Interview with Valentina Svalova
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Valentina Svalova and I am the leading scientist and the head of International Projects Department of Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience, Russian Academy of Sciences. Apart from being one of the IGA Board Members I am also an active member of the Russian Professional Union of Artists.
What makes Geothermal so great?
Geothermal energy is a renewable “green” source of energy because the heat of the Earth is practically unlimited and, mostly, environmentally friendly. Geothermal energy provides clean and safe energy using little land; it is sustainable and generates continuous, reliable base load power; it conserves fossil fuels and contributes to diversity in energy sources. Most importantly with geothermal energy one can avoid imports and benefit local economies.
Thermal waters are amazing, they are used for many purposes – for development of the electric power, for central heating and cooling, for hot water supply, in agriculture, livestock industries, aquaculture, in the food, chemical and oil-extracting industries, in medicinal springs and spas, and for recreational purposes.
There is no way of producing or transforming energy into a form that can be utilized by humanity without making some direct or indirect impact on the environment, including exploitation of geothermal energy. But there is no doubt that it is one of the least polluting forms of energy.
What makes IGA so great?
IGA deals with geothermal energy and all advantages of geothermal energy use are the advantages of the IGA. The thermal energy present in the Earth is enormous. If exploited correctly, geothermal energy can certainly make an important contribution to the energy balance of many countries.
In certain circumstances, even small-scale geothermal resources are capable of solving local problems and raising the living standards of small isolated communities. Together with other alternative energy sources (solar, wind, small rivers, tides, biofuel and others) geothermal energy should contribute to an improved quality of life for many people.
