The global potential for geothermal is estimated to be in the region of 200 gigawatts. Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are already considering it a viable option for alternative energy as the region increasingly looks beyond fossil fuels for its power plants.
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is already considering the use of geothermal energy to provide power needs in desalination plants, with preliminary studies into the energy source already showing promising results.
According to experts, geothermal is more suitable for applications such as desalination rather than power generation since UAE’s temperatures are below 200°C, the minimum temperature required for power generation from geothermal energy, which is a result of heat from beneath the Earth’s surface.
Neighbouring Saudi Arabia is eyeing geothermal power as part of its strategic energy plan that also includes massive use of solar energy and wind farms.
Speaking last year at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, Saudi energy minister Khalid Al Falih highlighted the Kingdom’s rich geothermal resources, which are located mainly in the country’s western region. Saudi Arabia’s geothermal resources are related to the general tectonic activity of the Red Sea and associated with a series of volcanic rocks and ridges.
