- Email: [email protected]
Opening speeches
0375-6505/87 $3.00 + 0.00 Pergamon Journals Ltd. ~ 1987 CNR.
Geothermics, Vol. 15, No. 5/6, pp. 549-554, 1986
Printed in Great Britain.
OPENING SPEECHES His Excellency FRANCESCO G U A R I G L I A Ambassador of Italy in Thailand
Let me start by saying that it is indeed a great pleasure and honour to be here today and to have been given the opportunity of inaugurating the First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar and, thus, of addressing such a distinguished group of experts and scholars. The more so because the Seminar is being held in Thailand, in this beautiful city of Chiang Mai, in a country which has a long-standing and deep-rooted tradition of friendship with Italy. Cooperation with the Afro-Asian countries, especially in the technical fields, may be considered one of the most qualifying aspects of the foreign policy of Italy. Geographical reasons, Italy being a kind of bridge between these two continents, may perhaps explain this choice. However, it also reflects an awareness that international equilibrium at even higher levels, in a world constantly faced with new challenges, could and must be attained through dialogue between the Northern and Southern hemispheres of our planet. This dialogue is certainly not an easy one. Its main aim is to create a new international economic order, which is also o n e of the challenges of our time. Nowadays relations between countries and peoples are not limited to the traditional political and commercial interchanges only. Added to these are the new relations of a social, technical and cultural aspect which are aimed at facilitating a better understanding between these countries. It is a well-known fact that the progress of a country cannot be realized separately but is the consequence of a process of interdependence in which each country has an important role. This, in brief, is the philosophy behind Italy's decision to cooperate with newly developing countries and within this framework have been defined the main legislative lines governing Italy's activities in this sphere. The First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar represents an instance of the implementation of this policy and I am confident that this seminar will fulfil the expectations of everyone present here. As you know, the purpose of the seminar is to reunite former trainees of the specialized geothermal courses held in Pisa, in order to provide them with updated scientific information and foster a link of collaboration and friendship. In this framework it will be useful to examine the status of the various geothermal development projects in Africa and Asia; the contribution of some of the project leaders will, I am sure, contribute to the success of the Seminar. Moreover, the participation of Italian experts and scientists should further enhance the scientific value of this meeting. As I stated before, this moment is specially important for me because it represents a new example of Italy's growing cooperation in development. As you may know, despite the fact that Italy's p e r capita income is not among the highest in the industrialized world, my country this year will become the fifth largest donor in the world, with a contribution to development assistance of roughly 2 billion US dollars in 1985. The fact that our Seminar is being held in one of our friendly cooperating countries, Thailand, and not in Italy, as would have been easier both financially and logistically, is, of course, further confirmation of Italy's excellent relations with Thailand. We have recently launched a bilateral cooperation programme with Thailand that is growing in importance and involving, among other areas, the field of energy. 549
550
Opentng Speeches
I would, therefore, like to thauk the Thai Authorities and especially E G A T , for helping to> organize this seminar. Moreover, 1 wish to congratulate the organizing committee for their choicc of this charming town of Chiang Mai, which should prove the best site for a successful meetiug. Wishing you the best of success and a profitable exchange of experience, I thank you all for joining us here today.
Squadron Leader K A M T H O N S I N D H V A N A N D A General Manager QI-the Electricit_v Generating Authority of Thailand
It was a great delight for me to be informed that Thailand had been chosen as the venue for this Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar. E G A T feels it is a great honour to have been requested by the Italian School of Geothermics to help in the coordination of this Seminar. We hope our contribution will be of some help to the success of all the proceedings. E G A T considers this seminar " a very timely event" since we are now conducting exploration p r o g r a m m e s in two geothermal potential areas. The results of this Seminar will undoubtedly be of benefit to our exploration program. We are pleased to inform you that we have arranged for all of you a field trip to one of these geothermal areas at the end of the Seminar. Since Italy has been recognized as one of the pioneers, with plenty of know how and experience, in the field of geothermal energy exploration development and utilization, the outcome of this Italian-organized Seminar, I am sure, is a guaranteed success. Many of us here may remember that the world's first geothermal power plant was built in Italy at the beginning of this century. Though almost all the power plants were destroyed during the second world war, they were reconstructed later, with much larger capacity and more modern technology. It is undoubtedly a fact that Italian advancement in the field of geothermics is still "second to n o n e " . Apart from the opportunity to present technical papers and gain from the exchange of ideas and information a m o n g experts and participants, we hope that after the visit to the Fang geothermal area the participants will give us their comments and suggestions, as we consider these would be very valuable to our exploration program. In conclusion, may I wish that this Seminar be a highly successful event, with many enjoyable moments for all of you both in and outside of the seminar room. Thank you.
