As Canada looks towards renewable energy, the Garibaldi Geothermal Volcanic Belt might hold a key
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| (Courtesy Geological Survey of Canada) |
Beginning in the mid-1970s, the Canadian government began investigating alternative forms of energy, including through an active federal geothermal research program. One of the areas that program focused on was Mount Meager, where Natural Resources Canada joined forces with BC Hydro to drill a series of research wells, Grasby said.
While researchers discovered steam and were able to produce power, permeability was an issue. "They found hot water, up to 240 degrees Celsius—this is a world-class thermal resource that was discovered—but the problem was that the flow rate to the surface wasn't high enough to justify the cost" of installing full geothermal power facilities, said Grasby.
But when researchers decided to revisit the West Coast's geothermal potential by amalgamating prior data from a variety of sources, they found signs pointing towards "a map-able, permeable zone, that looks like it's interconnected," said Carlos Salas, executive vice president and chief scientific officer at Geoscience BC. "This myth [about a lack of water flow] that's been perpetrated through history might not be true."
- Open House Presentation by Carlos Salas, Geoscience BC
- Open House Presentation by Stephen Grasby, Geological Survey of Canada
