From Data to Dialogue: Building Geothermal Sustainability through Industry-Science Cooperation
Sava Turizem collaborates with the Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS) to inform business decisions with scientific expertise. GeoZS provides expert input for decision-making, supports responses to inspections, advises on procedures with various ministries within its scope of work, and facilitates communication with the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO). This includes helping to explain the complexity of geothermal resource management and providing assistance with reports and supporting documentation required by authorities.
Sava Turizem also works with GeoZS on continuous monitoring of water extraction, enabling rapid responses to errors, malfunctions, or anomalies, thus ensuring compliance with the requirement that 95% of all measurements are completed annually. GeoZS also contributes to the preparation of documentation required by concession regulations.
The greatest added value of this collaboration lies in the professionalism, responsiveness, and willingness for dialogue shown by GeoZS staff, as well as their understanding of non-standard situations and their ability to react swiftly when needed. Together, they are involved in various projects related to thermal wells, including comparisons with international practices, and the transfer of good practices aimed at reducing concession costs through more efficient use of thermal water.
Looking ahead, Sava Turizem would like GeoZS to provide specialized training on interpreting production diagrams and forecasting geothermal production dynamics over the next ten years. They also encourage GeoZS to advocate for equal treatment of all geothermal energy users in the Pomurje region. Additionally, Sava Turizem is interested in recommendations on new technologies and geothermal resource management systems, annual modeling and predictions of geothermal reservoir behavior (e.g., capacity, renewal, reinjection effects), and identifying opportunities for more efficient use based on historical production data.
