Energy and Economic Growth with Geothermal Energy for a Tropical Island

Let's look at how a new supply of inexpensive, readily available, dispatchable geothermal energy can become a powerful driver of economic growth on a volcanic island. At the center of the image is the volcano and geothermal plant, which symbolize the island’s ability to turn a local natural resource into a long-term source of development. Instead of relying heavily on imported fuel, the island is shown harnessing steam and hot water from below the earth to generate electricity and useful heat. The graphic emphasizes that this is not just about producing power, but about creating a foundation for productivity, resilience, and broader economic transformation. In macroeconomic terms, the image shows how expanding access to reliable energy can increase productive capacity and help shift an economy toward more sustained growth.

https://youtu.be/b534ttNnyC4

The execution of the graphic makes this idea concrete by showing multiple pathways through which geothermal energy supports the economy. Electricity from the plant is directed to the local grid, where it powers homes, schools, clinics, restaurants, and community buildings, improving everyday life and lowering energy costs. It also supports data centers and digital infrastructure, signaling that reliable energy can enable participation in more advanced sectors of the economy. This is especially important because dispatchable power is available when needed, unlike intermittent sources that depend on weather or time of day. The visual message is that dependable electricity creates the conditions for investment, innovation, education, and local enterprise to flourish.

The graphic also goes beyond electricity to show how geothermal resources can be used directly in practical and productive ways. Hot water can be used in homes, kitchens, showers, schools, and restaurants, reducing the cost of living and improving quality of life. Steam and heat can be used for food processing, drying plants, greenhouse agriculture, preservation, and light manufacturing, while heat exchange systems can provide efficient cooling for buildings and facilities.

These uses are important because they strengthen sectors other than tourism and highlight import substitution, local industry, and agricultural processing. Rather than presenting the island as dependent on visitors, the graphic presents it as an economy building internal strength through energy-intensive local production and the smarter use of local resources.

Finally, the graphic captures the human and cultural dimension of economic growth by showing local people as workers, students, farmers, cooks, technicians, and business participants. The message is that the benefits of geothermal development are meant to flow to the local population through jobs, skills, infrastructure, and shared prosperity.

The island’s culture is present not as a tourist attraction, but as the living community that gains from lower energy costs, more reliable services, and new economic opportunities. Overall, the graphic conveys that when an island can develop a dependable, low-cost energy base, it can reduce dependence on imports, raise productivity, support industry and agriculture, and create a more resilient and self-directed path to economic growth.

Free Video-Based Mini-Course for Engineering/Technology/Energy Curriculum, Ready with Materials, Learning Objectives, Assessments

Mini-Course Overview:  Fast-Tracking Electricity Generation: Hydrogen, Natural Gas & More 

Ademola Fagade, CEO of Geoprime Energy, discusses the urgent global energy crisis, characterized by aging infrastructure, operational inefficiencies, and slow clean energy adoption in both developed and underdeveloped nations. Drawing on his background and extensive experience with companies like DTE, Fagade presents Geoprime's multi-fuel and modular approach to deliver advanced, reliable clean energy. A core innovation is their Synafox software, a "living digital twin" that uses a proprietary large language model (Synagogen) and AI-enhanced control boxes to aggregate data, predict failures, and optimize operations across the energy asset lifecycle, addressing communication silos and safety concerns. Geoprime is "very bullish on" ammonia as a safer and scalable hydrogen carrier, and their technology can convert carbon-based waste into hydrogen and valuable byproducts like carbon black and graphene. The company is actively pursuing projects for data centers, biotech facilities, and underserved communities, emphasizing collaboration with major utility companies to collectively "leapfrog" existing energy paradigms.

(This mini-course is perfect for courses in engineering, entrepreneurship, technology, technology strategy, and economic development)

Link to video: https://youtu.be/_fitd4_ss7A

Course Objective Evaluate Geoprime Energy's comprehensive strategy for addressing the global energy crisis, critically assessing how their integrated approach—combining innovative technologies like Synafox software and ammonia as a hydrogen carrier with scalable, modular energy systems and collaborative partnerships—aims to overcome challenges in both aging infrastructure and underserved energy markets.

Learning Objectives Incorporating Bloom's Taxonomy Verbs

1. Recall Ademola Fagade's early influences and educational background that shaped his career in the energy sector [Remembering].

2. Describe the key challenges contributing to the looming energy crisis as identified by Ademola Fagade, including issues in both developed and underdeveloped countries [Understanding].

3. Explain how Geoprime Energy's Synafox software addresses operational inefficiencies and safety concerns in energy asset management through its digital twin and AI capabilities [Understanding].

4. Differentiate between various types of hydrogen production (green, blue, turquoise, gold) and their respective challenges and cost implications [Analyzing].

5. Summarize the innovative role of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier within Geoprime Energy's solutions, highlighting its advantages over direct hydrogen storage [Understanding].

