NZ Geothermal Week 2025
A resounding success!
NZ Geothermal Week 2025, held from 28th July to 2nd August, brought together 720 industry leaders, professionals and students plus 350+ attendees from the community for an action-packed celebration of New Zealand's geothermal sector.
With 17 diverse events spanning field trips,
workshops, panel discussions, networking events and the annual NZGA Winter seminar, the week showcased the immense potential and innovation within the geothermal industry.
Highlights of the Week
Our Pathways Student Field Trip kicked off the event week, introducing local secondary school students to exciting career opportunities within the geothermal sector. Taupō Nui-a-Tia College, Tongariro College and Tauhara College students got firsthand experience visiting industry leaders like Contact Energy, Mercury, MB Century, Western Energy and Earth Sciences New Zealand
The week's programme featured a range of technical panels and workshops, including:
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Earth Sciences New Zealand's 'From the Extreme Heat to the Little Bit Cool' showcasing research into supercritical geothermal potential and low-temp applications for industry decarbonisation
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Mercury's 'Transforming Safety Culture" Introducing Mercury's new HazardID Training Programme, focussed on building a proactive safety culture across the industry.
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NZ's Geothermal Emissions: Technical examples of Mitigation and Emerging Opportunities, members of the NZGA Carbon Reduction Working Group presented tangible examples of emissions reduction
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Global Opportunities: Supporting International Market Access, explored New Zealand's potential to support international geothermal development; with panellists highlighting global partnerships, trade dynamics and the value of Aotearoa's geothermal expertise.
Always a highlight, the weeks sold-out field trips included tours of Contact Energy's Tauhara Geothermal Power Station, Nature's Flame Wood Pellet Plant and explored Geothermal Tourism at Whakarewarewa Village.
Networking events remain a core strength of NZ Geothermal Week; MB Century's networking evening set the tone for a week of collaboration and knowledge sharing, while the ever-popular WING Networking & Award evening recognised outstanding individuals through the Wahine, Tāne and One to Watch Awards.
The Industry Leaders Breakfast, featured keynote speaker David Downs (CEO, NZ Story), challenging the 90 attendees to thinking of Aotearoa, not as remote or small, but as a country at the forefront of clean energy innovation.
The Contact Energy Public Open Day was hugely popular, with 350+ members of the community receiving guided tours of the newly commissioned Tauhara Power Station.
NZGA Winter Seminar - Geothermal: New Zealand's Global Opportunity
The NZGA Winter Seminar and Dinner was the flagship event of the week, addressing the theme "Geothermal: New Zealand's Global Opportunity". The seminar highlighted how New Zealand's expertise is increasingly sought after worldwide, with examples of companies leading overseas projects, attracting investment, delivering world-first innovations and NZ's growing global profile in geothermal.
NZ Geothermal Week 2025 marked a milestone for strategic alignment and industry development with the release of three major documents supporting New Zealand's geothermal future:
New Zealand Draft Geothermal Strategy, From the Ground Up: The draft strategy outlines the Government's long-term vision for geothermal industry in Aotearoa.
Aotearoa New Zealand Geothermal Companies Directory: A directory profiling New Zealand's geothermal capability by showcasing the organisations, skills and services that make up the national geothermal ecosystem.
Geoheat Business Guide in Aotearoa New Zealand: A practical tool developed to support businesses, investors and developers considering the use of direct geothermal heat.
720
geothermal industry attendees
219
businesses represented
49%
of businesses were from the geothermal industry
10%
of attendees were international
350+
people attended the Contact Energy Public Open Day
Looking Ahead
NZ Geothermal Week 2025 not only celebrated the industry's achievements but also paved the way for future innovations and collaborations. The event's success underscores the vital role of geothermal energy in New Zealand's sustainable future and reinforces the industries position as a global leader in geothermal expertise.
Thank you to all attendees, our Gold and Silver sponsors, our Event Partners and our co hosts New Zealand Geothermal Association who made this week an unforgettable experience. As we reflect on the insights gained and connections made, we look forward to the continued growth and innovation in the geothermal sector.
Event Objectives
NZ Geothermal Week is an annual event that celebrates and promotes the country's geothermal industry by bringing together key stakeholders. The event aims to:
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Increase awareness of New Zealand's geothermal resources.
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Highlight the Taupō Volcanic Zone as a center of geothermal excellence.
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Showcase the industry to local, national, and international audiences.
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Generate interest and excitement about geothermal opportunities for investment, growth, and employment.
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Provide a platform for industry forums.
The event supports long-term goals by encouraging industry engagement, promoting sustainable economic growth and fostering excitement about the world-class geothermal resource and expertises in the region.
If you are interested in getting involved with NZ Geothermal Week, including sponsorship, event ideas, hosting and speaking opportunities, or have a query about events, please contact Rick Keehan, CEO at Amplify or Kennie Tsui, CEO at NZGA.