Two Māori-led early exploration projects in Taranaki and South Waikato could unlock new geothermal opportunities beyond New Zealand’s established geothermal areas, supporting regional growth and making greater use of home-grown energy resources, Regional Development and Resources Minister Shane Jones says.
A project exploring low-temperature geothermal resources in Taranaki will receive a $3 million grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF), while a further $2.95m grant will be used to explore the South Mangakino geothermal resource in Waikato.
“New Zealand has a long and successful history of geothermal development, primarily concentrated in the Taupō Volcanic Zone and Northland,” Mr Jones says.
“With our geology and world-class expertise, we are exceptionally well placed to make more of geothermal. Exploring more widely in places such as Taranaki and South Waikato will help build a better picture of our geothermal potential and where it could support future regional growth.
The Taranaki Geoheat Demonstrator project, led by Parininihi ki Waitōtara Incorporation, will drill two shallow test wells in the Matemateāonga Formation to improve our understanding of low-temperature geothermal heat and its potential for direct-use applications.
“Unlike the high-temperature resources traditionally associated with geothermal electricity generation, lower-temperature resources could potentially support a range of direct heat uses. Understanding where these resources exist and their characteristics is an important first step towards identifying future development and decarbonisation opportunities,” Mr Jones says.
At South Mangakino, geoscience investigations and a test well led by Wairarapa Moana ki Pouākani Incorporation will explore a geothermal anomaly beneath their Māori freehold land and provide better information about the resource. Any future development will depend on what the exploration finds, alongside further investment and consenting.
“New exploration is only part of the picture. Our From the Ground Up geothermal strategy identified an opportunity to bring data together in one accessible national database. A further $3 million has been set aside from the RIF to progress this work.
“A geothermal database can pull together existing, but fragmented data to support a better understanding of geothermal resources, derisking exploration activity, and supporting development opportunities, promoting regional growth and energy resilience in areas with geothermal resources.
“Together, these initiatives are about more than finding new geothermal resources. They are about helping our regions turn what lies beneath our feet into investment, jobs and long-term economic opportunity.” Mr Jones says.