Prime Highlights
- Government launches advance draft of geothermal plan to double New Zealand’s geothermal electricity production by 2040.
- Plan aims for supercritical technology, Māori partnerships, streamlining regulation, and sustainable heat and power application.
Key Fact
- Geothermal power now provides nearly 20% of New Zealand’s electricity, with 1,207 MW installed capacity in 17 power stations.
- New plan aims to make geothermal a central foundation for clean, renewable power for industry and regional development.
Key Background
“Geothermal power” has been a significant component of New Zealand’s renewable energy portfolio for many decades, and the government now wants to double its proportion by 2040 under a new draft plan revealed as From the Ground Up. The plan was revealed by Resources Minister Shane Jones in Taupō and invites public and industry feedback while advocating for expanded electricity generation and direct-use geothermal heat for industries such as agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing.
New Zealand has 17 geothermal power stations grouped in the central North Island, primarily within the Taupō Volcanic Zone. They presently produce roughly 20 of the country’s electricity, and since they are so harmonious, geothermal is a good backup to wind and solar, which are more intermittent. But there’s still implicit that remains untapped, particularly inultra-deep geothermal budgets.
A foundation of the working draft is the emergence of supercritical geothermal technology — a slice- edge fashion that drills over five kilometers beneath the earth to pierce extremely high temperatures and pressure. This kind of energy would be able of producing three to ten times further per well than traditional geothermal systems. NZ$ 60 million has been allocated by the government towards development, including NZ$ 5 million for the first exploratory well planned for 2026.
The strategy also addresses collaboration with Māori stakeholders, who are frequently land possessors or rights conterminous to geothermal fields. It promotes lesser translucency, easier access to geological data, and a ultramodern nonsupervisory frame to reduce detention in development. The government views this geothermal action as a base for energy adaptability, job creation, indigenous development, and New Zealand’s global leadership in sustainable energy invention.
