Broadlands could support hiceme plant

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 58, 23 July 1974, Page 9

Broadlands could support hiceme plant

The Broadlands geothermal field would have "little problem" supporting another industry such as a lucerne pelletising plant to cope with lucerne grown in the Broadlands area, the Minister of Works and Development, Mr Watt, said in Parliament last week. But there would be insufficient energy to support both a 150mW power scheme and a viable heavy water plant, he said. Mr Watt was replying to Mr L. W. Gander (Nat. Ruahine) who asked the total energy available in the Broadlands field; if 150mW of this would be used for power generation, how much would be available for a lucerne pelletising industry, a sulphur recovery industry, heavy water production and other industrial uses?

Mr Watt said a firnv estimate of the field's total potential could not yet be made but it was expected to exceed 150mW. It was "unlikely" a sulphur recovery industry would be established because the hydrogen sulphide gas in the steam — the only feedstock — did not contain sufficient sulphur to justify establishing an industry. \ He added there was "a good possibility" of sulphur recovery at Rotokawa where large natural deposits could be extracted using geothermal steam in the same area. "Apart from the generation of electricity, the only suitable industries appear to be the manufacture of heavy water and the timber industry," Mr Watt said. "There is no doubt that geothermal power is cheaper than other forms of generation available, even after transmission costs are considered." u