Government Gaining Ground In Pursuit Of Supercritical Geothermal Energy
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government is making good progress on its exploration of supercritical geothermal as a potential energy source, with a governance group established and potential drilling sites being identified, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Science, Innovation, and Technology Minister Shane Reti say.
'We need to drill an exploratory deep well to prove the commercial viability of supercritical geothermal energy. We are about a year from starting to drill but we are getting closer to locating potential geothermal fields in the Taupō Volcanic Zone,' Mr Jones says.
The choice of sites will be based on rigorous data, scientific research, and engineering experience. The location of the first exploratory well site is expected to be finalised later this year.
The Coalition Government has ringfenced $60 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to invest in exploring the potential of supercritical geothermal technology to help secure New Zealand's future energy needs.
'It will be a big challenge but the potential if we can do it will be globally ground-breaking,' Mr Jones says.
'Our geothermal resources aren't affected by weather in the same way renewable energy sources such as hydro, solar and wind are. This is particularly important in the context of energy security for New Zealand's future prosperity.'
Geothermal energy is sourced from extremely hot rock heated by magma. At present, conventional geothermal wells are drilled to a maximum depth of about 3.5km. Scientists believe by drilling beyond this, possibly to 6km deep, the energy output could be up to three times greater than traditional geothermal energy generated from steam.
'With the search for potential exploratory well sites being narrowed down, we need to develop and prove the drilling and engineering systems for extracting the energy. Supercritical geothermal wells require casing materials that can withstand both high temperatures and potentially corrosive supercritical fluids,' Dr Reti says.
'I'm issuing a challenge to the New Zealand science and research community – academics, scientists and industry - help us find the solution. A lot of innovative research is happening across the country in pockets that could lead to the solution we need. It will be through these experts and sectors coming together and working collaboratively that we will crack this,' Dr Reti says.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and GNS Science are leading the initiative, with MBIE setting up a Supercritical Geothermal Governance Group tasked with providing oversight and advice, and supporting the successful delivery of the project.
The Supercritical Geothermal Project Board members are:
Chairperson - Hon Tim Groser – has 35 years career in trade and economic issues. He was former NZ Ambassador to the United States, former Minister of Trade, and Minister for Climate Change.
Dr Charlotte Severne (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe) is the Māori Trustee and leads Te Tumu Paeroa - the Office of the Māori Trustee. She holds a PhD in geology and has held various governance leadership roles within the primary and energy sector.
Keith Turner – an electrical engineer and business executive with more than 50 years' experience in the electricity sector, including being the chairman of Transpower. He is a Distinguished Fellow of Engineering New Zealand.
Jason Hollingworth - over 30 years' experience in a range of senior corporate finance roles. His is currently the CFO at Vector. His previous roles include being CFO of SKY TV, TelstraClear, and investment manager for Ngai Tahu Holdings.
A total of $5m of the $60m government funding will be drawn down for work on the detailed design and costs of drilling the first exploratory well.
Mr Jones will launch a geothermal strategy for New Zealand during Geothermal Week in Taupō in July.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
35 minutes ago
- Scoop
Sunday Rally To Protest Outrageous Suspension Of 38 Disability Workers
Disability workers will be making their concerns loud and clear at a rally at 2pm tomorrow to protest the suspension without pay of 38 workers at disability residential care provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust. Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust is the country's largest kaupapa Māori community disability provider. It operates residential whare in Te Tai Tokerau/Northland, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Waikato, Waitaha/Canterbury, and a residential mental health whare in Whangārei. The trust CE Karen Smith late on Friday afternoon gave notice of suspension of 38 workers who support people living at Te Roopu Taurima houses without pay for six weeks in response to low level strike action taken in support of their collective agreement. "This is an oppressive over-reaction designed to intimidate and bully these workers. It's unheard of for New Zealand employers to adopt such a hostile tactic in these circumstances," said Fleur Fitzsimons National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "The strike action only involved not doing some tasks in order to try and put pressure on the employer to listen to these workers." "The trust has a vision to 'strive to place tāngata at the heart of our services', this shows the trust is not living its own values. "Many of these workers are Māori, Pasifika, and migrant workers who deserve fair wages and conditions." The action comes after Te Roopu Taurima tried to introduce harsh terms of employment including restrictions on secondary employment and 90 day trials as well as a pay increase that fails to meet the increased cost of living facing these workers and their whānau. The PSA and Te Roopu Taurima attended independent and confidential facilitation run by an Employment Relations Authority member in Auckland over four days. The Authority member then provided recommendations to settle the collective agreement. "The PSA did not get everything we wanted but nevertheless agreed that we would recommend the outcomes to our members. Te Roopu Taurima was still not satisfied though. "This is an insight into the future of industrial relations in New Zealand under this government. It has emboldened employers to try to take away the small number of remaining employment rights that working people have and use every underhand tactic they can to get there. "Workers and the community must stand up and fight back."
Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
Government Congratulates Ahuwhenua Trophy Winners
Hon Todd McClay Minister of Agriculture Minister for Māori Development Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka have congratulated the winners of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy and the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award, recognising their excellence and leadership in Māori agribusiness. The Northland-based Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust was awarded the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming at a gala dinner in Palmerston North tonight. 'Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust turned a struggling farm into a thriving 1,200-head bull beef operation, and it's a clear example of what vision and hard work can achieve,' says Mr McClay. 'This award celebrates Māori excellence in farming and the kind of leadership that will help us double the value of exports in 10 years,' says Mr McClay. Mr Potaka says the Ahuwhenua Trophy recognises excellence in farming know-how, as well as the wider role that Māori intergenerational farming entities play in our regional communities and in protecting the environment. 'Sheep and beef farms are the backbone of the Māori primary sector, valued at over $12 billion, and these awards honour the landowners, rangatira and kaimahi who keep that success going,' says Mr Potaka. Te Tai Tokerau farm manager Coby Warmington took out the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award for sheep and beef. 'Congratulations to the winner and all those who took part in this year's competition. 'The prosperity and wellbeing farming generates for Iwi and Māori across the motu has far reaching impacts for communities, for whānau, for reinvesting back into marae and more. I tautoko the outstanding work these finalists are doing.'
Otago Daily Times
10 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Need seen to build builders' wellbeing
Marti Amos is the New Zealand-based head of The Professional Builder. PHOTO: SUPPLIED It was the stuff of Boy's Own lore. Growing up on Stewart Island, business owner and entrepreneur Marti Amos enjoyed a childhood which was "just one big adventure, one after the other". Fishing, hunting, learning to fire a rifle, bush walks and heading across Foveaux Strait to play schoolboy rugby at Bluff or Waikiwi. One of his earliest memories was sitting in the rear of a sea-plane as it taxied off the beach and was half-submerged under water. He looked out the window and saw fish. Following his parents' separation, he moved with his mother to the hustle of Nelson and says it was "jarring" being taken away from everything he ever knew. From 10, he worked multiple jobs to help his mother out — from a fish factory to a service station, cardboard factory to mowing lawns — and he both inherited and developed a strong work ethic. All those experiences in his early years helped give him an affinity with the working man — "just the best kind of people to be around". Mr Amos (Ngāpuhi) spent a decade at the University of Otago, from 1989 to 1999, which he described as some of the best times of his life. He studied commerce and pursued PhD research on branding. He lectured in marketing and MBA programmes, examined MCom theses and worked as a Māori students tutor and thesis officer in the commerce division. He then moved to Auckland, where he was marketing director for Honda Motorcycles NZ and country manager for Pirelli Tyres NZ, and where he has lived for 25 years. Becoming tired of working for someone else, he bought a business-coaching franchise and noted the number of builders among his clients. He discovered many were great at building but needed help to build a great business, so he decided to concentrate on the construction industry — helping "some of the hardest working, down-to-earth people I know". Since 2004, Mr Amos has focused on helping residential construction companies to systemise and scale their businesses, take control of their finances, increase revenue and buy back days of their personal time each week. He and his team at The Professional Builder — which has grown from three to 65 — have coached more than 3000 building company owners in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The business is projected to reach 100 employees within the next 18 months, while revenue is projected to double to $30 million within the same timeframe. Members have included Deloitte Fast 50 winners, builders featured in television shows The Block and Grand Designs and many Master Builders award winners. Mr Amos said more needed to be done to address high rates of suicide in the construction industry. Recent research showed New Zealand's construction sector was facing a mental health crisis; suicide rates were 25% higher than other sectors and Māori, Pasifika, women, migrant workers, apprentices and labourers were among those at higher risk. He attributed that to various factors including financial instability, low pay and poor mental health, saying those issues were amplified by the industry's boom-and-bust cycle, cost-of-living crisis and a training model that prioritised trade skills over business acumen. "Kiwi tradespeople are trained to excel on site. They are underprepared to manage the multimillion-dollar business aspects of their work, with dire consequences for their mental wellbeing. "Our construction workers account for about 7% of working-age male suicides — with nearly one worker losing his life to suicide each week and the avoidable burden and impact of suicide in the New Zealand construction industry has been estimated at $1.1 billion per annum," he said. A radical overhaul of the country's traditional construction model was needed, with greater emphasis on financial literacy being a priority, he said. "The New Zealand building industry is seeing its lowest levels of annual growth over a decade with a rate of just 0.6% in the second quarter of 2024 — a factor that is likely to exacerbate mental health concerns for many in the trade. "Kiwi builders have been taught how to create outstanding projects. They're brilliant with the tools — but no-one has taught them how to build a great business. Without a proper understanding of financial management, many building company owners were left grappling with severe cash-flow challenges, working long hours and sacrificing their personal lives. In many cases, that led to overwhelming stress and deteriorating mental health. "When you're constantly worrying about how to pay your subcontractors or secure payroll for the next week, it isn't just your business that suffers — it's your whole life," he said. A business like The Professional Builder could help but it also needed to be part of a wider mandate. A government focus on big projects such as KiwiBuild had not had the desired outcome, he said. A focus on the likes of reducing red tape in the industry would help significantly at a macro level but not at a micro level, where business owners were "struggling to understand their numbers". Groups like Mates in Construction NZ and Mike King's Gumboot Friday did some "phenomenal work" and he believed the government could be doing a lot more at grassroots level and also industry body and commercial level. Last month, Mr Amos launched a book The Profitable Builder's Playbook to help business owners improve their financial management. The company has launched an expansion programme to grow the market in the US, and there are plans to increase its physical presence there and establish partnerships with hardware wholesalers, similar to its relationships with Carters, ITM and Mitre 10 in New Zealand. The Professional Builder will be exhibiting at a roadshow in Texas in several weeks, to be followed by six seminars in the state. Need help? Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust 027 240-0114 Need to talk? 1737, free 24/7 phone and text number Healthline: 0800 611-116 Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543-354 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828-865 (0508 TAUTOKO) Samaritans: 0800 726-666 Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787-797 General mental health inquiries: 0800 443-366 The Depression Helpline: 0800 111-757
