The Hungarian Embassy in Zagreb and the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar are organizing the “Zagreb Geothermal Business Forum 2025”, which will take place on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Zagreb.
The Forum aims to connect Croatian public and private stakeholders involved in geothermal development with relevant Hungarian technology, engineering, financial and project development companies, thereby fostering concrete bilateral business cooperation. The event is framed by Croatia’s Geothermal Potential Development Plan until 2030, which seeks to expand the use of geothermal energy in order to strengthen energy independence, reduce energy prices, and support sustainable economic growth.
The Croatian segment of the Pannonian Basin possesses exceptional geothermal potential at the European level. Consequently, the government has allocated EUR 55 million from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) to the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency (CHA) for the exploration of the most promising areas. Based on initial assessments, several public tenders have already been launched for the exploration of geothermal waters for energy purposes, primarily to increase the share of geothermal energy in district heating. Six priority locations: Zaprešić, Velika Gorica, Sisak, Osijek, Vinkovci, and Vukovar, meet the geological and technical criteria and are directly connected to existing district heating systems. In addition, several cities, including Bjelovar, Topusko, Karlovac, Virovitica, Vukovar, and Križevci, are developing advanced geothermal projects for district heating and public building heating purposes. Most of these initiatives were launched through the Energy and Climate Change Programme, funded by the EEA Grants.
Among the current development directions, geothermal investments aimed at electricity generation are gaining increasing importance. Four companies are currently preparing such projects across six designated exploration areas, and electricity production is planned in six of the twelve identified geothermal fields. Private sector involvement is a key component of Croatia’s energy policy, with the government allocating EUR 75 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the NRRP to support geothermal projects.
The “Zagreb Geothermal Business Forum 2025” will provide Hungarian companies with an overview of Croatia’s ongoing geothermal exploration programmes, the designation of concession areas, the drilling schedule for district heating projects, and the current status of geothermal electricity generation initiatives. The event will also enable direct networking with key Croatian actors involved in these developments.
An integral part of the forum will be the B2B matchmaking session, facilitating direct discussions between Croatian project holders and Hungarian technology suppliers to promote practical cooperation.
The conference’s core message is that Hungarian professional and technological expertise can play a pivotal role in the unfolding of Croatia’s geothermal sector, contributing substantially to the bilateral, sustainable, and economically viable utilization of the Pannonian Basin’s geothermal resources.
AGENDA:
10:00 – 10:05 Welcome remarks – Dr. Csaba Demcsák, Ambassador of Hungary
10:05 – 10:10 Welcome remarks – Dražen Jakšić, CEO, EIHP
10:10 – 10:30 Update on Croatia’s geothermal development – Tomislav Đurić, EIHP
10:30 – 11:00 EU funding opportunities for geothermal projects – Annamária Nádor, EUSDR PA2
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00 Panel: Technical and financial aspects of geothermal project development – Hungarian and Croatian Experiences
- Boris Vidoš, Project manager of GPP Zagocha, ENNA Group
- Gábor Molnar, Managing Director, ARCTIC GREEN ENGINEERING
- Gábor Magyar,Technical and Strategic Director, ROTAQUA
- Viktor Medved, Head of Renewable Energy Sources Unit, Credit Division, Structured Finance Department, HBOR
- Lovre Karamarko, Head of Service, Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds
- Horváth Gergely Domonkos, CEO, MVM Zöld Generáció Zrt.
13:00 – 14:00 Networking session
