in local heating systems. Until now, the greatest obstacle for local authorities have been the high costs of initial test drilling and the geological risk - a fear that water of the required temperature might not be found at a specific depth.

The response to these challenges is the national programme “Making Thermal Waters in Poland Accessible”, under which the NFOŚiGW bears the financial burden of the initial research. Across Poland, 41 contracts have already been signed for the total of PLN 573 million, of which five projects are carried out in Wielkopolska. The programme is already yielding tangible results - 13 contracts have been completed, under which geothermal conditions were assessed: as many as 11 boreholes proved to be positive, whilst only 2 were negative. These figures are the best proof that government support for local authorities is yielding tangible results, and that clean energy is flowing from the interior of the Earth - energy that is worth harnessing as part of the transformation of the Polish district heating sector.

An example of a project carried out under this programme is the work in Września. The funding allocated from the NFOŚiGW amounts to as much as PLN 10.27 million (with the total net cost of the project amounting to PLN 10.37 million).

The project involves drilling the Września GT-1 exploratory well to a depth of approximately 1,460 metres. It is estimated that the water flowing from it may have a temperature of approximately 53–54°C. If the test results confirm the appropriate parameters and yield of the underground resources, the thermal water could be used in the local district heating system.

The launch of the drilling is scheduled in the third quarter of 2026. It is due to be completed in February 2027.

The NFOŚiGW is preparing to launch instruments to support the development of existing geothermal wells and installations. One of them will be the District Heating Transformation Fund to provide funding for the construction, expansion and modernisation of geothermal heating plants, as well as for the drilling and reconstruction of geothermal wells.

On the other hand, the “Green Transition - Geothermal Energy” programme (EEA FM 2021-2028) will be funded from Norwegian funds. The scope of support will cover the implementation of geothermal heating systems, including the construction and expansion of heat sources utilising geothermal resources, as well as the adaptation of existing exploration wells for operational purposes.