| Title | Geothermal Energy in Canada – Kickstarting an Industry |
|---|---|
| Authors | HICKSON, C.J., NOONE, F. RAYMOND, J., DUSSEAULT, M. FRASER, T., HUANG, K., MARCIA, K., MIRANDA, M., POUX, B., FIESS, K., EBELL, J., FERGUSON, G., DALE, J., GROENEWOUD, L. BANKS, J., UNSWORTH, M., BRUNSKILL, B., GRASBY, S., WITTER, J |
| Year | 2020 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Canada, power generation, direct-use, Canadian scholarly research, financial crisis, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Canadian universities, ERPP, NRCan |
| Abstract | Geothermal research and exploration in Canada have a long and rich past with many prominent and important early researchers, explorers and developers who worked within Canada and abroad. Geothermal Canada was launched in 1973 as the Canadian Geothermal Association and has been dedicated since that time to supporting the geothermal community in Canada. Now after more than 40 years along, the geothermal landscape is finally beginning to change, and it is important to review the current and recent projects, research, and initiatives. Vibrant research groups exist throughout universities across the country; 464 scientific publications on geothermal energy written by Canadian researchers are reported in Scopus from 2014 to 2018. The focus is on resource assessment, direct-use and adapting technology for remote communities located in arctic to subarctic climatic zones. Provincial governments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec are supporting projects along with the exchange of ideas. In Canada’s north, including the Yukon, Nunavut, Nunavik and the Northwest Territories, there are initiatives to assess the geothermal potential, especially through engineered geothermal systems (EGS), and to support research for development challenges in extreme environments. Canada’s federal government, through Natural Resources Canada, awarded a 25.6 million dollars grant to the Deep Earth Energy Corp. project in Saskatchewan, and in Alberta a 25.4-million-dollar contribution grant was awarded to the Alberta No. 1 geothermal project. Additionally, the Geological Survey of Canada continues to support geothermal research. As the global landscape continues to evolve away from hydrocarbons for heating and electricity generation, Canada is well-placed to fill in the gap with thermal and electrical generation from sedimentary basins, deep fault, and volcanic systems, as well as to be a leader in EGS. Canadian scientists and engineers are poised to make significant contributions both here in Canada and globally. |