Assessing Our Geothermal Potential

Recognizing that geothermal energy is an alternative and renewable energy resource, we are undertaking significant work to better understand where the hot spots of geothermal heat are in our province. This work will support the government and geothermal industry, encourage exploration, and provide a basis for evaluating the economics of geothermal energy use. We will achieve this by characterizing geothermal resources using various research techniques and developing resource assessments for the province, enhancing our understanding of Alberta’s geothermal resources and the impact of geothermal development.

 

Map showing the thermal gradient in Alberta.
 

 

Current Project Work

Our multidisciplinary team is working on integrating the geoscientific aspects related to a geothermal system. The work in progress includes

  • compiling and reviewing relevant data and identifying gaps in coverage or quality,
  • assessing available evidence for geothermal potential,
  • sampling brines for characterizing groundwater chemistry in favourable geothermal reservoirs and understanding pathways and sources of heat,
  • identifying underground mineralized zones and geological structures that control the movement of water through permeable rock,
  • identifying favourable geothermal development areas and conducting detailed geothermal characterization in those areas,
  • creating maps of water types based on their geochemistry, and
  • creating a web-based GIS application providing data and information for characterizing and exploring our province’s geothermal resources.