NATURAL HEAT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 53, 31 August 1934, Page 11

NATURAL HEAT

WHY NOT USE IT ?

THERMAL REGION ECONOMICS

PLENTIFUL SUPPLY

Hitherto Rotorua and the thermal district generally have been regarded as an asset to the Dominion solely from the point of view of their scenic attractions. But if the dreams of pi'.iuntists and 'engineers, as outlined in two papers read to the Wellington Philosophical. Society this week, are realised, the time will come when all the natural heat at present going to -waste iv that area will be utilised for providing power for commercial undertakings, for the central heating of houses and public buildings, for the heating of glasshouses, for the raising of plants, and for numerous other purposes besides tho so of the baths (already made use of) which will readily suggest themselves. It is not inconceivable either that many of the larger towns' such as Hamilton and Cambridge might in future be rendered more comfortable by tho piping to them of water from the Rotorua hot springs. And all this might bo achieved, it. was pointed out, without in any way"spoiling the present scenic attractions in the way of geysers, etc.

The idea of boring for steam in thermal regions was no new one, said Mr. J. A.. Bruce in the first of the two papers read, but only just now was if showing signs of attracting worldwide attention. Many had pooh-poohed the idea, but there was good reason, he thought, for supposing that a still closer investigation of our thermal region and our post-volcanic areas together with some small scale experiments and perhaps the establishment of a small chemical laboratory and a miniature- geothennal plant at Eotorua might reveal avenues of, promise for industrial and agricultural exploitation. A small test glass-house heated 'with hot water or steam from a small bore could bo installed at littlo expense. A few experiments in heating homes might also be tried. This preliminary work would best bo done by the Government rather than by private enterprise. The New Zealand Geological Survey had already done exceedingly valuable work in mapping out' and investigating our remarkable thermal region and have given special study to, volcanology and volcancie soils.'The expenditure of further sums of money in the direction indicated in view of what has been-accomplished in other countries would appear to. be justified. ■. ' NO BEAL DANGEB. The speaker ridiculed the idea, that the North Island would bo likely to blow up if boring for steam or hot water was undertaken. Naturally it would riot be advisable to commence putting down experimental bores, for instance, on Mount Ngauruhoe. Iceland was thickly studded with extinct and active' volcanoes, yet volcanic heat was being utilised there to great advantage. Mr. Bruce detailed the success achieved in Italy in the;utilisation of natural steam by boring, and what has been accomplished in Iceland in this direction was also described. A private letter recently received from Mr. Sigurdsen, Director of Agriculture in Iceland, .saM: "I am convinced that it.■•will not be long before,you in New Zealand-aro also making use of subterranean warmth. An enormous amount of heat is. stored up under,.the,.earth a : iid in countries like ~ice^a,'nd; ; .''where the climate. 5s so, vory c ; .rigorous, .!if si importance!, cannot' he L pyerrest'imated. Our experiments in thY .'utilisation .'(Sf this-Tynrmth are so farVi;i,,|Kei,r pre: limin^ry. stages but they,r.h')a^e v 6pened .up.' already possibilities Of .which .the ' ultimatp.., application cansLO.tV.,.. yet .be estimated. Utilisation was..begun \yith the warm lakes'which. occur at many spots ..in, Iceland; their... itemperaturo varies Jfrbm. 104 to 203 degrees.". The next '&eyelopraent was the utilisation of the'iiot springs which'hay.e.^a .warmth ■of about 212 degrees or nipre, "and now shafts are being sunk ■to'-: 't?p further supplies^of hot -water -andKst^am. and by this means'thc supplies, of,hot water uncl steam will be considerably increased." ■ ' : -i!. " , . ■ .'. ' This,-. Mr. Bruce remarked, ..showed that'-the Icelanders did not think that boring in their thermal regions'would ■a-esult in unexpected volcanic eruptions. '■■.•■■ EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW,. ' ■ '.After discussing .the possibility of obtaining by evaporation valuable chcniiisals. from the steam.and hot water tapped by bores, the lecturer said that there- "were bound to be' encountered ■pessimistic views about, the proposition. But there was available for experimenters in New Zealand the'improving technique of experts in Iceland, Italy, and California. '"Recently Prince Cp'nti, who has been largely reNnohsible' for the success of the ther-mal-boring in Italy, stated to us in a'private letter .that he was glad to see that the matter of thermal resources utilisation was not being lost sight of in JvTcw Zealand and in his recent publication he has stated that the study of. the New Zealand thermal resources should b» intensified and the matter was"1-not one that should be considerd too lightly or hastily by the authorities.-: ■ ' ' ■ '■...'■' "ju view of what has been done in [other countries there is need for an appraisal and fuller realisation of our thermal region from the point of view of improving its utility. The work of planned- experimentation can proceed without interfering ■with, tourist or scenic attractions. Some of the uglier portions of the thermal regions, for instance; would look bettor with hothouses on them and would increase the interest of tourists. A few years may make a difference and we shall see what will be done." ' THE ENGINEERING SIDE. Mr. 1\ B. Shorland dealt in his paper largely with the engineering side of the problem. He gave details .as to how houses in Iceland are now comfortably warmed by Nature's supply of hot water. ■ "Few thermal areas in tho world, lie remarked, "would seem to offer better opportunity for domestic and agricultural utilisation than our thermal region. The large boiling pool near the spout baths at Whakarewarewa, for example, might one day be allowed to gravitate through suitably insulated pipes to Rotorua some two miles away for the heating of the houses and offices and for the forcing of glass-house and out-of-season crops. This supply could be supplemented by pumping tho hot water from Ohinemutu, which is close to the residential area of the town.'| He explained how corrosion difficulties could be overcome; indeedp they .have already been overcome in Rotorua; and as it was not considered impracticable in Iceland to pipe hot water for a distance of fifty miles, the same might be done- in New Zealand. The ideal to be arrived at in the future was to utilise the thermal heat aa rationally and as fully as possible. To do this many small scale experiments were first necessary. "One docs not, as .has been suggested, just throw; concrete at geysers and hope for the best." ■ '' . :