SDG Short Course IV on the Future of Geothermal Energy Utilization in Latin America held in El Salvador
The „SDG Short Course IV on the Future of Geothermal Energy Utilization in Latin America: Maintaining and Increasing Production and the Role of Geothermal Energy in Sustainable Development“ was held in El Salvador during September 18-24 in cooperation with LaGeo S.A. de C.V. As the name implies, the course was the fourth in a series of short courses held in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it was the 12th event to be held jointly by GTP and LaGeo since 2006.
The Short Course covered a range of topics including: 1) An overview of the status of geothermal development in participants’ home countries (LAC region); 2) Geothermal exploration and research; 3) Geothermal direct use possibilities; 4) Resource management during long term utilization; and 5) Frontiers of sustainable development. Lectures were presented on these topics, while one day was devoted to a field trip to the Ahuachapán geothermal power plant and half a day was used for project work, where participants were assigned to one of four topics: A) Carbon sequestration in geothermal settings – Carbfix; B) Conceptual model; C) Power plant cycle; or D) Volumetric assessment.
The Short Course was attended by 46 participants from 17 countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and one representative of BGR (Die Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe). Out of these, 20 (43.5%) were women. Lecture contributions came from 28 experts from 6 countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Iceland, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States) in addition to BGR and Short Course participants. Several lecturers gave more than one lecture, with some presenting online.
Previous events held in cooperation with LaGeo:
Devoted to the UN Millennium Development Goals
| 2006 | Workshop for Decision Makers on Geothermal Projects in Central America |
| 2007 | Short Course I on Geothermal Development in Central America: Resource Assessment and Environmental Management |
| 2009 | Short Course II on Surface Exploration for Geothermal Resources |
| 2011 | Short Course III on Geothermal Drilling, Resource Development and Power Plants |
| 2012 | Short Course IV on Geothermal Development and Geothermal Wells |
| 2013 | Short Course V on Conceptual Modelling of Geothermal Systems |
| 2014 | Short Course VI on Utilization of Low- and Medium-Enthalpy Geothermal Resources and Financial Aspects of Utilization |
| 2015 | Short Course VII on Surface Exploration for Geothermal Resources |
Devoted to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
| 2016 | SDG Short Course I on Sustainability and Environmental Management of Geothermal Resource Utilization and the Role of Geothermal in Combatting Climate Change |
| 2017 | SDG Short Course II on Feasibility Studies for Geothermal Projects |
| 2018 | SDG Short Course III on Geothermal Reservoir Characterization: Well Logging, Well Testing and Chemical Analysis |