The EU must ensure its leadership in geothermal energy, according to the CATF

Good news! On February 26, the European Commission published its Clean Industrial Deal, an initiative aimed at decarbonizing industrial sectors while strengthening their competitiveness on a global scale. The objective is to reduce energy costs, attract investment and strengthen energy security. A way of considering that climate action can and should be seen as a catalyst rather than an obstacle to industrial success. Unfortunately, according to the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), the plan neglects one of the most promising options: geothermal innovation. This is indeed absent from the Pact. “Europe risks lagging behind countries actively funding next-generation geothermal technologies, including Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, and China,” says the CATF. For the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC), this omission is a “significant gap” in the strategy. Europe has the expertise, resources and political support to play a leading role in this sector and must correct the situation. “By failing to act, Europe delays its own progress – and risks its global competitiveness”, warns the CATF.