PETCH KOOMSORN I/ice-Provincia! Governor of Chiang Mai Province. Thailand
It is with the greatest of pleasure that I have this opportunity to deliver a welcoming address to this unique gathering. First of all let me congratulate the organizer, the International School of Geothermics, for selecting Chiang Mai as the venue for this seminar. You have made a very wise choice. I know that many of you here have a very busy schedule for the next five days, discussing and exchanging your views and experiences on geothermal energy, and on Saturday you will visit Fang geothermal field. But let me tell you something about Chiang Mai, besides the hot waters or hot springs that you all are familiar with. Some of you may already know that Chiang Mai is a city that everyone wants to visit, Thais and foreigners alike. Because, no matter what your interest is, Chiang Mai will have something to offer you.
O p e n i n g Speeches
551
If you have been in Thailand before you will have already discovered why this country is known as " t h e Land of Smiles". But if you have not, you can find out for yourself by talking to the people of this city or visiting some places in town when you can spare time from the Seminar. I am certain that you will always remember the city and the people of Chiang Mai, like other visitors who have been here before you. On behalf of the people of Chiang Mai I would like to extend our warmest welcome to you all. I do hope that you achieve your goals in your deliberations during the Seminar. I wish you all a happy stay in Chiang Mai, and when you have finished your business here you will return home with sweet memories of the people and the city. Welcome to Chiang Mai and thank you for your attention.
MARIO FANELLI Director of the School of Geotherrnics, t~isa, Italy
I must first apologise for not speaking to you personally, but a slight inconvenience along life's pathway has unfortunately robbed me of this pleasure. However my greetings to you are no less hearty nor my welcome any less sincere - - a welcome that I ' d like to extend to the Thai and Italian Authorities who have so kindly honoured us with their presence, to the representatives of the International Organizations, to all my colleagues and guests but, above all, to the persons to whom this Seminar is dedicated. I refer, of course, to the ex-trainees of our School of Geothermics in Pisa, people with whom I lived in close contact for m a n y months during their stay in my country and with w h o m I have close ties of friendship. Many years have passed since the first trainees attended our school and a great deal has happened since then. In 1970, when we launched our training p r o g r a m and organized the first International PostGraduate Course in Geothermics in Pisa I think I could safely say that we had only just emerged f r o m a pioneer age for geothermal energy and few of us thought that geothermal energy had a future. But, thanks in a way to the energy crisis of 1973 which gave new impetus to the alternative energy sources, great strides have been made since then. In the sector of science and knowledge in particular, we need only consider, for example, the progress that has been made in applied geochemistry, with its geochemical thermometers, in reservoir engineering and in modeling. The factors and physical laws governing the origin and evolutionary processes of geothermal systems, at that time the subject of scholarly conjecture, are now well known, with all the consequent benefits to exploration and production. Just how far we have progressed can be seen from some statistics relative to utilization. In 1970 the geothermoelectric power installed in the world was just over 680 MW, more than half of which (385 MW) was in Italy. This figure has now risen to 4765 MW, which means a 600% increase in 15 years. If we look at the evolution of geothermal energy in the developing countries only, then the progress is even more impressive; in 1970 there were only two plants: a 3.5 MW unit in Mexico and a small one in China of a few kW. In other words, very little. Nowadays the geothermoelectric power installed in the developing countries totals 1568 MW (which is 33% of the world geothermal total), with 3% in Africa and 61% in Asia. During the same period, between 1970 and 1985, 15 specialization courses in geothermics were held in Pisa, and 200 geothermal experts were trained. Seventeen of these were from African countries and 57 from Asia, and I feel confident enough to assert that we in Pisa have had s o m e part in attaining this success. The proliferation of research and development programs and their implementation have of course had a considerable influence on the quantity and the quality of the demand for experts. The estimate of a group of experts at the end of the 1960s that about 25 new geothermal experts would be required each year has rapidly been outstripped by intervening circumstances. At the
552
Openin.e Speeche~s
