Financial and community hurdles slow geothermal energy development in Southeast Asia

Positioned along the seismically active Ring of Fire, Indonesia and the Philippines have the second and third highest installed geothermal energy capacity in the world, after the United States. Both Southeast Asian island nations are tapping into only a small fraction of their geothermal potential, however, due to financial risks and local community pushback. But as countries shift towards renewable and cleaner energy, geothermal use is expected to grow: In Southeast Asia, geothermal power generation is expected to increase tenfold from 2020 to 2050, reaching 276 million megawatt-hours, according to the International Energy Agency. Experts laud geothermal plants for their ability to operate continuously to meet power demand around-the-clock, with a long lifespan and minimal maintenance.