Communicating geothermal geoscience results to improve public policies and social acceptance of geothermal energy

Abstract

Geosciences applied to the exploitation of geothermal resources have achieved significant scientific progress. The adoption of geothermal research results in public policies can contribute to meet the challenges set by EU Strategies. Geoscientists are facing challenges to communicate scientific results to stakeholders. There are many studies on geothermal that are ignored by policies and public actions, hindering promising chances of including geothermal energy as an important player in the ongoing energy transition. This is partly due to difficulties in communicating geoscientific content efficiently to non-technical audiences. The article aims to analyse past experiences, current practices, and future opportunities to better communicate scientific results as a means to better support policy making and highlight the role of geoscience in achieving sustainability goals.

Keywords

• geoscience
• geothermal
• communication
• awareness raising
• citizens
• policy makers