Status of the Geothermal Industry in Australia

Abstract

Hydrothermal power production is centered on serving isolated communities in the Great Artesian Basin. In Queensland, the binary plant at Birdsville has passed longterm trials, and is approaching full-time operation under new management. Production at Mulka Station, in South Australia, has been discontinued. Hydrothermal direct use continues in the Otway Basin of western Victoria, in a district space heating system at Portland, and at a planned new spa at Mornington. Production of industrial hot water at Traralgon, in the Gisppsland Basin of eastern Victoria, has been discontinued. Ground and water source heat pumps have been widely adopted for air conditioning throughout Australia, with at least 2000 installations in place. In Hot Dry Rock technology, temperatures at depth in the continent have been assessed, and two field projects are underway in New South Wales (NSW). Near Muswellbrook, drilling has commenced on a full-scale demonstration project, aiming for a depth of 3.5 km. Near Woronora, field trials of hydraulic stimulation of fractures in a Carboniferous granite will be conducted at a depth of about 2 km.