Events
Upcoming Events
Past Events
Unlocking Geothermal Energy Applications on the Road to a Net Zero World
At Energy Asia 2025, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), through the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA), was invited to contribute to the regional dialogue on accelerating clean energy solutions. Representing IRENA, Mr. Gurbuz Gonul, Director of Country Engagement and Partnerships, delivered an intervention on the untapped potential of geothermal energy in Asia.
Describing geothermal as a “sleeping giant,” Mr. Gonul highlighted that while the region holds over 125 terawatts of technical potential, progress remains modest. Between 2015 and 2024, geothermal capacity in Asia grew from 3.90 GW to a projected 5.13 GW, driven by Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan, yet only 0.4 GW was added globally in 2024, reflecting the urgent need to scale up action.
The intervention underscored geothermal energy’s versatility in supporting not just electricity generation, but also clean heating, cooling, agriculture, and industrial applications. Mr. Gonul stressed the importance of collaboration, strategic planning, and enabling policy frameworks, drawing on IRENA’s global work under the GGA – supporting strategic heating planning in Mongolia, agri-food applications in Kenya and Uganda, and capacity building in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.
“Geothermal is not just a power solution – it is a climate solution, a security solution, and a development solution. If there’s a will, there’s a way,” he concluded.
IRENA, through the Global Geothermal Alliance, remains committed to working with countries and partners to position geothermal energy as a key pillar of the just energy transition in Asia and globally.
Unlocking Geothermal Energy Applications on the Road to a Net Zero World
Geothermal energy is increasingly recognized for its role in providing reliable, low-carbon solutions across various sectors, including district cooling, agriculture, tourism, and industry. Innovative projects like the G2COOL plant in Masdar City demonstrate its potential in regions with high cooling demands. This session, co-organized by IRENA through the Global Geothermal Alliance and Tabreed, will explore international success stories and scalable models for geothermal deployment.
Objective & Expected Outcomes:
The event aims to convene stakeholders from government, utilities, industry, and academia to share insights on geothermal applications, foster cross-sector collaborations, and identify pathways to scale direct-use geothermal solutions in support of global net-zero ambitions.
Speakers:
- Francesco La Camera, Director General, IRENA
- Khalid Al Marzooqi, CEO, Tabreed
- Antonio Di Cecca, COO, Tabreed
- Ali Al Rawahi, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Technology Upstream, ADNOC
- Kolbrun Ragna Ragnarsdottir, Programme Officer, Global Geothermal Alliance, IRENA
- Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria, Director General, Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), Kenya
- Meshary AlAyed, CEO & Managing Director, TAQA Geothermal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
SEforAll Global Forum: Unlocking Geothermal Potential: From Power Generation to Sustainable Development in the Global South
The SEforALL Global Forum was held in Bridgetown, Barbados from 12-13 March 2025, co-hosted with the Government of Barbados, led by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley. It served as a platform for government, business and finance leaders, entrepreneurs, youth and community representatives from around the world to come together to showcase leadership, broker new partnerships, spur new investment and address emerging challenges. It also put a particular focus on the imperative for just and equitable energy transitions that deliver ambitious climate progress while forging development opportunities for climate-vulnerable countries, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
On 13 March 2025, SEforAll, the Government of Barbados, the Government of Iceland, and IRENA, through the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA), co-organized the session “Unlocking Geothermal Potential: From Power Generation to Sustainable Development in the Global South”. The session focused on advancing geothermal energy as a driver of affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy transitions, with a particular emphasis on the Global South. Discussions highlighted geothermal’s unique advantages, including its ability to provide baseload power, support grid stability, and enable diverse applications such as heating, cooling, and desalination. Participants addressed critical aspects like grid integration, regional cooperation frameworks, innovative financing mechanisms, and technical implementation pathways to overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and drilling risks.
The session also featured a deep dive into successful geothermal projects and integration strategies, offering practical insights into project development, policy frameworks, and capacity building. Emphasiswas placed on the role of the GGA in fostering international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy dialogue to accelerate geothermal deployment. By bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from regions such as Kenya, Iceland, and the Caribbean, the session aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Explore global perspectives on geothermal energy and its potential to address energy security, climate resilience, and water scarcity challenges.
- Highlight pathways for affordable and reliable energy transitions, focusing on grid integration, regional cooperation, financing mechanisms, and technical implementation.
- Showcase successful geothermal projects and integration strategies to provide actionable lessons for scaling up deployment.
- Strengthen the role of the GGA in fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy support to unlock geothermal’s full potential.
Key outcomes included actionable recommendations for accelerating geothermal deployment, fostering global partnerships, and advancing sustainable development goals through geothermal energy.
GGA Annual Meeting: Geothermal in action: Driving sustainable development and energy transition
The Fifteenth Session of the IRENA Assembly featured the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) Annual Meeting, themed “Geothermal in Action: Driving Sustainable Development and Energy Transition”. Held on 13 January 2025 at the St. Regis Hotel, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, this side event brought together global stakeholders to explore geothermal energy’s potential as a reliable, versatile, and sustainable energy source. Discussions highlighted its role in electricity generation, heating and cooling, and direct-use applications such as agriculture, food processing, and tourism, which can significantly contribute to climate goals and economic growth.
Participants addressed key challenges, including high investment costs, drilling risks, and policy gaps, while emphasizing the need for innovative financing, de-risking mechanisms, and supportive regulatory frameworks to accelerate geothermal deployment. The event also showcased the GGA’s efforts as a multi-stakeholder platform to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and drive geothermal energy’s integration into global energy transitions. The meeting reinforced the importance of geothermal energy in achieving the COP28 commitment to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency by 2030, underscoring its potential to enhance energy security, flexibility, and sustainable development worldwide.
2nd High-Level Conference of the Global Geothermal Alliance – Geothermal, Driving the Energy Transition for Fostering Sustainable Development and Climate Action
Powering Agri-food Value Chains with Geothermal Heat
Renewable Energy Solutions for District Heating in Mongolia
Geothermal District Heating and Cooling
Scaling up geothermal direct use for industrial applications in Latin America
Enabling Policies and Regulatory Frameworks for Geothermal Energy – East Africa Rift
Global Geothermal Alliance Annual Meeting
Workshop: Integrating Renewable Energy resources in District Heating and Cooling – China
Workshop: Integrating low-temperature renewables in district energy systems: Focus on Belarus
Webinars: Energy Solutions for Cities of the Future: Enabling the Integration of Low-Temperature Renewable Energy Sources into District Heating and Cooling Systems
Global Geothermal Alliance Enabling Frameworks for Accelerated Geothermal Energy Development
Capacity Building on the Integration of Low-Temperature Renewable Energy Sources into District Heating and Cooling Systems
Workshop on UNFC Geothermal Specifications in Ethiopia
Global Geothermal Alliance: Enhancing Dialogue and Cooperation
Geothermal Energy Roundtable and UNFC Training Course for Geothermal Energy
Iceland Geothermal Conference: GGA Events
Workshop on UNFC Geothermal Specifications
Regional Workshop on Geothermal Financing and Risk Mitigation in Africa
IRENA Project Navigator webinar – Development of bankable geothermal power projects
High-Level Roundtable – Geothermal in the Global Energy Transformation: What way forward?