PR Geo Workshop - Content and results of the discussion

Geothermal energy is an important component of the future energy supply in Europe, offering a wide range of possible applications and having a great potential of development in many European countries. However, the advantages of using geothermal energy are little known, and media reports often spread information on its disadvantages to make headlines. The lack of public acceptance for geothermal energy installations hampers the further development of geothermal energy in many countries. The origin of the sceptical view on geothermal energy varies from the lack of information on the technology to wrong conflict management from project owners e.g. in the case of induced earthquakes. As a result, political decision makers and potential investors have concerns about possible risks in implementing geothermal projects, and social resistance often results in significant slowdowns of projects.FP