The Second High-Level Conference of the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA)

San Salvador, El Salvador

The Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) is a platform for enhancing dialogue, cooperation and coordinated action among geothermal industry, policy makers and other geothermal stakeholders to increase the share of installed geothermal electricity and heat generation worldwide.

The second high-level conference of the GGA took place on 29 September – 1 October 2022 in San Salvador, El Salvador. Hosted by the Government of El Salvador through the Rio Lempa Hydroelectric Executive Commission (CEL) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in collaboration with the International Geothermal Association (IGA), the meeting was attended by over 120 high-level public, intergovernmental, non-governmental and private sector representatives committed to promoting and scaling up the development of geothermal applications globally.

The conference was officially opened on 30 September 2022 with remarks by CEL President Daniel Alvarez, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera, and Secretary of Commerce and Investments of El Salvador H.E. Miguel Kattan.

The agenda of the Conference included ministerial interventions, scene setting presentations, and a series of panel discussions on different topics by high-level representatives from governments, international, regional, and bilateral development organisations, and the private sector. The discussions focused on relevant developments, challenges, and solutions surrounding the global geothermal community and the progress of geothermal deployment. The conference was preceded by a pre-day of side events on various topics relevant to geothermal development. In this regard, IRENA through the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative and the Global Geothermal Alliance organised a side event to promote Geothermal as an integral energy solution in SIDS. In the Agency collaborated with CEL through LaGeo to organise a capacity building workshop on Powering agri-food value chains with geothermal heat with a focus on Latin America. The conference concluded with a fieldtrip to Berlin Geothermal Powerplant in El Salvador.

During the conference, the countries endorsed the San Salvador Declaration, which reaffirmed the political commitment and the need to work together to foster geothermal development across the world. The Declaration reflects the key elements discussed at the Conference, including the need to create strong enabling frameworks for investment and continued dialogue among geothermal stakeholders to achieve sustainable development and accelerate the energy transition globally through the increased deployment of geothermal energy. It also re-emphasised the need for maintaining international cooperation and enduring partnerships, through exchange of experiences, insights and best practices, to support the achievement of GGA’s objectives.

Press release: San Salvador Declaration Strengthens Global Collaboration on Geothermal Deployment

Presentations:

Scene setting presentations

Session II – Incorporating Geothermal Power Generation in Energy Transition

Session III - Geothermal Heat as a Mitigation Tool towards Adaptation

  • (Scene-setting presentation) Geothermal District Heating— Eirikur Bragason, Chief Operating Officer, Arctic Green Energy

Session IV - Financing Geothermal through Cutting Edge Initiatives

  • (Scene-setting presentation) Financing Geothermal through Cutting Edge Initiatives — Christian Gischler, Lead Energy Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank