Perspectives for the development of geothermal energy in the context of climate change

Abstract

Human society faces the great challenge of drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing increased amounts of energy. Although the share of renewable energy sources has increased in recent years, fossil fuels are still widely used and burning them removes large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Renewable sources may not be able to supply enough energy in time to replace fossil fuels. Geothermal energy is considered a renewable energy source with outstanding development potential that could significantly contribute to climate change mitigation. So far, however, the contribution of geothermal energy to the production of electricity and heat has been reduced. Although the theoretical geothermal potential is huge, its exploitation still faces a number of barriers, especially technological, financial and environmental. This study analyzes the current state of geothermal energy and development prospects in the context of climate change.

Keywords

• climate change
• renewable energy
• geothermal energy
• development prospects
• limiting factors