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geothermal energy in spas, baths and swimming pools, using geothermal heat pumps for

heating and cooling.

Like Albania, Croatia uses geothermal energy for spa and recreation centers and for building
heating. However, the country does not currently have clear plans to use geothermal energy

for fish farming.

It is also similar in Poland. Although it has access to geothermal water, the country does not
use it for aquaculture. In the period 2010-2014, geothermal energy was used for various

purposes, especially for heating and spa activities. Total geothermal capacity has increased

over the past five years, but the use of geothermal water in fish farming is still an area waiting
to be developed.

8. Barriers to Geothermal Aquaculture

Geothermal energy is already used in many countries, but development in the use of
geothermal energy has been very slow in many countries. Key constraints and challenges

hindering the use of geothermal energy are policies, technical and financial barriers. High

initial investment costs reduce the attractiveness of using geothermal energy in fish farming
and is one of the main barriers to geothermal energy development in resource-constrained

economies.

The intense use of fossil fuels has been an obstacle to the widespread use of renewable

resources such as geothermal energy. The same situation has caused the development of

aquaculture of geothermal energy to be slow. However, in parallel with the improvement in
the economic situation of the countries, the public sector and private investors realized the

advantages of using a renewable energy source and started to conduct studies and prepare
inventory.

Financing plays an important role in geothermal programs. Government policies and

legislation are important factors in creating a conducive environment for geothermal
investment and resource mobilization and encouraging domestic and foreign private sector

investment. However, very few governments have very low budget allocations for geothermal

energy research and development activities.

Regulations aiming to protect and improve the environment also affect the development of
geothermal systems. The main EU environmental regulations affecting the geothermal sector

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