To reach the European Commission’s 55% emissions reduction target by 2030, the development of deep geothermal energy is needed. Whereas some deep geothermal operations seem well integrated in their territories, others face concerns or oppositions. Together with tackling environmental concerns through appropriate monitoring and mitigation measures, there is a need for improved practices to inform and engage the public. Establishing public participation, sharing information with the public and increasing local benefits are tree fields on which the GEOENVI project formulated some recommendations.

In this event, an expert panel discussed those recommendations and ways forward for public engagement for deep geothermal, based on good practices on crowdfunding from the CROWDTHERMAL project and gave some academic perspectives on the subject.

The event has been co-organised by the EU-funded GEOENVI and CROWDTHERMAL projects.

AGENDA

• Welcome – Philippe Dumas, Secretary General of EGEC and GEOENVI project coordinator

Session 1: GEOENVI Recommendations and reactions

Moderated by Pieter Valkering, VITO

Presenting GEOENVI recommendations:

• Introducing the GEOENVI recommendations – Pieter Valkering, VITO
• Public participation, insight from France – Fanny Branchu, BRGM
• Local benefits, good practices from Italy – Loredana Torsello, COSVIG

Discussed by panellists:

• Ben Laenen, VITO, Belgium
• Agnes Allansdottir, University of Siena, Italy
• Julie Purdue, AMORCE, France
• Tamás Megyes, Szeged District Heating, Hungary
• Hólmfríður Sigurðardóttir, OR, Iceland
• Mehmet Kaygusuz, Sanko Holding, Turkey

Session 2: Complementary perspectives on public participation and crowdfunding

Moderated by Fanny Branchu, BRGM

Presenting complementary perspectives:

• Public engagement for geothermal energy: From social acceptance to locally embedded projects Olivier Ejderyan –  ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• Crowdfunding and public engagement, by Jan Hildebrand, IZES, Georgie Friederichs, CrowdfundingHub and Amel Barich, GEORG from the CROWDTHERMAL project

Questions from the audience

Closing discussion by panellists

Watch the recording of the GEOENVI webinar here: