Canada needs to make more of its vast geothermal resources

According to Canadian Geothermal Energy Association Canada's "geothermal energy potential is estimated at over 5,000 MW in traditional shallow geothermal resources with currently available technology. Altogether, this level of geothermal energy production could create approximately 8,500 operations and maintenance jobs as well as 20,000 part time construction jobs. 5,000 MW of baseload geothermal power is also able to displace an equivalent amount of coal fired power which would yield more than 25 mega tonnes (Mt) of offset CO2 emissions per year."

The richest geothermal energy resources in the country are found in the Western and Nothern Canada. However, despite this enormous energy potential Canada still has nothing to show for as there is still zero megawatt geothermal energy production status.

Given vast riches of geothermal energy resources Canada should be at least in the top five geothermal energy countries in the world but Canadians are still far off from making their name heard on global geothermal energy map.

Ten years of studying geothermal energy resources in the period from 1975 to 1985 was only a precautionary measure due to the energy crisis which has done nothing to help kickstart geothermal energy industry in Canada.

With the climate change issue lurking above the entire world and as the clean energy race gets into higher gear, Canada should consider geothermal energy as one of the safer renewable energy bets.

Geothermal energy industry needs help from the government and there is still no regulatory pathway to operating geothermal let alone tax benefits and other incentives given to other sectors.

Perhaps something will change as there seems to be a better public awareness about geothermal which should also force increasing government interest. Canada needs to make more of its vast geothermal resources and become one of the top geothermal producers in the world.