Unleashing Earth's Power: The Untapped Potential of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy presents a clean, reliable power source for Indonesia and the Philippines due to their high potential from volcanic activity. Despite this, financial, regulatory, and community challenges hinder its growth. Addressing these barriers could vastly expand geothermal energy use, crucial for a fossil fuel transition.

Geothermal energy offers a promising solution for countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, where volcanic activity provides high potential for this clean power source. Despite being a reliable alternative to fossil fuels, its growth remains stunted by financial, regulatory, and community hurdles.

Significant untapped geothermal reserves exist in tectonically active regions such as the United States and Southeast Asia. To unlock this energy potential, a mix of public and private financial backing, regulatory reforms, and community engagement is essential for overcoming initial exploration risks and gaining local support.

Efforts to bolster geothermal development are underway, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto prioritizing it in the national energy strategy. Similarly, the Philippines is setting an ambitious target for increased geothermal capacity. However, sustainable progress hinges on collaboration to mitigate environmental impacts and address community concerns.

(With inputs from agencies.)