Utilization of Very Shallow Geothermal Energy in Tourist, Urban, and Rural Areas of Serbia: Potentials, Benefits, and Challenges

Nikola Jocić, Natalija Batoćanin, Irena Blagajac, David Bertermann

Abstract


The Serbian heating sector remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, leading to persistent exceedances of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants during winter and placing significant burdens on public health. This paper synthesizes evidence on air quality, health impacts, and the technical and spatial characteristics of geothermal resources, with particular emphasis on very shallow geothermal potentials (vSGP; ≤10 m). vSGP systems, typically implemented as horizontal closed-loop collectors, can eliminate on-site combustion and associated local emissions while providing efficient heating and cooling year-round. Their performance depends on near-surface soil conditions (soil composition, grain size, moisture, insolation) and the integration of the system with heat pumps and low-temperature distribution. Distinct application pathways are emerging as rural and peri-urban areas favor horizontal collectors and dual land use, while compact urban zones require hybrid solutions, vertical drilling, or integration with modern low-temperature district heating. Despite clear environmental and social benefits, expansion is constrained by high initial costs, limited regulatory incentives, data gaps (0-10 m soil properties), and modest public awareness. The paper concludes that targeted pilot projects in health-relevant hotspots, stable financing mechanisms, simplified permitting and standards, and an open cadaster of shallow geothermal resources could enable scalable adoption, improve air quality, and advance Serbia’s climate and energy goals.

Keywords: very shallow geothermal potentials (vSGP), renewable energy, heating and cooling, Serbia

© 2025 Serbian Geographical Society, Belgrade, Serbia.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Serbia.


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