New Zealand
Contracting Party: GNS Science, New Zealand
Executive Committee Member: Chris Bromley, GNS Science, New Zealand
Alternate Member: To be appointed
New Zealand’s development strategy relies on an assessed geothermal-power resource potential, which is 4 GWe (or 30 TWh/yr) from conventional convecting systems. These systems are hosted at depths of up to 3.5 km, mostly within the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The deeper, hotter, and unexplored roots (3.5 – 5km) of this zone have an estimated additional potential of at least 10 GWe.
Growth in geothermal generation has been sustained at an average annual rate of about 20%, because of construction and commissioning of several new baseload geothermal power stations. The geothermal operational installed capacity as of 2014 stood at 1012 MW, with annual generation of 6,847 GWh. Direct use was 8.5 PJ.
