Unleashing the energy superpower under our feet

With energy security concerns dominating headlines here and around the world, the release of New Zealand's first geothermal strategy marks a significant moment for the country's energy future.

For decades geothermal has quietly powered parts of our economy and supported regional development, supported by government leadership and investment in the 1950s and 1960s.

The new strategy signals a recognition that geothermal energy is not just a legacy resource but a strategic national capability that will play an increasingly important role in the decades ahead.

That recognition is both welcome and timely, as the world grapples with a generational energy supply crisis. New Zealand’s exposure to international fossil fuel supply chains is stark, and challenges the resilience of our economy and households.

As our country takes steps to electrify transport, industry and households, the value of a reliable, baseload, low-emission, indigenous and secure energy resource that operates around the clock will only grow.

Geothermal offers something rare in the clean-energy transition - a renewable resource that provides stability as well as sustainability.

But a strategy alone does not deliver outcomes. What matters now is the ecosystem of capability that sits behind it.

New Zealand has built world-class expertise in geothermal science and engineering over many decades. Universities, industry partners, Māori landowners and energy companies have collectively developed technologies and practices that are recognised internationally.

If the strategy is to deliver on its ambition, continued investment in research and development will be essential. Geothermal systems are complex, and the challenges we face - from accessing deeper resources to more efficient reservoir management - require sustained scientific effort.

Partnership with Māori will also remain central to this future.

Much of New Zealand’s geothermal resource sits on or near Māori land, and Iwi across the country are already significant participants in the sector. Continued collaboration and partnership will ensure geothermal development supports both energy goals and community aspirations.

One of the most exciting areas of work globally is next-generation geothermal technology.

Programmes exploring supercritical geothermal systems, for example, aim to access fluids at temperatures and pressures far beyond those used in conventional geothermal operations. If successful, these systems could unlock dramatically higher energy outputs from a single well and reshape the economics of geothermal power.

New Zealand researchers and industry partners are already contributing to this frontier. With the right support, the country can remain at the leading edge of geothermal innovation while helping develop technologies that will be used in geothermal developments around the world.

Technology is one aspect, but the need for a New Zealand-grown workforce - which the Resources Minister acknowledged in his remarks at the strategy launch - underpins the success of the sector.

A growing geothermal sector requires engineers, geoscientists, plant operators, drilling specialists, environmental scientists and community engagement experts, and strong integration among industry players, government and academia.

Many of these skills are highly specialised and take years to develop. That is why workforce development must sit alongside technology investment.

Training programmes, postgraduate education and international collaboration are critical to ensuring New Zealand continues to produce the expertise needed both at home and abroad.

Encouragingly, there is strong interest among young New Zealanders in energy careers that combine sustainability with advanced technology. With the right pathways, from schools through to industry placements, geothermal can become an attractive and visible career option.

While the strategy provides an important roadmap, it should not be seen as a fixed destination.

Energy systems are changing rapidly around the world. Advances in drilling technology, subsurface imaging, hybrid and enhanced geothermal systems are reshaping what is possible. At the same time, global demand for secure and low-carbon energy continues to ramp up.

In that context, any national strategy must remain a living document - one that evolves as technologies mature, markets shift and new opportunities emerge.

For geothermal, that means remaining open to innovation, supporting pilot projects and demonstration programmes, and maintaining strong connections with international research networks and sector innovators.

New Zealand’s geothermal expertise is globally respected, but leadership requires continual renewal.

The geothermal strategy signals renewed confidence in the role this resource can play in New Zealand’s future. It recognises that geothermal is not only about conventional electricity generation but also about regional development, industrial heat, skills and equipment exports, research capability and international influence. That vision is both ambitious and achievable.

If we invest in the science, grow the workforce and keep the strategy adaptive to a changing world, geothermal energy can continue to be one of our national “superpowers”, meeting our energy needs at home while positioning New Zealand as a global leader in geothermal innovation and workforce development.

The opportunity is clear, but it will require translating strategic intent into sustained action.