Potential Environmental and Social Impacts of Small Scale, Rural Geothermal Development

Abstract

All too frequently, environmental and social issues are ignored or given low priority in the early phases of geothermal development. However, recent studies and exploration of small scale (< 5 MWe), rural geothermal development potential in Eastern Indonesian have established baseline data to assess the potential environmental and social impacts if such developments progress to production stage. These studies also provide comprehensive environmental and sociological monitoring programmes and recommendations to be implemented. The most important environmental issues faced in these small scale developments relates to the abstraction of water from streams and rivers, and reassignment of land. However, these impacts are somewhat mitigated due to the small ëfootprintí of the development and the short period over which exploration and drilling are carried out. Sociological impacts are harder to assess and are more varied. Therefore effective participatory consultation with local inhabitants within their communities prior to exploration and later throughout the development phase is extremely important. Many issues relate to the lack of opportunity for involvement or ëspin-offsí for the local communities. Again, these can be mitigated by employing local people on the project and creating cascaded uses of the geothermal fluids. In such cases the high temperature resource can be used for power generation while the low temperature waters or condensate may be suitable for crop drying, timber drying or tourism. Small scale, rural geothermal developments present an opportunity in which many varied groups and communities can benefit with minimal detrimental impacts on either the environment or the local inhabitants.