New Zealand's Taupō Volcanic Zone is a hot spot for geothermal energy and the Ngā Tamariki plant is taking full advantage of this resource by preparing to power up its fifth electricity generator, RNZ reported.
The plant, which is near the city of Taupō on the country's North Island and operated by energy supplier Mercury, is expected to open in 2026. It will add 390 gigawatt-hours to its energy generation capacity, which is enough to power residential Tauranga City on the island's north coast — equivalent to around 48,000 homes.
Areas that are rich in geothermal energy are usually close to tectonic plates, and New Zealand is lucky enough to sit over two of them: the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates.
Most geothermal plants drill deep into the ground to access steam or hot water that's been heated by the high temperatures in the Earth's crust. This is used to drive turbines that create electricity, which can be used for heating and cooling.
On a smaller scale, geothermal energy can be harnessed at shallower depths to power heat pumps, which can be used to heat and cool homes as an alternative to energy-intensive air-conditioning systems.
Companies like Mitsubishi can provide information and guidance on finding the right heat pump system for use in homes and small businesses.
At its full scale, geothermal power provides New Zealand with around 15% of its electricity, and Mercury's team will continue to develop more projects in the future.
"If we have the ability and the technical know-how to create a new source of infinite energy, then we shouldn't shy away from it," said Shane Jones, the country's minister for resources, according to the RNZ report.
Geothermal power plants are often seen as the perfect complement to solar and wind power, since they're able to run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of the weather conditions.
They can also run at around 90% capacity nearly all the time, the U.S. Department of Energy explained.
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Should we be harnessing the ocean to power our homes? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 👍 In comparison to power plants that run on dirty fuels, geothermal facilities release 97% fewer acid rain-causing sulfur compounds, and about 99% less planet-warming carbon. The water and steam that's harnessed through these operations are often injected back into the Earth in order to renew the resource and further reduce pollution.
Some geothermal sites generate byproducts that require disposal; however, those can also be a source for valuable materials such as zinc, silica, sulfur, and even lithium, which can be found in some geothermal brines.
"Security of supply is the single biggest priority for the sector and will require a range of solutions – geothermal is an important part of the mix," said Mercury's chief executive, Stew Hamilton, in a press release.
"New Zealand's a global leader in geothermal energy and it is vital that we continue to harness this natural advantage."
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