Ara Ake and ESNZ join forces to accelerate geoheat with new Action Plan
Earth Sciences New Zealand and Ara Ake have released the 2026–2027 Geoheat Action Plan, designed to rapidly grow the use of geoheat throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Geoheat refers to heat from under the ground below 150°C and has many practical, low emission uses.
Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) and Ara Ake have co-authored the Action Plan to support the delivery of the Government’s first‑ever geothermal strategy, From the Ground Up, and includes the following goals over the next two years:
- Five new geoheat projects over 500 kW in planning or operation
- Ten or more workshops, conferences and engagement events nationwide
- Five site visits showcasing geoheat in action
- At least 10 publicly available reports, papers and case studies.
These actions will be delivered by the Geoheat Action Group - a consortium of industry, government, specialist and regional stakeholders that have played a key role in delivering the previous four action plans.
“By working closely with Ara Ake, we are strengthening the link between science, innovation and real‑world deployment, which is exactly what is needed right now,” says Dr Isabelle Chambefort, General Manager of Energy at Earth Sciences New Zealand.
“Momentum is building. The Action Plan takes that momentum and coordinates the activity, giving it a shared direction. What’s more, geoheat supports the urgent need for alternatives to fossil fuel derived heat,” says Sophie Braggins, Chief Executive of Ara Ake.
This is the fifth Geoheat Action Plan in the series fostering the uptake of direct heat use in industrial and commercial businesses. Brian Carey, Geothermal Resource Management Specialist at Earth Sciences New Zealand, says the consortium of specialists has been working on these plans for several years, and delivery and uptake have been very successful.
“We’re really proud of the outcomes from the earlier action plans. This plan also assesses the performance against last year’s action item, showing greatachievements and progress, supported by the launch of the geothermal strategy.”
The Geoheat Action Group that drives this Geoheat Action Plan meets every two months. If you would like to be involved with the group, please email geoheat@earthsciences.nz
Within the Action Plan are case studies of geoheat projects, including the Ara Ake Taranaki Geoheat Discovery Challenge. Head to the project page to find out more.
