Improving Decision-Making for the Energy Transition: Guidance for Using Strategic Environmental Assessment
Chapter 9 focuses on the role of SEA in geothermal energy development. Geothermal power provides reliable baseload energy, but it comes with important environmental and socio-economic challenges. Geothermal plants, depending on the system, either release or reinject water and steam, affecting local ecosystems differently.
SEA is critical in identifying risks and avoiding or mitigating the direct and cumulative impacts of geothermal projects, including land use change, habitat and biodiversity loss, water contamination, health and safety, and air quality issues from emissions like hydrogen sulfide. SEA also highlights socio-economic concerns such as displacement of communities, potential impacts on indigenous lands, and risks of gender-based violence during construction phases. Despite these risks, geothermal development offers economic benefits like job creation and infrastructure improvements. SEA provides a framework for engaging stakeholders early and identifying areas to avoid, making it an essential tool for balancing renewable energy development with environmental protection and social responsibility.
What is geothermal power?
Geothermal energy is a renewable source of power that uses heat from deep inside the Earth to generate electricity. Unlike solar or wind power, geothermal energy is available all the time, making it a reliable energy source. There are different types of geothermal plants, and each one works by converting underground heat into electricity. Some plants release water and steam into the air, while others put it back underground, which affects the environment in different ways.
While geothermal energy produces much fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, some plants can release harmful gases like hydrogen sulfide and small amounts of mercury, which can affect local air quality. Geothermal plants also use a lot of water, which can be a problem in dry areas. Building these plants often requires clearing land and building roads, which can harm local wildlife and damage habitats, especially in forests.
Geothermal energy projects can also have impacts on local communities. Sometimes, people are forced to move, or their livelihoods are disrupted. There can also be social issues, like increased tensions and risks of violence due to the influx of workers during construction. However, geothermal energy also brings positive changes, like new jobs and improved infrastructure. In some areas, geothermal energy has helped local businesses and farmers, and it can benefit indigenous communities when managed well.
How can SEA be helpful in geothermal projects?
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a process that supports the development and implementation of policies, plans, and programs (PPPs), particularly those concerning geothermal energy. It helps by identifying risks to the environment and local people early on. SEA makes it easier to find solutions to these problems before they get too big. It also ensures that communities and other stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process from the start. By doing this, SEA helps ensure that geothermal energy is developed in a way that benefits both the environment and people.