moment the four training centres sponsored by international organizations (there arc ctmrsc~, in Japan, Iceland and New Zealand in addition to our own) prepare about 7 0 - 80 experts cvet.x year. There are also geothermal experts trained locally in some countries. Yet it would appear that this is still not enough: in fact we have had more than 100 applications for our course in geothermal exploration that is due to begin in a few days time, and all these candidates are highly qualified and motivated. Our institute has tried to meet this demand by increasing the number of participants 1o its long-term courses, so that from the 1 0 - 12 accepted in the earlier years we have now passed to 2 0 - 2 2 . We have also created a more flexible and dynamic vehicle in the form of out International School of Geothermics which, in parallel with the long-term courses, also organizes seminars such as the one we a r e n o w holding, and short courses directed at solving some particular and immediate requirements. However, l must admit that we have now reached the limit of our possibilities, and that it is now up to the central authorities to intervene practically, as only they can do, in order to increase our potential. In what way? Well, firstly, by assigning more staff to the school, as we are already considerably understaffed. Some simplification of the bureaucratic process would also alleviate our burden, as we are frequently entangled by red tape. l hope that my plea today will eventually find its way back to Rome! Finally, I should like to thank most warmly the Thai Government and Authorities for having us as guests and for all their support and assistance, and especially the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, without whose collaboration this Seminar could never have taken place. Thanks also to Chiang Mai University. My sincere thanks also to the Ambassador of ltaly to Thailand, Mr. Francesco Guariglia, who provided us with valuable assistance, to the Department for Cooperation in Development of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who financed the Seminar and to all those who have given their support, and are so many that I cannot name them one by one. Thank you for your attention and my best wishes for a fruitful and interesting Seminar.
MANAS VEERABURUS Department of Mineral Resources, Bangko,~, Thailand AS Project Advisor of the Geothermal Working Group of Thailand and member of the Working Group, I would like to say a few words on geothermal work in Thailand. The geothermal project started in 1978 with the collaboration of three organizations - the Department of Mineral Resources, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Chiang Mai University. Formerly the hot springs had been studied for general purposes during the geological survey mapping. Following on the world oil crisis, the geothermal fields were studied as alternative sources of energy, particularly in the northern part of Thailand. More than 50 geothermal fields have been considered. Only five locations have been selected for detailed study, namely, San Kamphaeng, Fang, Mae Chan, Pa Pae and O m Koi. Owing to a limited budget the project has concentrated on two geothermal fields only, Fang and San Kamphaeng. The Fang geothermal field you will visit on Saturday. Our exploration work receives technical assistance from foreign countries such as New Zealand, United States, Japan, France and Italy. On this very special occasion, I would like to thank the Government of Italy and the International School of Geothermics, Pisa, Italy for organizing this Seminar in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This Seminar will definitely be of benefit to the members of the Thai Working Group and to geothermal development in Thailand. The knowledge gained during the Seminar will
Opening Speeches
553
represent a kind of transfer of technical know-how by the Government of Italy to Thailand. I wish all success to the Seminar. In conclusion I would like to thank you for your attention and wish you all a hearty welcome to Chiang Mai. I hope that you will enjoy your stay in Chiang Mai. Thank you.
MAURIZIO GANDOLFO Center for Energy Studies, CESEN, Genoa, Italy
I wish to thank you for your kind participation to this First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar. CESEN, which I represent, is pleased to have the opportunity to organize, together with the International Institute for Geothermal Research, this important event, which has been realized with the financial support of the "Dipartimento per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo" of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the auspices of UNESCO. CESEN, as an Italian consulting company of Ansaldo, which is the major industrial concern operating in Italy in the energy field, has for a long time been a promoter of this kind of initiative in developing countries. In particular, CESEN has a long record of co-operation in the energy sector in developing countries both in the framework of bilateral agreements at government level and multilateral agreements with international and regional financing institutions involving as much as possible local expertise. The main areas in which CESEN operates include assessment of energy resources, definition of development policies and investments priorities, selection of the most appropriate technological solutions and their exploitation, in close consideration of the economical, social and industrial objectives of the partner countries. The above-mentioned activities of CESEN include, as a primary sector, geothermal assessment, exploration and exploitation. It is well-known that Italian industry, and Ansaldo in particular, have been operating in the geothermal field since the beginning of this century when development of the first geothermal field in the world started. Due to this long-standing tradition and current interest in geothermal energy it seemed particularly appropriate that we should be involved in the organization of this meeting. We do believe that this Seminar attended by project leaders and experts from many countries with a leading role in the future of geothermal development will provide the opportunity to compare different realities and perspectives, and will give field operators, manufacturers and energy operators some useful indications for future mutual cooperation. I should like to thank in particular His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy, the General Manager of EGAT, the Governor of Chiang Mai and the Rector of the University of Chiang Mai.
