This month, we attended the 2023 All-Energy Conference and Exhibition in Glasgow, the biggest renewable energy conference in the UK. An inspiring opening panel featuring the first minister Humza Yousaf set the tone for the event, stressing the urgency of net-zero targets and the need for a just transition in the current energy crisis.
Our entire team then gathered to share our company’s vision for geothermal green heat in the UK from our stand in the Dcarbonise hall. We advised potential clients and various asset holders on their renewable heating and cooling needs and the geothermal potential beneath their sites. We also had wonderful discussions with peers, regulators and industry partners about the pathways to electrifying heat and the initiatives that could accelerate this process. Our stand became a lively hub for debate, fueled by the talks given at the nearby Heat Decarbonisation theatre.
The event was also a great opportunity for learning, with an extensive conference programme. Our team attended various panels centred around the heat transition, staying informed about the latest projects and initiatives. District heating networks were a core focus, as all acknowledged there is a strong need to scale-up heat decarbonisation to meet targets. It was great to hear that all sources of renewable heat are being considered for these large scale projects, including geothermal.
For the first time in recent years, an entire panel was dedicated to geothermal energy, chaired by our CEO David Townsend. Our Senior Geothermal Geologist David Walls was also on the panel, presenting his Mine Water Geothermal Resource Atlas for Scotland (MiRAS), which was a hot topic of discussion for the rest of the conference. The other panellists were Matthew Black from Kensa, Karl Farrow from CeraPhi, Gioia Falcone from the University of Glasgow and Alison Monaghan from the British Geological Survey. It was a great opportunity for our industry to share their insights and debate the best way forward for geothermal energy in the UK, be it shallow ground-loop arrays or deep geothermal projects.
Overall, we had a fantastic time at the All-Energy conference, full of great conversations, networking and learning. David Townsend summarises it well:
“Having attended All-Energy for ten years, I think there was more energy and excitement this year than ever before. As the only geothermal company exhibiting our stand was consistently busy with enquiries, and we now have a very rewarding job of following up with all of the new clients, partners and suppliers we met”
We look forward to next year!
