Geothermal resources

New Zealand is known world-wide for its outstanding geothermal attractions. The Waikato region contains 70 per cent of New Zealand’s geothermal systems.

Our geothermal resource includes:

• thermal energy contained in rocks deep in the earth and carried by water
• hot lakes, streams and mineralised fluids
• fragile and unique crystalline structures (such as sinter terraces and sulphur crystals)
• steaming ground and fumeroles
• boiling mud pools
• hot springs (including geysers)
• the unique plants, animals and micro-organisms that live there.

Geothermal areas are valued for their vast and largely untapped quantities of thermal energy, mineralised fluids and increasingly for their:

• unique ecosystems
• amenity values
• historical values
• cultural values.

New Zealand extracts 24 percent of its primary energy supply from geothermal sources, most of it from the Waikato region. This figure is expected to increase to 30 percent by 2030. Geothermal energy provides about 18 percent of our national electricity supply, most of it coming from the eleven geothermal power stations in the Waikato region. In addition, in the Waikato region, about 40 separate industries, accommodation facilities and tourist facilities take small or medium quantities of heat or fluid.

New Zealand’s geothermal features are major tourist attractions for both domestic and international visitors and are the single most popular sight-seeing destination for overseas visitors. In 2010, there were more than two and a half million visits to geothermal attractions in the Waikato region.

Geothermal surface features are protected by the Waikato Regional Council's policies, rules and resources consent conditions. In the past, there has been destruction and degradation in features when people do not know or follow the rules. The most obvious indicator of ill health of our natural geothermal features is the loss of rare features such as geysers, flowing springs and threatened plants.

Since the 1950s three quarters of New Zealand’s geysers have been lost, including features at Wairakei (through extraction of geothermal water) and Ōrākei Kōrako (drowned when the Ohakuri hydrodam was built).

Other damage to sensitive surface features and ecosystems has occurred, for example from:

• building tourist tracks over geothermal features
• allowing stock access
• planting and harvesting pines
• pesticide spraying
• draining hot springs and the surrounding land.

Waikato Regional Council wants to protect our geothermal resources while allowing for the efficient use of them. To do this we are:

• researching and identifying geothermal fields and their features
• classifying geothermal systems to determine the best management approaches
• encouraging the reuse and reinjection of used geothermal energy and fluid
• promoting sustainable management of Development Geothermal Systems through stepped production and System Management Plans.
• You may need a resource consent from us to take geothermal heat or water, to discharge the water after using it, or to do anything in or around a geothermal feature.