AVUDH SRISUKRI Rector of Chiang Mai University, Thailand
It is my honour and my great pleasure to be here, addressing this gathering of distinguished scientists and technologists working on geothermal energy. This gathering is unique and very important for Thailand, because, like most other countries whose delegates are also present here, Thailand has been trying to cope with the ever-rising cost of energy by promoting activities to search, explore and develop all possible indigenous energy resources. Geothermal energy is one of the very promising areas, with good application potential, especially in this northern region of the country.
554
Ope~in,~ Speeche,s
I am very pleased that Chiang Mai University has been involved in the geothermal project of Thailand from the beginning in 1978, together with the Department of Mineral Resources and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. Although the outcome of this project to date has not yet reached the level we all expect, I am confident that in the very near future lhis type of energy resource will be fully exploited in Thailand. I am confident, also, that the discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences among the experts and scientists participating in this Seminar during the next four or five days will be beneficial to every country concerned. The Thai participants, in particular, will be able so use this opportunity to consult the experts, and to discuss with their colleagues from other countries the problems Thailand may have in this geothermal project. We all realise that the main aim of the development of a geothermal field is to use the steam or hot water to generate electricity. We also know that geothermal energy has other applications, such as in agricultural and recreational or tourism industries. In Thailand, or in Chiang Mai to be precise, some of these applications have already been implemented. The geothermal field at San Kamphaeng, for example, has been promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand as another recreation spot of Chiang Mai. A number of research projects are being carried out at Chiang Mai University to study the feasibility of using geothermal energy for tobacco curing. With the dedication and hard work of all those involved in the Thai Geothermal Project, I believe one day Thailand will be using electricity generated from geothermal energy. At this point I would like to thank the International School of Geothermics and the Center for Energy Studies, the two main organizers from Italy, and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the local organizer, for inviting Chiang Mai University to help organize this Seminar. We are honoured and very pleased to be of help. May I now declare the First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar open. ! wish you every success in your work and a very happy stay in Chiang Mai. Thank you!
Geothermics, Vol. 15, No. 5/6, pp. 549-554, 1986
Printed in Great Britain.
OPENING SPEECHES His Excellency FRANCESCO G U A R I G L I A Ambassador of Italy in Thailand
Let me start by saying that it is indeed a great pleasure and honour to be here today and to have been given the opportunity of inaugurating the First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar and, thus, of addressing such a distinguished group of experts and scholars. The more so because the Seminar is being held in Thailand, in this beautiful city of Chiang Mai, in a country which has a long-standing and deep-rooted tradition of friendship with Italy. Cooperation with the Afro-Asian countries, especially in the technical fields, may be considered one of the most qualifying aspects of the foreign policy of Italy. Geographical reasons, Italy being a kind of bridge between these two continents, may perhaps explain this choice. However, it also reflects an awareness that international equilibrium at even higher levels, in a world constantly faced with new challenges, could and must be attained through dialogue between the Northern and Southern hemispheres of our planet. This dialogue is certainly not an easy one. Its main aim is to create a new international economic order, which is also o n e of the challenges of our time. Nowadays relations between countries and peoples are not limited to the traditional political and commercial interchanges only. Added to these are the new relations of a social, technical and cultural aspect which are aimed at facilitating a better understanding between these countries. It is a well-known fact that the progress of a country cannot be realized separately but is the consequence of a process of interdependence in which each country has an important role. This, in brief, is the philosophy behind Italy's decision to cooperate with newly developing countries and within this framework have been defined the main legislative lines governing Italy's activities in this sphere. The First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar represents an instance of the implementation of this policy and I am confident that this seminar will fulfil the expectations of everyone present here. As you know, the purpose of the seminar is to reunite former trainees of the specialized geothermal courses held in Pisa, in order to provide them with updated scientific information and foster a link of collaboration and friendship. In this framework it will be useful to examine the status of the various geothermal development projects in Africa and Asia; the contribution of some of the project leaders will, I am sure, contribute to the success of the Seminar. Moreover, the participation of Italian experts and scientists should further enhance the scientific value of this meeting. As I stated before, this moment is specially important for me because it represents a new example of Italy's growing cooperation in development. As you may know, despite the fact that Italy's p e r capita income is not among the highest in the industrialized world, my country this year will become the fifth largest donor in the world, with a contribution to development assistance of roughly 2 billion US dollars in 1985. The fact that our Seminar is being held in one of our friendly cooperating countries, Thailand, and not in Italy, as would have been easier both financially and logistically, is, of course, further confirmation of Italy's excellent relations with Thailand. We have recently launched a bilateral cooperation programme with Thailand that is growing in importance and involving, among other areas, the field of energy. 549
550
Opentng Speeches
I would, therefore, like to thauk the Thai Authorities and especially E G A T , for helping to> organize this seminar. Moreover, 1 wish to congratulate the organizing committee for their choicc of this charming town of Chiang Mai, which should prove the best site for a successful meetiug. Wishing you the best of success and a profitable exchange of experience, I thank you all for joining us here today.
