Addressing Food Security and Boosting Development with Geothermal Heat (IRENA)
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In a geothermal greenhouse. GRC Fieldtrip 2014 -
Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA. Photo by Ian Crawford. |
A recent IRENA publication,
Accelerating geothermal heat adoption in the agri-food sector: Key lessons and recommendations, highlights that while geothermal energy is predominantly known for power generation and district heating, it can serve as a sustainable and effective energy source for food production by heating greenhouses and aquaculture ponds. Furthermore, geothermal energy can be used to minimise post-harvest losses by drying and refrigerating food.
In addition to boosting food security, geothermal energy in the agri-food sector can reduce fossil fuel dependencies, exposure to volatile prices, and harmful emissions. The publication suggests that several geothermal applications in food processing and agriculture require low temperatures and can therefore be deployed in areas where the geothermal resources would not be suitable for power generation.
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