GEOTHERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION AND POTENTIAL; COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE TECTONIC SETTING OF NEW ZEALAND, ICELAND AND CANADA

Climate change is impacting our generation, requiring the development of alternative green energy resources. This poster compares and contrasts the tectonic setting where geothermal energy is produced in Iceland and New Zealand with potential geothermal energy producing areas in western Canada. New Zealand and Iceland are in the top ten producers of geothermal energy. In all three cases, there has been seismic and/or volcanic activity where there is potential for geothermal energy production. This includes the recent earthquake (Kaikoura) and geyser eruption (Lake Rotorua) in New Zealand, the recent earthquake swarm near Katla and other volcanic regions within Iceland and the new earthquake activity at Meager Mountain in British Colombia. Geothermal areas host extremely altered rock and diverse microbiota. Samples were collected from Seltun Geothermal area of the Keflavik peninsula, Iceland and the Lussier hot springs near the Rocky Mountain Trench in southern British Colombia to compare petrologically and geochemically.