Geothermal potential unleashed
Taupō will be a hotbed of geothermal business activity later this month.
New Zealand Geothermal Week returns to Taupō from July 28 to August 2, and one of the highlights will be the announcement of the Government’s Draft New Zealand Geothermal Strategy.
The strategy will be announced by Minister for Regional Development and Associate Minister for Energy Shane Jones.
It will outline the Government’s direction for geothermal development, and identify areas where collaboration across government, iwi, and industry can unlock investment, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Geothermal Week is a series of events designed to highlight the country's geothermal sector and its growing role on the global energy stage.
It is co-hosted by Taupō’s economic development agency Amplify and the New Zealand Geothermal Association and brings together iwi, industry leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, students and government officials.
Geothermal is New Zealand’s second largest source of renewable electricity after hydro, supplying more than 20% of the country’s total energy generation.
It is the only renewable source that can deliver constant baseload power, unlike wind, solar and hydro which rely on the weather.
Heat from geothermal power production also provides more than 8 PJ annually to industries like food processing, timber drying, and aquaculture and the industry aims to double this by 2030.
New frontiers such as mineral extraction from geothermal fluids, including lithium and silica, offer further potential.
The theme of this year’s event is “Geothermal: New Zealand’s Global Opportunity”.
Since its inception in 2021, NZ Geothermal Week has hosted more than 7,000 attendees at more than 75 events, growing into a cornerstone event for the sector.
More than 450 delegates are expected in 2025.
A central highlight of NZ Geothermal Week 2025 will be the NZGA Winter Seminar, featuring the launch of three key publications, including the Government’s geothermal strategy.
It will also see the release of the New Zealand Geothermal Companies Directory.
Developed in partnership with New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the directory profiles more than 50 geothermal companies across New Zealand.
It highlights New Zealand capabilities in exploration, engineering, environmental services, and operations, and is intended as a resource for domestic and international investors, developers, and governments seeking geothermal expertise.
The third publication to be released will be the New Zealand Geoheat Business Guide, produced by the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority in collaboration with NZGA.
It helps businesses understand how to adopt geoheat solutions, navigate regulatory requirements, and choose technologies for commercial and community scale applications.
More information is available at www.taupo.biz/nzgeothermalweek2025