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.

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Geothermal energy is a viable option for British Columbia

Goethermal options looks to be one of the most feasible clean energy options for Canada. In fact, the latest report released by the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association  (CanGEA) states that Canadian province British Columbia could develop geothermal for half the cost of hydro.

Geothermal has more advantages than just costs, it is environmentally friendly source of energy that also creates new well paid jobs (an average of of 1,700 permanent jobs are created when you develop 1 GW of geothermal). It is not just the hot water that gets extracted when harnessing geothermal well but also numerous minerals which include silica, lithium, manganese, zinc and sulfur, all of which can find its use in many other businesses and industries.

CanGea, for instance, claims that British Columbia’s has enough geothermal power potential to satisfy its entire future power needs. 

The hot water, and numerous minerals like like silica, lithium, manganese, zinc and sulphur, obtained through this process is used by other businesses.

Hydropower, on the other hand, is not only connected with major construction costs but there is also a significant environmental impact connected with the building of new dams (such as potentially major forest losses.)

Canada, though having significant geothermal energy potential is yet to develop any meaningful geothermal energy project. British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta are said to have the largest geothermal resources in Canada. 

Hydro and wind are currently the most preferred clean energy options for Canadians. The fact that Canada is the only major country in the Pacific Rim that is not producing electricity from its geothermal resources says enough for itself. Why not start with geothermal in British Columbia?

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Canada has massive geothermal energy potential

Canada has vast amount of different renewable energy resources at its disposal with geothermal energy certainly being one of the most interesting renewable energy options. The problem is that Canada's current clean energy policy fails to give renewable energy industry the boost needed to attract global investors and turn Canada into one of world's clean energy leaders.

The 2011 government report confirmed that Canada has excellent geothermal energy potential by having abundant geothermal resources that could be harnessed in years to come. It has been reported that the western and northern Canada have enough available geothermal resources to generate more electricity than the entire country now consumes.

The federal Geological Survey of Canada estimated that there are at least 5,000 megawatts of geothermal electricity available in B.C., Alberta and the Yukon.

What this means is that geothermal energy can (with the right policy) become an important renewable energy source in Canada. In terms of renewable energy development Canada has so far been mostly focused on hydropower but geothermal energy is yet another reliable clean energy source that could be used to diversify country's energy portfolio, improving its energy security and energy independence in the process by decreasing the need for expensive foreign fuel import.

These vast geothermal resources are major advantage over other countries and if Canada plays this card right it could soon become one of top countries on global geothermal map. 

Many people in Canada are very supportive of geothermal energy and they want to see country go for more geothermal energy projects in years to come.  Sadly, Canada's geothermal energy sector has failed to live to its high expectations and hasn’t really moved forward from few minor geothermal energy projects.

Canada has both the technology and knowledge to kickstart geothermal energy production. Geothermal resources not only generate clean electricity but can be also used to heat houses and other buildings.

The construction and drilling costs are still significant but once built geothermal power plants provide reliable source of clean electricity at costs comparable to fossil fuel fired power plants.

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