USA, Washington D.C.

Geothermal Energy: Opportunities and Challenges in the Developing World (Society for International Development)

Kara Dewhurst, Chief Social Scientist, Dewhurst Group; PhD candidate
at the University of Virginia & Warren Dewhurst, Managing Director, Dewhurst Group

On June 4, 2014, the Energy & Infrastructure Workgroup of the Society for International Development - Washington, DC Chapter, held an event entitled "Geothermal Energy: Opportunities and Challenges in the Developing World”.

Dr. Kevin Wheeler, The Kaizen Company, moderated the event. He began by describing the importance of geothermal energy around the globe, indicating that there are both economic and societal questions surrounding geothermal energy and how to sustainably integrate it into communities.

Warren Dewhurst, Dewhurst Group, provided a brief introduction to geothermal energy. Thermal energy, stored in the Earth’s crust, can be used directly for heating and cooling or for electricity through power plants. This taps thermal reservoirs of hot water/steam that are converted into electricity using turbines. The total heat from the Earth is estimated at 42 million megawatts of power. In the United States, geothermal energy is most predominant on the west coast.

Click here to watch a recording of this event.
View speaker presentation slides: Kara Dewhurst, Warren Dewhurst, and Britt Shaw