Geothermal steam from the Ohaaki Power Station near Taupō. Photo / Alan Gibson
More than 20 leading global geothermal experts will explore the “significant energy potential” of the Central Taupō Volcanic Zone thanks to $10 million of Government funding.
A joint statement from Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Dr Shane Reti and Minister for Regional Development Shane Jones today said the project would look to harness the potential of “supercritical” geothermal energy.
It comes after Jones unveiled a draft strategy in July to double New Zealand’s geothermal energy production by 2040.
The draft strategy paper said “supercritical” geothermal technology – which involved drilling deeper into the Earth’s crust – could offer up to three times more energy than current geothermal energy.
In March, Jones met with mana whenua from around the Taupō Volcanic Zone to discuss the potential of the “abundant but underutilised” natural resource.
The Government had also ring-fenced $60m from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to fund research into supercritical geothermal technology.
In today’s statement, Reti said the Endeavour Fund backed “bold ideas” with the potential to strengthen the economy, drive innovation and deliver benefits for New Zealanders.
Reti said the DeepHeat project by the New Zealand Institute for Earth Science Limited (formerly GNS) would receive $10m from the Endeavour Fund.
From October 1, more than 20 leading global geothermal experts would explore the “significant energy potential” of the Central Taupo Volcanic Zone, Reti said.
Jones said geothermal was a “next-generation energy source” and the project had the potential to be “globally groundbreaking and strengthen New Zealand’s future prosperity”.
“This research will provide critical insight into the exploration of supercritical geothermal energy the Government is funding through the Regional Infrastructure Fund,” Jones said.
“As New Zealand’s electricity demand continues to grow, so will our dependence on new energy sources.
“Geothermal fields aren’t impacted by the weather like other renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar, and wind, representing an important opportunity for our energy security.”
The project was among 19 science programmes the Government was backing with $183m in funding. They ranged from space technologies to healthcare, artificial intelligence and clean energy.
Last week, the Rotorua Daily Post visited Mercury’s Ngā Tamariki Geothermal Station at Reporoa, near Taupō. A $220m expansion of the station is “90%” complete.
At the time, Mercury’s head of strategy – generation, Matt Kedian, said supercritical geothermal energy was “a really exciting prospect if you could find a way to harness that energy”.
He said a number of countries, organisations and companies were trying to find ways to “sustainably harvest supercritical”.
“It’s not been done yet.”
Kedian said it would be a “great leap forward for geothermal”.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website said New Zealand’s electricity demand was rising rapidly, and the country would need 82% more electricity by 2050.
“NZ is well-positioned to lead the world in developing this next-generation energy source, with the discovery of superhot geothermal resources in the Central Taupō Volcanic Zone.
“Combined with global expertise and government-backed drilling efforts, NZ has a rare opportunity to pioneer a breakthrough in clean energy production.”
The DeepHeat programme would use advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to better understand and harness supercritical geothermal energy.
Its diverse team of scientists, engineers, AI experts and Māori advisers would work with established international partners from the US, Japan, Switzerland and Iceland.
“Unlocking superhot geothermal resources will transform our energy future, drive environmental goals, create new economic opportunities and establish NZ as a leader in sustainable energy.”