Welsh researchers lead geothermal project to help rebuild Ukraine’s energy system

Nation.Cymru staff

Researchers at Aberystwyth University are leading a project to help rebuild Ukraine’s energy system by developing a geothermal plant in the west of the country.

Working with south Wales-based Rockfield Software and partners in Ukraine and Poland, the team aims to shorten the development process by at least two years through mathematical modelling of underground rock formations.

The proposed pilot plant would be built in Solotvyno, near Ukraine’s border with Romania, as part of efforts to replace energy infrastructure destroyed by Russia.

The project seeks to support a decentralised network of small and medium-sized generating plants that would be harder to disrupt, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Geothermal energy draws on heat beneath the Earth’s surface, but geological uncertainty and lengthy exploration can delay projects. The exploration phase typically takes seven to eight years, according to the researchers.

The team is developing models of rock properties at a microscopic level to improve forecasts and reduce the risks involved in building the plant. New algorithms will also be used to predict how its underground reservoir could behave over an operating life of up to 30 years.

The researchers hope the work will allow similar plants to be developed more quickly elsewhere in Ukraine and in areas with comparable geology, potentially offering lessons for Britain.

Professor Gennady Mishuris, from Aberystwyth University, recently hosted a workshop bringing the project partners together in Wales.

He said: “Our aim is to revolutionise how geothermal energy is explored and deployed, specifically focusing on the rapid recovery and modernisation of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with enhanced geothermal systems.”

The consortium includes Ukrainian gas producer Ukrgasvydobuvannya, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Poland’s Oil and Gas Institute and Solotvyno Local Council.

Researchers in Kyiv have drawn on decades of geological knowledge, combining Soviet-era data with modern analytical tools and artificial intelligence systems.

Aleksei Karpenko, from Taras Shevchenko National University, highlighted the contributions of colleagues Dr Anastasia Chupryna and Dr Mariia Kurylo.

He said: “I am proud that the results we delivered with our INIG colleagues have enabled our international partners to develop a comprehensive model of the thermal resources available in the region.

“All the Ukrainian partners are deeply grateful for the support provided by the UK to make this work possible.”

Laboratory work has been complicated by the limited amount of rock available for testing.

Rock samples

Dr Tomasz Topór, from Poland’s Oil and Gas Institute, said: “Small rock samples had to support a full sequence of laboratory tests, so every step required careful planning.

“We are proud that, despite different research tools and approaches, our results were largely consistent with and complementary to the interpretations of our project partners.”

Rockfield Software has used the findings to build a model of how heat and mechanical forces interact in the underground formations.

Dr Martin Dutko, from the company, said the complex geology and lack of initial data had presented difficulties, but updated information from Ukrainian and Polish partners had enabled the modelling work to progress.

The project, called “Geothermal Ukraine – Making a Difference in Technology for Rapid Deployment”, is supported by the Innovate Ukraine programme and UK International Development.

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