Importance of Geothermal Energy in the Area of Semberija in the Republic of Srpska

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy, and environmental protection in recent years, has given an even greater importance to the use of alternative renewable energy sources. One of the most important sources of energy, used worldwide for more than 100 years, is geothermal energy. Its presence in the waters and rocks opens the possibilities for its wider use for various purposes. It plays an important role in the developed countries or in the countries that are more focused on the use of geothermal energy. However, compared to the fossil fuels that are the main source of energy, geothermal energy is used only in negligible percentage. Sudden environmental pollution in recent years, opened more space for the use of geothermal energy. Balkan countries have an important place on geothermal map of Europe, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. the Republic of Srpska stands out as a significant area where geothermal energy is accumulated as an important resource. In the Republic of Srpska there are more characteristic areas with the presence of thermal waters, but the most important is Semberija, where the temperature at depths of 1200 – 2500 m ranges from 75 – 100 0C. Possibilities of using this energy are multiple, such as heat for various purposes or in electric energy production. Its use, in the area from which it is exploited and in the area where it would be used, will change the quality of the environment because it will partially or completely replace the current use of fossil fuels.

Importance of Dynastic and Political Ties for Cross–cultural Connections of Nemanide Serbia with the Mediterranean World and Central Europe around the First Fall of Constantinople, and its Reflections on Visual Culture of Nemanide Serbia

“…Studenica that was built after 1183, was visually quite different from Nemanja's endowments created during the good relations with Manojlo Komnen, the church of St. Nicholas and the church of the Mother of God at Kursumlija in Toplica 27 , which were built according to the Constantinople models. In Studenica the features of the Byzantine ground plan and structure of the space are imbued with the Romanesque exterior and the appearance of the red dome on Mount Athos 28 . Except for the dome, the building, looking from outside, had a Romanesque appearance.…”

“…It is built of white and grayish marble carvings from nearby Rodočel, and all the openings and friezes of the arcades in the attic are of a purely Romanesque spirit. For such appearance of Studenica, one should thank the changed political circumstances and coastal artists, but also the willingness (and perhaps conscious intentions) of the founders to accept the crossing of two European artistic traditions 29 . Although churches with Byzantine and Western features already existed in Serbian lands in the pre-Romanesque period, Studenica, and a few years older church of Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery (1170-1171) introduced the custom of combining Romanesque stylistic features with the Byzantine church footprint and the Orthodox liturgical purpose of the space.…”

“…Although churches with Byzantine and Western features already existed in Serbian lands in the pre-Romanesque period, Studenica, and a few years older church of Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery (1170-1171) introduced the custom of combining Romanesque stylistic features with the Byzantine church footprint and the Orthodox liturgical purpose of the space. This took root in the solutions that gave a special stamp to Serbian architecture by the end of the 13 th century 30 .…”

“…P. 18. 41 Font M. The emergence of East Central Europe… P. [28][29] Also later, Stefan the First-Crowned, in his charter to the Benedictine monastery of the Mother of God on the island of Mljet, refers to Theotokos' as his special protectress and the one «who had chosen him to be the heir in his father's house, and who had raised him above his brothers to feed the father's flock» (Stefan Prvovenčani. Sabrani spisi.…”