Low Temperature Geothermal Fields.

There is an opportunity to access low temperature geothermal energy (<150°C) in many New Zealand regions, even those without extensive surface geothermal activity.

Worldwide direct uses for low temperature geothermal resources are for space heating, bathing, domestic heat pumps, heating greenhouses, and aquaculture. Other more novel applications include snow melting, fog dispersion and de-icing.

In New Zealand, GNS Science has a low enthalpy geothermal research programme that seeks to foster more widespread and structured development of low enthalpy geothermal resources. For a description of New Zealand’s low temperature resources, applications, New Zealand examples, geothermal heat pumps, maps, reports and links see the GNS Science web site.