When Earth's energy becomes a reliable source of power

Geothermal power is not part of the UAE's current or planned energy mix, yet this has not precluded the country from wielding its influence in developing this compelling energy. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment launched a book titled Zayed: For the People of This Planet that traces the extraordinary legacy of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in sustainable development. What emerged in the book, and through new strands of research since its publication, is a half-century of pioneering leadership.
Of all the renewables, in geographical terms at least, geothermal power was perhaps the least likely to have found its way onto Sheikh Zayed's radar. However, as Jacques Diouf, former Director-General of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), observes, "Sheikh Zayed's belief in this meant that he was intrigued by anything that would see the world increase the renewable portion of its energy mix."
The mid-1970s seem to have represented Sheikh Zayed's earliest involvement with geothermals. In 1975, the United Nations University (UNU) was established, and immediately there were discussions on creating a research and teaching facility that would enhance the science of geothermal power, and hasten technology and skills transfer across the developing world. Due to its geological location with a high concentration of volcanoes, Iceland was perceived as a potential geothermal superpower with Reykjavík keen to host the initiative.
In early 1976, UNU issued a statement of intent seeking the assistance of the United Nations' member governments. Sheikh Zayed's UAE was the first nation to step forward with an offer of support. In 1978, the university organised its first conference on geothermal energy - funded through a donation from Abu Dhabi - that brought together experts from around the world for a series of workshops and to help outline and plot best practices for an international institute.
This initiative led to a concrete effort to establish something permanent. In October 1978, the Government of Iceland appointed Orkustofnun, the country's National Energy Authority, to sign a hosting agreement with UNU and establish the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP). For more than four decades now, the programme has been a conduit to global information sharing, devising best practices in the use of technologies and techniques, exploration, development and utilisation of geothermal energy, and producing and disseminating authoritative analyses and databases.
If the theory and science of this remarkable energy source was subject to Abu Dhabi's continued interest through UNU-GTP, then it would also be in very practical terms. Sheikh Zayed backed several international efforts that elevated geothermal energy from an experimental and theoretical alternative energy to a reliable source of power that fuelled socio-economic development in several nations.
Sheikh Zayed's long history of supporting geothermal energy production commenced in the Far East. Indonesia sits on the so-called Ring of Fire, said to be dotted with 75 per cent of all the earth's active volcanoes, therefore giving it the biggest potential geothermal energy reserve in the world.
It was in the city of Bandung that this link with the UAE began. The capital of Indonesia's West Java province, with its plethora of mountains and volcanoes, made the region a national breadbasket. In recent decades, Indonesia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia's highest-performing and newly industrialising economies. This was no accident.
Sheikh Zayed provided a grant to Pertamina, Indonesia's geothermal power agency. Funds from Abu Dhabi led to a surge in advancements while also supporting geological work in West Java. The first phase of geothermal selection pinpointed a choice of potential sites for exploitation in Kamojang and Dieng, which was followed by detailed studies of five sites.
Today, Bandung has grown to become the country's third-largest city. The province's population is 45 million. As with the rest of the country, the economy has boomed through energy, infrastructure and development. The nation's march forward has been aided by the successful harnessing of clean, renewable energy.
During the early 1980s, Sheikh Zayed was also involved with a geothermal expansion programme run by the Philippine National Oil Company - Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC).
In 1977, the Philippines had just 3 MW of geothermal capacity. Developing this further would not be inexpensive, although in theory, the energy itself is free. Support from Abu Dhabi allowed PNOC-EDC to explore and then establish two geothermal fields in Tongonan and Palinpinon, both of which remain productive and operational and likely to continue for hundreds of years. Today, the geothermal industry in the Philippines has rapidly advanced, evolving to eight sites that, combined, boast a current installed capacity of 1.85 MW.
Geothermal electricity is currently generated in 26 countries, while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries.
This week, the great and the good of the global geothermal industry gathered in Holland for the European Geothermal Congress to present and discuss new developments in the science, technology, industry and policy areas of geothermal energy.
As the international community moves towards this elusive promise, we in the UAE should take pride in our pioneering Emirati leadership.
Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi is UAE's Minister of Climate Change and Environment.