A University of Alberta master’s student is going to the ends of the Earth to learn more about geothermal energy. His final destination - the Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting & Expo.
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| Theron Finley stands near Hverfjall, a cinder cone volcano in northern Iceland located near a geothermal power plant. Finley is travelling around the world to learn how Canada may be able to take advantage of geothermal energy. (Photo: Supplied) |
Geoscience student Theron Finley is travelling to Alaska, Utah, Nevada, California, Iceland, Germany, and New Zealand over the next four months to meet with experts at universities, government organizations, and private companies to learn about their work in geothermal exploration and technology.
“I want to visit with experts in other countries with successful geothermal industries and seek their guidance, and see how we can build practices in Canada,” said Finley.
In Alaska, Finley visited several hot springs from which geothermal energy is harnessed for heat and power. Now in Iceland, he has spent a week with the Iceland GeoSurvey in Akureyri, learning about their efforts to find additional hot water for their district heating system. Next, he will visit the Reykjanes Peninsula, including the Hellisheidi Power Plant and Reykjanes UNESCO GeoPark, before heading to Reno, Nevada, for the Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting & Expo.
Finley is being funded by a Hugh Morris fellowship from the Kimberley Foundation, which supports Canadian graduate students on a program of self-guided travel and experiential learning with a focus on global sustainability.
