Belgrade is making strides toward adopting geothermal energy, following a collaboration between public utility Beogradske Toplane and the Faculty of Mining and Geology. Recent exploratory work has confirmed the promising potential for geothermal energy at several sites across the city, including Borča, the Danube area, and Batajnica.
Batajnica has emerged as a key focus, with the Serbian Government officially recognizing the public interest in expropriating land to build geothermal heating infrastructure. This includes the establishment of a new heating plant and all necessary connection facilities, with the City of Belgrade acting as the legal recipient of the expropriated property on behalf of Beogradske Toplane.
These developments align with Belgrade’s urban planning documents, including the Detailed Regulation Plan for Batajnica and the General Regulation Plan for the broader metropolitan area.
A comprehensive study conducted by the Faculty of Mining and Geology estimates that each of the identified geothermal sites—Borca, the Danube area, and Batajnica—could support systems with capacities ranging from 5 to 20 MW. Notably, geothermal implementation at the Batajnica location alone could replace up to 90% of the fossil fuels currently used by the local heating plant. This transition would represent a major shift in energy sourcing, significantly reducing emissions and increasing system efficiency for the surrounding community.
As part of the next steps, Beogradske Toplane plans to allocate funding in 2025 to continue exploration efforts, including drilling a test borehole in Batajnica. The results will help verify the site’s geothermal capacity and support the planning and construction of renewable energy infrastructure. These efforts signal a major advancement in Belgrade’s journey toward a more sustainable and resilient heating network.
