Ann Robertson-Tait
GeothermEx, Inc., a Schlumberger company
President
In the course of more than 35 years working exclusively in the geothermal sector, Ann has worked in 28 countries on hundreds of geothermal projects, including those developed for a combined power generation capacity of nearly 7 GW, and many more at earlier stages of exploration and development. Her geoscientific work focuses on integrated analyses of multi-disciplinary data sets to quantify resource capacity, identify drilling targets, optimize resource sustainability and longevity, and reduce project risks. She recently led the development of a new risk mitigation instrument to accelerate geothermal power in developing countries: GeoFutures, which incorporates a variety of risk mitigation support mechanisms ranging from pre-drilling technical advisory to well productivity insurance schemes that incentivize investment while enabling funds to revolve.
Ann actively promotes the visibility of geothermal energy by elaborating the wide spectrum of utilization options that geothermal offers. Recognition of geothermal’s value proposition is fundamental to promoting sensible energy policies, informing electricity providers and customers, and increasing public and private funding to the only major source of renewable baseload electricity. Recognizing that geothermal makes an excellent partner with other technologies and renewable energy sources, Ann is also focusing on hybrid geothermal solutions. This create new synergies and opportunities that improve overall economics and multiply the green benefits of individual technologies, thus advancing the wholesale energy transformation that is underway today.
Ann completed an MSc in Geology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, supported by a Fulbright Scholarship. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of Geothermal Rising, serving on the Executive Committee and the Policy Committee. In 2020 she became the Global Chair of Women in Geothermal (WING), an international organization that promotes the education, professional development and advancement of women in the geothermal community — and seeks gender equality in its own membership. In 2021, she was nominated to the Committee on Earth Resources at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, where she continues to relentlessly promote geothermal energy in all its useful and environmentally friendly forms.