6. Apply the concept of modular and multi-fuel energy systems to diverse energy demands, such as manufacturing plants versus data centers, using examples from Geoprime's product line [Applying].

7. Evaluate the strategic importance of Geoprime Energy's collaborative approach and diverse partnerships in tackling the global energy crisis [Evaluating].

8. Propose how Geoprime Energy's technology could be adapted to address specific energy challenges in different geographical or economic contexts, such as areas with stranded gas assets [Creating].

20 Multiple Choice Questions (Lower-Level Bloom's Taxonomy)

For answer key, please contact E-Learning Corgi

1. What was Ademola Fagade's family primarily involved in before he pursued electrical engineering? a) Textile trade b) Civil engineering and construction c) Agriculture d) Banking

2. Ademola Fagade's grandmother was a pioneer in which industry in Lagos? a) Banking b) Civil engineering c) Textile trade d) Electrical engineering

3. What was Ademola's initial career interest as a child, leading to him building mini boats? a) Civil engineering b) Pre-med c) Electrical works/engineering d) Textile manufacturing

4. Which US energy company did Ademola Fagade first join, where he "department hopped" to learn various aspects of the industry? a) Consumers Energy b) Pratt Whitney c) DTE d) PG&E

5. Ademola's first contract for Geoprime Energy involved the decommissioning of what type of power plant? a) Natural gas power plant b) Nuclear power plant c) Hydroelectric power plant d) Coal power plant

6. According to Ademola, replacing coal-fired plants with natural gas-fired plants is considered what kind of option? a) Worse b) Neutral c) Significantly better d) More expensive

7. What organization in Michigan, tagged as an "opportunity zone," advised Ademola to conduct customer discovery for his company? a) University of Michigan b) Wayne State c) Techtown d) New Lab

8. How many energy executives did Ademola interview and consult across the US as part of his customer discovery? a) 50 b) 75 c) 100 d) 135

9. What is the primary purpose of Geoprime Energy's Synafox software? a) To manage human resources in energy companies b) To create an umbrella operating system for energy asset lifecycle management c) To design new power plants d) To forecast energy prices

10. Ademola compares the current energy industry's process for commissioning/decommissioning plants to a "wheel" where different contractors work in what manner? a) Collaboratively b) Siloed c) Synchronized d) Integrated

11. Which country is cited as an example of "leapfrogging" in development compared to Nigeria, despite receiving aid from Nigeria in the past? a) Japan b) South Korea c) United States d) Germany

12. What percentage of global energy investment is concentrated on clean energy, as mentioned by Ademola? a) Less than 2% b) 15% c) 50% d) 80%

13. What is a key limitation of solar energy for powering an entire city, as discussed in the recording? a) It's too expensive b) It only works during the day and requires battery storage c) It takes up too much land d) It's not clean energy

14. What substance is Geoprime Energy "very bullish on" as a hydrogen carrier? a) Methane b) Carbon black c) Ammonia d) Oxygen

15. Green hydrogen is produced through which process? a) Steam methane reforming b) Plasma torch separation c) Electrolysis d) Microbe conversion

16. What is the approximate cost per gallon for gold hydrogen, which uses microbes in depleted oil wells? a) $4.60 b) $0.13 c) $0.50 d) $1.00

17. What valuable byproduct, used for high-tech applications, can be obtained when turning carbon-based materials into hydrogen using Geoprime's anaerobic system? a) Aluminum b) Silicon c) Carbon black/Graphene d) Ash

18. What is the power range for Geoprime Energy's HG01 (Hybrid Grid) electrification system? a) 0.5 to 1 MW b) 1.2 to 10 MW c) 10 to 50 MW d) 100 MW and above

19. What is a "data grid" in Geoprime Energy's product line primarily designed for? a) Small residential homes b) Manufacturing plants c) Data centers d) Rural electric co-ops

20. What is a core component of Synafox that learns operations and aggregates data from various sources to find optimal paths for efficiency? a) PI tags b) Manual oversight c) Large language model (Synagogen) d) Network switches

5 Short-Answer Questions (Higher-Level Bloom's Taxonomy)

1. Analyze the multi-faceted nature of the "energy crisis" as described by Ademola Fagade, distinguishing between challenges faced by underdeveloped countries and those faced by developed nations like the US.

2. Evaluate the advantages of Geoprime Energy's strategy of using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier compared to directly handling pure hydrogen, considering safety, storage, and economic factors mentioned in the recording.

3. Propose a scenario where Geoprime Energy's modular HG01 or SG01 systems could be most effectively deployed in a specific community or industrial setting, justifying your choice with details from the transcript regarding the system's capabilities and benefits.

4. Justify why Ademola Fagade views the collaboration with large utility companies as essential, rather than acting solely as a competitor, in addressing the energy crisis, referencing specific points he made about his relationship with DTE.

