Powering Agri-food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat
Renewable energy and energy efficiency will play a central role in the global efforts to promote sustainability practices, climate action, and the energy transition. Renewable energy technologies can support the decarbonisation of the end-use sectors such as agri-food to promote sustainable food production while adapting to climate change.
The use of geothermal heat in the agri-food sector is rising worldwide, with several examples in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. However, more significant progress can be achieved with increased support in areas such as resource mapping, policy and regulations, financing, and capacity building, as well as with the development of tools that can enable policymakers to carry out assessments of geothermal heat utilisation, such as socio-economic impacts and heat pricing. These assessments might provide relevant information to support decision making, hence fostering accelerated use of geothermal heat in the agri-food sector.
In the framework of the Global Geothermal Alliance, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) collaborated with the International Geothermal Association (IGA) and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to organise a webinar to share global experiences and best practices for accelerating the use of geothermal heat in the agri-food sector. The webinar built on IRENA’s guidebook for policymakers on Powering Agri-food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat and its flagship publication on Renewable Energy for Agri-food Systems.
Agenda for the Global Capacity Building Event
Opening
- Opening Remarks – Gurbuz Gonul, Director, Country Engagement and Partnerships, IRENA
Keynote presentation
- Leveraging Renewable Energy in Agri-Food Systems – Olivier Dubois, Senior Natural Resources Officer & Leader of the Energy Programme Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
- Geothermal Powers the Agri-Food Sector – Andy Blair, President, International Geothermal Association
Presentations: Guidelines and case studies for Scaling Up Geothermal Heat Utilisation in the Agri-Food Sector
- Powering Agri-Food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat: Geothermal Resource and Heat Demand Mapping – Hezy Ram, Senior Geothermal Consultant, GreenMax Capital
- Geothermal Heat in the Netherlands – Hans Bolscher, Chair of the Board, Geothermie Nederland
- Powering Agri-Food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat: Enabling Framework Conditions to Foster Investment – Hezy Ram, Senior Geothermal Consultant, GreenMax Capital
- Perspectives on Financing of DU Project – Elin Hallgrimsdottir, Senior Energy Specialist, World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Program
- Powering Agri-Food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat: Addressing Knowledge Gaps Along the Geothermal Direct Use Value Chain – Hezy Ram, Senior Geothermal Consultant, GreenMax Capital
Q & A