| Title | GEOSTRA: Catalyzing Canada’s Geothermal Future through Strategic Innovation and Test Centre Infrastructure |
|---|---|
| Authors | Peter Massie, Guy Brodsky, Emily Smejkal |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Canada stands at a pivotal economic and environmental crossroads, facing urgent challenges in productivity, innovation, and decarbonization. GEOSTRA—the Geothermal Science and Technology Research Authority—proposes a bold new industrial policy initiative to unlock Canada’s vast geothermal potential and position the country as a global leader in clean, baseload energy. Drawing inspiration from successful models like AOSTRA and the U.S. DOE’s FORGE, GEOSTRA envisions a $550 million investment in four interconnected geothermal test centres across Canada. These centres will serve as collaborative hubs for industry, academia, and government to de-risk next-generation geothermal technologies, including Enhanced and Advanced Geothermal Systems. Canada’s unique strengths—world-class oil and gas expertise, a demanding domestic energy market, and a robust innovation ecosystem—make it ideally suited to lead in geothermal development. GEOSTRA will focus on critical technology priorities such as high-temperature drilling, reservoir engineering, advanced well materials, and heat extraction tools. By fostering applied research, enabling shared infrastructure, and implementing a forward-thinking intellectual property framework, GEOSTRA aims to reduce project costs, accelerate commercialization, and generate made-in-Canada innovations. This initiative is more than a clean energy strategy—it is a blueprint for a new kind of industrial policy that leverages Canada’s existing strengths to build globally competitive industries. GEOSTRA offers a transformative opportunity to create jobs, drive sustainable growth, and ensure energy resilience in a net-zero future. |