5. Create an argument for how Synafox's "living digital twin" and AI-enhanced control box could have prevented the primary service transformer accident at DTE described by Ademola, focusing on how its features address the root causes of that incident.

Course developed by Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D. 

For additional materials (video summaries, additional reading, answer keys, and more, please contact E-Learning Corgi)

New Geothermal Energy Directions: Interview with Marit Brommer, International Geothermal Association – Innovators Series

Geothermal energy is often overlooked as a renewable, sustainable energy source, but new developments in technology and a better understanding of the earth’s mantle are making it one of the fastest-growing energy source in some parts of the world. Welcome to an interview with Marit Brommer, Executive Director of the International Geothermal Association.

1.  What is your name and what do you do?  
I am Marit Brommer, and I am the Executive Director of the International Geothermal Association.

2.  How did you become interested in geothermal energy?
I am a geologist by training and have built my technical career in the Oil/Gas Industry. Over the past years I became very interested in the global energy transition and the world´s perspectives on moving away from fossil fuels and embracing renewables. However I became equally intrigued by the marginal role Geothermal Energy is still playing in the energy transition. After all I am an Earth Scientist ;-)

Although many countries worldwide are adopting geothermal energy as a potential renewable energy source, and influential people as Bill Gates specifically mention geothermal power and refer to geothermal as´… the phenomenal amount of energy stored up as heat under the Earth´s surface´ and earmark it as an investment opportunity, we still see that there is a lot of work to do to create that visibility for geothermal at the world energy scene.

Here we chat with Marit on LifeEdge (click here)

Interview on LifeEdge with Marit Brommer.  

3.  What is your organization?
We are the International Geothermal Association – a global geothermal organization uniting the geothermal sector around the globe. The IGA is an Association of Associations meaning it has an umbrella function towards its affiliated national associations.

4.  What does the IGA do?
We believe that Geothermal Energy is a key player in the sustainable future energy-mix and we are committed to let geothermal energy reach its full potential.
The IGA aims at being the leading world authority in matters concerning the research and development of geothermal energy by setting educational standards and offering world-wide energy solutions and in-house technical support, with special support for countries in early stages of geothermal development.

We connect the Global Geothermal Community, serving as a platform for networking opportunities aimed at promoting and supporting global geothermal development, providing best practices and guidelines, and actively engage with policy-makers and decision-takers.

5.  Where can we find geothermal energy?
Geothermal is available everywhere as underground heat is available everywhere!

6.  What are some of the exciting new directions in geothermal energy?
There are many exciting new directions here are a few: electricity conversion in low temperature environments (i.e. temperatures up to 150 dec Celsius), the search for deeper and hotter reservoirs (between 4 and 8km depth for instance NW Europe) in non-volcanic rocks, smart cities initiatives with the vision to replace the baseload from a coal-based district heating systems to a geothermal based system, and small island development states in the fury of climate change wanting to become independent from fossil-fuels and adopting renewable technologies such as geothermal in their journey towards autonomy, independence and a clean and green future.

7.  Where are places of great potential right now? 
Everywhere, geothermal has something for everyone around the planet. Whether it is deep geothermal for power production, geothermal baseload for district heating, geothermal heating and cooling of buildings, direct uses such as green houses & geothermal spas, industrial purposes such as drying foods, hot springs for geothermal tourism, you name it, geothermal has it!

In terms of countries the eyes are on Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey, Central America and East Africa. Where we can win the most is the Asia Pacific, Caribbean, Africa and the Arabic Peninsula.

Crepuscular rays over the steam from a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

8. Please describe the GTW Geothermal Cross-over workshop.
AAPG and the IGA have joined forces and organises Cross-over workshop. Both associations are committed to develop a vibrant community of integrated research and development, information exchange, and creating value-based projects together This joint community has the unique opportunity to leverage the experience of the oil & gas industry over the last century, share the technical know-how on drilling geothermal prospects in deep and hot wells, innovate dual-play concepts, in order to put the vision of global policy makers to scale up geothermal development into action.

The workshop will offer a meeting point to two geo-energy communities where both technical and social aspects associated with subsurface energy exploration, development and production activities will be presented and discussed. It will provide case-study examples where geo-energy projects benefitted – or not – from an effective technology and knowledge transfer between different industries.

9. Recommended good books
There are plenty of good books out there but here are few really great ones:

What is Geothermal Energy? – Dickson and Fanelli, 2004
Geothermal Exploration – global strategies and applications (Harvey et al., 2016)
Geothermal reservoir engineering – Grant (2012)

Please stay tuned with the IGA and check our website www.lovegeothermal.org and connect with us on social media (#lovegeothermal) and follow us on twitter @lovegeothermal. Connect with the Geothermal Resources Council in the USA - https://geothermal.org/  and for the latest news visit www.thinkgeoenergy.com

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Crepuscular rays over the steam from a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crepuscular_rays_over_the_steam_from_hot_spring.jpg