IDB wants to know if the country can tap its geothermal energy

Santo Domingo.- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)will grant the Energy and Mines Ministry US$200,000 for a 12-month study of thecountry’s geothermal potential and to produce clean energy, which will also

Geothermal energy can be used in agriculture to stabilizethe temperature of greenhouses in cold areas of the country and to develop geoparksfor tourism.

France National Geologic Survey (BRGM) executive Philippe Gombertand Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) representative Flora Montealegre signedthe agreement, witnessed by Energy and Mines minister Antonio Isa, and Frenchambassador Jose Gomez.

The "Specific Agreement to Evaluate the Geothermal Potentialof the Dominican Republic" aims to determine where there’s enough highgeothermal energy to produce electricity in areas defined as priority andsecondary in 1980.

Areas to evaluate

??-Yayas de Viajama – Constanza (central) geothermal energypotential of high interest and priority.

-Canoa, areas of San Juan de la Maguana (west) andgeothermal secondary interest to high energy, presenting some positive elementsbut were not tested enough to select as priority areas and need additionalwork.

-Enriquillo (southwest) areas and of Pedro Santana which don’thave favorable characteristics to the existence of high-energy geothermalreservoirs but which point to important deposits at rates of low (<100 °) ormedium (<150 °) energy;

-San Jose de las Matas (northcentral) and the geothermalSurzacuyo, is of “very uncertain interest."