| Title | Development of a web-based tool to identify geoheat opportunities for covered crops |
|---|---|
| Authors | A. Seward, A. Heywood, C. Wells, Y. Carden, H. Barnes, D. Cohen, P. Viskovic, M. Taves, L. Coup, A. Zoeller, S. Rice, L. Wild |
| Year | 2025 |
| Conference | New Zealand Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | Geoheat, Greenhouse decarbonisation, co-design decision tool, resource mapping |
| Abstract | 77% of New Zealand’s covered crop growing operations are currently reliant on fossil fuels (62% natural gas; 15% coal) for space conditioning of greenhouses. The recent rise in the cost and decline in availability of natural gas, along with the global transition to renewable and environmentally friendly energy, has sparked the interest of local growers to the opportunity of geoheat. The transition from natural gas to geothermal heating observed in several European countries has inspired interest in achieving a similar transformation within New Zealand. Most greenhouses in New Zealand currently rely on piped hot water heating systems designed to operate at temperatures of between 60 and 80°C, to maintain adequate growing temperatures and manage greenhouse humidity. These water temperatures are commonly found at depths of 2-3 km in non-geothermally active areas, however, they can often be found at shallower depths in locations around New Zealand. Information regarding where these shallow resources are located and how the subsurface heat can be utilised is hard to find, resulting in missed opportunities for low temperature heat users. This project focusses on developing an online prototype tool which will provide relevant and easy to understand information regarding the potential of geothermal heat in the greater Auckland, Bay of Plenty and upper Waikato regions of the North Island. The project collates subsurface information, case-studies, and technological and financial feasibility estimates, in a publicly available web-based tool. It is being developed through close collaboration between earth-scientists, engineers and growers, ensuring that the tool is accurate, informative and useable. |