Thursday, January 31, 2019

New Zealand: Public Meeting will Present Results from Exploration for Deep Geothermal Energy Resources in the Taupo Volcanic Zone

Geothermal research shines a light on what lies beneath (News Release)

12 February, from 5.30 pm, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 1125 Arawa St, Rotorua, New Zealand

(Courtesy GNS Science)
GNS Science and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have been investigating volcanic hazards and deep geothermal energy resources in the Taupo Volcanic Zone for the last decade and can now share the latest findings to interested members of the public, at a meeting to be held February 12.

Since 2009, GNS Science has been collecting magnetotelluric or MT measurements to further understand volcanic hazards and the deep geothermal energy resources in the Taupo Volcanic Zone, including Rotorua.

GNS geophysicists Ted Bertrand said the results of the research were proving to be extremely interesting.

“Over the last few years, we have started to see the connection between the shallow parts of geothermal fields and the underlying magmatic systems which provide the heat.

“Results from the Rotorua lakes region and similar research north of Taupo have enabled us to start to understand how geothermal systems like Rotorua work from tip to toe – from the surface features down to their volcanic roots.