The good news for Irish farms is that it’s likely that geothermal energy could be used in processes such as heating and cooling buildings, and possibly even to produce electricity. This is according to a new government report which highlights its potential.
While geothermal energy has been harnessed in volcanic regions such as Iceland, Italy, and New Zealand for some time, recent developments have now opened up the possibility for the technology to also be utilised in non-volcanic parts of the world.
The government’s draft policy statement acknowledges that more research is needed to assess its application, but it is hoped that there could be substantial environmental gains for Irish farming and the agri-food sector should it be found to be viable.
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, said geothermal energy is not only renewable, it is also secure, reliable, and local and has the potential to play a “significant” role in Ireland’s transition to a carbon-neutral and circular economy.
It is thought that even Ireland’s somewhat cooler geothermal resources could have notable potential for farming.
Sectors such as dairy, which uses large amounts of energy to heat and cool milk through the production process, as well as horticulture, could maximise its use.
In a 2015 report on the use of geothermal energy in agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN noted that start-up costs remain the main barrier to developing geothermal energy uses on a larger scale, especially in developing countries. This makes it “more necessary for governments to take a leading role in attracting investment and creating policy environments that support the sector”, it deduced.
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