About Us
The Geothermal Association of Ireland
The Geothermal Association of Ireland (GAI) was formed as a not for profit association in 1998 to promote the development of geothermal energy in all its forms in Ireland. GAI is committed to education and awareness building to promote the use of geothermal as a sustainable energy system in Ireland.
The GAI is affiliated to the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) and the International Geothermal Association (IGA).
Our Goals
The GAI promotes the development of geothermal energy in Ireland. We aim to:
- Improve the understanding of clean geothermal energy
- Support our membership and our communities to deliver geothermal energy to the highest standards
- Represent our membership: we are the voice for the Irish geothermal industry domestically and internationally.
Some Geothermal Energy Facts
- Geothermal sources allow 3-4 units of heat to be produced by heat pumps using 1 unit of electricity.
- It allows for heating and cooling of homes, offices, industry and large conurbations.
- Geothermal is a low-carbon, viable, sustainable source of energy.
- Ireland has an excellent source of shallow geothermal energy reserves.
Our Story
The Geothermal Association of Ireland (GAI) was formed as a not-for-profit association in 1998 to promote the development of geothermal energy in all its forms in Ireland. GAI is committed to education and awareness building to promote the use of geothermal as a sustainable energy system in Ireland.
Niall McCormack
Chair
Niall McCormack is a geologist with over 20 years experience in energy and resources globally. Niall has B.A. (Mod) and Ph.D. in Geology from Trinity College Dublin. He is Chief Executive and Managing Director of Causeway Geothermal Ltd.
Ric Pasquali
Vice Chair
Ric is a professional geologist with over 19 years experience in geological and geothermal sector consultancy. Ric is Vice Chair of the Geothermal Association and one of his key roles is to facilitate the development of best practice guidance for the design and installation of shallow geothermal systems in Ireland and Europe. Ric is GAI's representative on the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC).
James McAteer
Secretary
James is an experienced geologist with a B.Sc. in Geology and Archaeology from University College Dublin. James joined the Geothermal Association of Ireland's committee in 2014 as Secretariat where he facilitates the actions of the association through the dissemination of materials, query responses and organisation of technical evening talks.
James Byrne
Treasurer
James is the founder and chairman of the Sirus Group. He began his career in the family engineering business and went on to study HVAC technology in Bolton Street College (now TU Dublin). He is the Treasurer of GAI.
Joseph Ireland
Policy
Joe is a field-tested engineer with experience working on various projects across multiple disciplines. He is pursuing his passion for climate, energy and the subsurface by completing a Ph.D. at Queen's University Belfast researching Geothermal Energy in Northern Ireland. Joe is accountable for developing GAI's positions on policy as it pertains to geothermal energy. Joe also manages events for the association.
Irene Pascual Perea
Communications
Irene is an enthusiastic geologist in the early stage of her professional career. She has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Her professional experience involves geotechnical engineering, environmental geology, geohazards, onshore renewables and Irish grid transmission system. Irene manages commincations including our social media and newsletter.
. Our Members
Big names in the industry
Membership of the GAI provides access to networking opportunities with industry leaders and stakeholders, a voice in policy development, and ready access to key industry information and developments.