Squadron Leader K A M T H O N S I N D H V A N A N D A General Manager QI-the Electricit_v Generating Authority of Thailand
It was a great delight for me to be informed that Thailand had been chosen as the venue for this Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar. E G A T feels it is a great honour to have been requested by the Italian School of Geothermics to help in the coordination of this Seminar. We hope our contribution will be of some help to the success of all the proceedings. E G A T considers this seminar " a very timely event" since we are now conducting exploration p r o g r a m m e s in two geothermal potential areas. The results of this Seminar will undoubtedly be of benefit to our exploration program. We are pleased to inform you that we have arranged for all of you a field trip to one of these geothermal areas at the end of the Seminar. Since Italy has been recognized as one of the pioneers, with plenty of know how and experience, in the field of geothermal energy exploration development and utilization, the outcome of this Italian-organized Seminar, I am sure, is a guaranteed success. Many of us here may remember that the world's first geothermal power plant was built in Italy at the beginning of this century. Though almost all the power plants were destroyed during the second world war, they were reconstructed later, with much larger capacity and more modern technology. It is undoubtedly a fact that Italian advancement in the field of geothermics is still "second to n o n e " . Apart from the opportunity to present technical papers and gain from the exchange of ideas and information a m o n g experts and participants, we hope that after the visit to the Fang geothermal area the participants will give us their comments and suggestions, as we consider these would be very valuable to our exploration program. In conclusion, may I wish that this Seminar be a highly successful event, with many enjoyable moments for all of you both in and outside of the seminar room. Thank you.
PETCH KOOMSORN I/ice-Provincia! Governor of Chiang Mai Province. Thailand
It is with the greatest of pleasure that I have this opportunity to deliver a welcoming address to this unique gathering. First of all let me congratulate the organizer, the International School of Geothermics, for selecting Chiang Mai as the venue for this seminar. You have made a very wise choice. I know that many of you here have a very busy schedule for the next five days, discussing and exchanging your views and experiences on geothermal energy, and on Saturday you will visit Fang geothermal field. But let me tell you something about Chiang Mai, besides the hot waters or hot springs that you all are familiar with. Some of you may already know that Chiang Mai is a city that everyone wants to visit, Thais and foreigners alike. Because, no matter what your interest is, Chiang Mai will have something to offer you.
O p e n i n g Speeches
551
If you have been in Thailand before you will have already discovered why this country is known as " t h e Land of Smiles". But if you have not, you can find out for yourself by talking to the people of this city or visiting some places in town when you can spare time from the Seminar. I am certain that you will always remember the city and the people of Chiang Mai, like other visitors who have been here before you. On behalf of the people of Chiang Mai I would like to extend our warmest welcome to you all. I do hope that you achieve your goals in your deliberations during the Seminar. I wish you all a happy stay in Chiang Mai, and when you have finished your business here you will return home with sweet memories of the people and the city. Welcome to Chiang Mai and thank you for your attention.
