Michael Porter, professor at Harvard Business School, said at a conference about geothermal energy at Háskólabíó in Reykjavík yesterday if Icelanders use the opportunities involved in geothermal energy they can become big players in that market in the future.
Harnessing geothermal energy in Iceland. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
“If Icelanders don’t use these opportunities in geothermal energy they should be ashamed of themselves,” the professor commented, Morgunbladid reports.
Porter stated it is important to look towards the future and to where Iceland has an advantage; one cannot constantly look for scapegoats for the economic collapse.
He added Icelanders are good at feeling sorry for themselves even though the crisis here isn’t the worst in history and there are indications that it is coming to an end.
Porter recommended Icelanders find ways to obtain more value for geothermal energy and sell their expertise and technology abroad, not just the energy itself.
In the future, Icelanders have the opportunity to run geothermal energy companies all around the world, he said.
In the export of technology, Icelandic consultants have been most successful in projects including the heating of houses.
Porter said Iceland has many experienced specialists in the field of geothermal energy with good connections in foreign countries, which is the key to making geothermal knowledge an export product.
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