Geothermal energy represented as energy option for the Arctic region

Alison Thompson of CanGEA addressing the audience at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2016 (source: Agusta Thorbergsdottir)

Alexander Richter 13 Eki 2016

Last week, I attended the Arctic Circle Assembly here in Reykjavik/ Iceland. Established as the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. The assembly saw a large attendance, among them Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the UN, various ministers from the various countries around the Arctic Circle and beyond.

Topics of the meeting were naturally also how to secure a responsible utilisation of resources and a sustainable approach to fuelling an increasing energy demand.

During the meeting, the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) stood for a Geothermal session, looking at how geothermal energy can play a role in the Artic region.

Alison Thompson, Chair and Director of CanGEA and Agusta Thorbergsdottir from Navigo (Iceland) organised the well attended meeting.

Alongside the event, the Prime Minister of Quebec signed a cooperation agreement with Icelandic partners, Lands­virkj­un, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, Uni­versity of Ice­land and Reykja­vik as well as with comp­anies, uni­versities and org­an­izati­ons in Qué­bec in Can­ada for cooperati­on in the field of rese­arch and train­ing for sustaina­ble energy in the Arctic.

Phil­ippe Couill­ard, Qu­e­bec Prime Mini­ster, was present when representati­ves of the Party of Qu­e­bec and Ice­land sig­ned the agreement on the Arctic Circle Con­f­erence last week.

Accord­ing to the agreement, the parties will esta­blish jo­int rese­arch efforts on clima­te and sustaina­ble use. Then they will also coopera­te on the supervisi­on and aca­demic work of schol­ars and experts and org­an­ize jo­int courses for aca­demics and stu­dents, to name a few, as stated in a press relea­se.

Additi­onally, they will exchange teaching mater­ials, litera­t­ure, models and software and colla­borate to seek fund­ing of rese­arch acti­vities, at home and in­ternati­onally.

“We Lands­virkj­un plea­sure to be in­volved in this cooperati­on with prestigi­ous org­an­izati­ons and comp­anies in Qué­bec and at home. The chal­lenges here and th­ere are many ways the same – the use of renewable and sustaina­ble energy and the fig­ht against clima­te change, the Qu­e­bec-in­habitants realize, like, that is one of the big­gest issu­es of contemporary and can be crucial for the fut­ure of us all ” said Hörður Arn­ar­son, CEO of Lands­virkj­un.

Source: Mbl,