Events
Upcoming Events
Unlocking Geothermal Energy Potential: Decarbonising Heating and Cooling and Agri-food Sectors in South East Europe
9 December 2025
To support geothermal integration into heating, cooling, and agri-food systems, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), through the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA), will host a virtual workshop: “Unlocking Geothermal Energy Potential: Decarbonising Heating and Cooling and Agri-food Sectors in South East Europe” on Tuesday, 9 December 2025.
The workshop will share strategies and tools for geothermal planning, featuring:
- Session 1: Core elements – resource assessment, regulation, and feasibility.
- Session 2: Case studies, including the Szeged geothermal district heating project.
The workshop will equip regional stakeholders with practical insights to accelerate geothermal deployment across SEE.
Virtual event. By Invitation only.
See more about the event here.
Capacity Building on Geothermal Direct Use Applications in Uganda
According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the demand for food and water is expected to grow by up to 50% by 2050, putting pressure on existing water and food systems. Scaling up investment in renewable energy technologies in agriculture and food (“agri-food”) sector is critical to the resilience of food systems and the global energy transition. There are many opportunities for renewable energy technologies to support food production, drying, cooling, storage, transport and distribution.
IRENA drives the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including geothermal, in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, and energy security, for economic and social resilience and prosperity and a climate-proof future. Building on IRENA’s analysis on Powering Agri Value Chains with Geothermal Heat, the Agency plans to further support African countries in increasing their capacities to develop geothermal direct-use applications, particularly for the agri-food sector.
Uganda holds significant geothermal potential, with at least 1,500 MW available for power generation and 6,000 MWth for direct-use applications e.g. in the agri-food value chains such as fisheries, tea, fruits, rice, etc. In line with the mandate of the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA), IRENA aims to provide capacity building support to Uganda stakeholders in developing required institutional, expert and enterprise capacities in policy, regulation, technology and finance with the overall objective to support the development of geothermal direct-use application.
The training will take place between 24th and 27th November 2025. Each day will cover specific topics, and the training design will include practical learning and experience-sharing on successful geothermal direct-use projects from Kenya and Iceland. Participants will be equipped and guided on the next steps of formulation of a clear roadmap for pilot demonstration projects for geothermal in agro processing for a selected value chain.
Closed meeting, by invitation only.
Past Events
Geothermal Energy: Powering a Resilient and Decarbonized Energy Future
At COP30, the session “Geothermal Energy: Powering a Resilient and Decarbonised Energy Future” — organised with Green by Iceland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, IRENA, and the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) — brought together global leaders to highlight what is needed to fully realise geothermal’s potential.
Speakers emphasised that geothermal delivers far more than power: 24/7 clean electricity, local heat, industrial value, and long-term economic gains. Yet unlocking this resource requires risk-sharing mechanisms, climate finance, technology transfer, and strong capacity building. As Dr. Demetrios Papathanasiou of the World Bank noted, effective de-risking and knowledge exchange are essential to move projects from exploration to scale.
Innovation – from CO2-based turbines to advanced drilling techniques — along with cross-sector collaboration, were highlighted as key to reducing costs and accelerating deployment.
Iceland’s Ambassador H.E. María Erla Marelsdóttir reaffirmed the country’s leadership and support to the GGA, while IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera underscored geothermal’s vast untapped potential and the GGA’s role in advancing it.
Speakers included:
- H.E. Francesco La Camera, Director-General, IRENA
- Ms. María Erla Marelsdóttir, Ambassador for Climate Change, Iceland
- Dr. Demetrios Papathanasiou, Global Director, Energy and Extractive Industries, World Bank
- Dr. Devon Gardner, Ministry of Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, St Kitts and Nevis
- Dr. Xie Yue Tao, Deputy Director, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)
- Ms. Caroline Choi, Executive Vice President, Edison International & Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Mr. Marcio Campos, Vice-President of Sales, Power Generation Latin America, Siemens Energy
- Moderated by Mr. Nott Thorberg, Director
Key takeaway: With the right policies, finance, and innovation, geothermal can serve as a resilient energy backbone — delivering reliable, sustainable power for generations.
Unlocking the Potential of Geothermal Energy in Asia
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?