MARIO FANELLI Director of the School of Geotherrnics, t~isa, Italy
I must first apologise for not speaking to you personally, but a slight inconvenience along life's pathway has unfortunately robbed me of this pleasure. However my greetings to you are no less hearty nor my welcome any less sincere - - a welcome that I ' d like to extend to the Thai and Italian Authorities who have so kindly honoured us with their presence, to the representatives of the International Organizations, to all my colleagues and guests but, above all, to the persons to whom this Seminar is dedicated. I refer, of course, to the ex-trainees of our School of Geothermics in Pisa, people with whom I lived in close contact for m a n y months during their stay in my country and with w h o m I have close ties of friendship. Many years have passed since the first trainees attended our school and a great deal has happened since then. In 1970, when we launched our training p r o g r a m and organized the first International PostGraduate Course in Geothermics in Pisa I think I could safely say that we had only just emerged f r o m a pioneer age for geothermal energy and few of us thought that geothermal energy had a future. But, thanks in a way to the energy crisis of 1973 which gave new impetus to the alternative energy sources, great strides have been made since then. In the sector of science and knowledge in particular, we need only consider, for example, the progress that has been made in applied geochemistry, with its geochemical thermometers, in reservoir engineering and in modeling. The factors and physical laws governing the origin and evolutionary processes of geothermal systems, at that time the subject of scholarly conjecture, are now well known, with all the consequent benefits to exploration and production. Just how far we have progressed can be seen from some statistics relative to utilization. In 1970 the geothermoelectric power installed in the world was just over 680 MW, more than half of which (385 MW) was in Italy. This figure has now risen to 4765 MW, which means a 600% increase in 15 years. If we look at the evolution of geothermal energy in the developing countries only, then the progress is even more impressive; in 1970 there were only two plants: a 3.5 MW unit in Mexico and a small one in China of a few kW. In other words, very little. Nowadays the geothermoelectric power installed in the developing countries totals 1568 MW (which is 33% of the world geothermal total), with 3% in Africa and 61% in Asia. During the same period, between 1970 and 1985, 15 specialization courses in geothermics were held in Pisa, and 200 geothermal experts were trained. Seventeen of these were from African countries and 57 from Asia, and I feel confident enough to assert that we in Pisa have had s o m e part in attaining this success. The proliferation of research and development programs and their implementation have of course had a considerable influence on the quantity and the quality of the demand for experts. The estimate of a group of experts at the end of the 1960s that about 25 new geothermal experts would be required each year has rapidly been outstripped by intervening circumstances. At the
552
Openin.e Speeche~s
moment the four training centres sponsored by international organizations (there arc ctmrsc~, in Japan, Iceland and New Zealand in addition to our own) prepare about 7 0 - 80 experts cvet.x year. There are also geothermal experts trained locally in some countries. Yet it would appear that this is still not enough: in fact we have had more than 100 applications for our course in geothermal exploration that is due to begin in a few days time, and all these candidates are highly qualified and motivated. Our institute has tried to meet this demand by increasing the number of participants 1o its long-term courses, so that from the 1 0 - 12 accepted in the earlier years we have now passed to 2 0 - 2 2 . We have also created a more flexible and dynamic vehicle in the form of out International School of Geothermics which, in parallel with the long-term courses, also organizes seminars such as the one we a r e n o w holding, and short courses directed at solving some particular and immediate requirements. However, l must admit that we have now reached the limit of our possibilities, and that it is now up to the central authorities to intervene practically, as only they can do, in order to increase our potential. In what way? Well, firstly, by assigning more staff to the school, as we are already considerably understaffed. Some simplification of the bureaucratic process would also alleviate our burden, as we are frequently entangled by red tape. l hope that my plea today will eventually find its way back to Rome! Finally, I should like to thank most warmly the Thai Government and Authorities for having us as guests and for all their support and assistance, and especially the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, without whose collaboration this Seminar could never have taken place. Thanks also to Chiang Mai University. My sincere thanks also to the Ambassador of ltaly to Thailand, Mr. Francesco Guariglia, who provided us with valuable assistance, to the Department for Cooperation in Development of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who financed the Seminar and to all those who have given their support, and are so many that I cannot name them one by one. Thank you for your attention and my best wishes for a fruitful and interesting Seminar.
MANAS VEERABURUS Department of Mineral Resources, Bangko,~, Thailand AS Project Advisor of the Geothermal Working Group of Thailand and member of the Working Group, I would like to say a few words on geothermal work in Thailand. The geothermal project started in 1978 with the collaboration of three organizations - the Department of Mineral Resources, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Chiang Mai University. Formerly the hot springs had been studied for general purposes during the geological survey mapping. Following on the world oil crisis, the geothermal fields were studied as alternative sources of energy, particularly in the northern part of Thailand. More than 50 geothermal fields have been considered. Only five locations have been selected for detailed study, namely, San Kamphaeng, Fang, Mae Chan, Pa Pae and O m Koi. Owing to a limited budget the project has concentrated on two geothermal fields only, Fang and San Kamphaeng. The Fang geothermal field you will visit on Saturday. Our exploration work receives technical assistance from foreign countries such as New Zealand, United States, Japan, France and Italy. On this very special occasion, I would like to thank the Government of Italy and the International School of Geothermics, Pisa, Italy for organizing this Seminar in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This Seminar will definitely be of benefit to the members of the Thai Working Group and to geothermal development in Thailand. The knowledge gained during the Seminar will
Opening Speeches
553
represent a kind of transfer of technical know-how by the Government of Italy to Thailand. I wish all success to the Seminar. In conclusion I would like to thank you for your attention and wish you all a hearty welcome to Chiang Mai. I hope that you will enjoy your stay in Chiang Mai. Thank you.
