| Abstract |
Geothermal energy exploration, development, and research has been ongoing in Canada for several decades. The country’s cold climate and the push to develop renewable energy sources have driven interest in geothermal energy. Despite this drive, regulatory complexities and competition with other relatively inexpensive energy sources have hindered development. As such, interest has grown and fallen several times with the energy economy, leaving partially completed projects at a standstill. As of January 2023, there are currently no geothermal projects in operation in Canada (aside from hot springs and ground source heat pumps). However, in the last decade, interest has renewed and there are many new projects starting up across several provinces and territories. As well, projects that were left at a standstill, such as the resource at Mount Meager, have started to renew their developments. Research is also growing across prominent research groups and universities. Areas of focus include both building upon previous studies, such as thermal gradients and heat flow in sedimentary basins, as well as researching new methods and resources, such as ground-source heat pumps, closed-loop systems, and integrated geothermal operations. Development is being supported by federal, provincial, and territorial governments through grants and development of regulatory frameworks. Although challenges still remain for Canada to develop its geothermal energy resources, the pursuit from several companies, ongoing research, funding, and regulatory acts are all moving forward to support geothermal development. |