MAURIZIO GANDOLFO Center for Energy Studies, CESEN, Genoa, Italy
I wish to thank you for your kind participation to this First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar. CESEN, which I represent, is pleased to have the opportunity to organize, together with the International Institute for Geothermal Research, this important event, which has been realized with the financial support of the "Dipartimento per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo" of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the auspices of UNESCO. CESEN, as an Italian consulting company of Ansaldo, which is the major industrial concern operating in Italy in the energy field, has for a long time been a promoter of this kind of initiative in developing countries. In particular, CESEN has a long record of co-operation in the energy sector in developing countries both in the framework of bilateral agreements at government level and multilateral agreements with international and regional financing institutions involving as much as possible local expertise. The main areas in which CESEN operates include assessment of energy resources, definition of development policies and investments priorities, selection of the most appropriate technological solutions and their exploitation, in close consideration of the economical, social and industrial objectives of the partner countries. The above-mentioned activities of CESEN include, as a primary sector, geothermal assessment, exploration and exploitation. It is well-known that Italian industry, and Ansaldo in particular, have been operating in the geothermal field since the beginning of this century when development of the first geothermal field in the world started. Due to this long-standing tradition and current interest in geothermal energy it seemed particularly appropriate that we should be involved in the organization of this meeting. We do believe that this Seminar attended by project leaders and experts from many countries with a leading role in the future of geothermal development will provide the opportunity to compare different realities and perspectives, and will give field operators, manufacturers and energy operators some useful indications for future mutual cooperation. I should like to thank in particular His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy, the General Manager of EGAT, the Governor of Chiang Mai and the Rector of the University of Chiang Mai.
AVUDH SRISUKRI Rector of Chiang Mai University, Thailand
It is my honour and my great pleasure to be here, addressing this gathering of distinguished scientists and technologists working on geothermal energy. This gathering is unique and very important for Thailand, because, like most other countries whose delegates are also present here, Thailand has been trying to cope with the ever-rising cost of energy by promoting activities to search, explore and develop all possible indigenous energy resources. Geothermal energy is one of the very promising areas, with good application potential, especially in this northern region of the country.
554
Ope~in,~ Speeche,s
I am very pleased that Chiang Mai University has been involved in the geothermal project of Thailand from the beginning in 1978, together with the Department of Mineral Resources and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. Although the outcome of this project to date has not yet reached the level we all expect, I am confident that in the very near future lhis type of energy resource will be fully exploited in Thailand. I am confident, also, that the discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences among the experts and scientists participating in this Seminar during the next four or five days will be beneficial to every country concerned. The Thai participants, in particular, will be able so use this opportunity to consult the experts, and to discuss with their colleagues from other countries the problems Thailand may have in this geothermal project. We all realise that the main aim of the development of a geothermal field is to use the steam or hot water to generate electricity. We also know that geothermal energy has other applications, such as in agricultural and recreational or tourism industries. In Thailand, or in Chiang Mai to be precise, some of these applications have already been implemented. The geothermal field at San Kamphaeng, for example, has been promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand as another recreation spot of Chiang Mai. A number of research projects are being carried out at Chiang Mai University to study the feasibility of using geothermal energy for tobacco curing. With the dedication and hard work of all those involved in the Thai Geothermal Project, I believe one day Thailand will be using electricity generated from geothermal energy. At this point I would like to thank the International School of Geothermics and the Center for Energy Studies, the two main organizers from Italy, and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the local organizer, for inviting Chiang Mai University to help organize this Seminar. We are honoured and very pleased to be of help. May I now declare the First Afro-Asian Geothermal Seminar open. ! wish you every success in your work and a very happy stay in Chiang Mai. Thank you!