GEOTHERMAL TRAINING PROGRAMME Reports 2000 Orkustofnun, Grensásvegur 9, Number 1 IS-

108 Reykjavík, Iceland

FIVE LECTURES ON ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Trevor M. Hunt
Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences,
Taupo,
NEW ZEALAND

Lectures on environmental studies given in September 2000

Published in June 2001

ISBN - 9979-68-070-9
Hunt 2 Lectures
Lectures 3 PREFH
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Geothermal energy is generally regarded as benign to the environment. The exploitation of geothermal
energy has, however, to be conducted in a sustainable way. New Zealand is one of the world 's pioneer
countries in the development of high-temperature geothermal resources.    Dr. Trevor M. Hunt,
geophysicist at the Wairakei Research Centre of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences in
Taupo, has been one of the key people in the exploration and the monitoring of the exploitation of the
geothermal fields in New Zealand. He gave the lectures presented here    as the UNU Visiting Lecturer
at the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Reykjavik in September 2000.

In his lectures, Dr.    Trevor M. Hunt gives a detailed account of the environmental changes that have
been caused by the operations of the geothermal power stations in Wairakei and Ohaaki in New
Zealand. He demonstrates very clearly the importance of regular monitoring of geothermal fields both
prior to and during exploitation and points out how the environment can best be protected and the
effects of exploitation mitigated. We are very grateful to him for writing up his lecture notes and thus
making the lectures available to a much larger audience than those who were so fortunate in attending
his lectures in Reykjavik. The experience of Dr. Trevor M. Hunt and his colleagues in New Zealand is
very valuable to the world geothermal community and will certainly help in promoting the sustainable
use of geothermal resources in the world.

Since the foundation of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in 1979, it has been customary to
invite annually one internationally renowned geothermal expert to come to Iceland as the UNU
Visiting Lecturer.    This has been in addition to various foreign lecturers who have given lectures at the
Training Programme from year to year.    It is the good fortune of the UNU Geothermal Training
Programme that so many distinguished geothermal specialists have found time to visit us.    Following
is a list of the UNU Visiting Lecturers during 1979-2000:

1979 Donald E. White United States    1990 Andre Menjoz France 1980 Christopher Armstead
United Kingdom        1991 Wang Ji-yang    China 1981 Derek H. Freeston    New Zealand    1992
Patrick Muffler    United States 1982 Stanley H. Ward          United States    1993 Zosimo F.
Sarmiento    Philippines 1983 Patrick Browne      New Zealand    1994 Ladislaus Rybach   
Switzerland 1984 Enrico Barbier    Italy 1995 Gudm. Bödvarsson    United States 1985 Bernardo
Tolentino Philippines    1996 John Lund United States 1986 C. Russel James            New Zealand
1997 Toshihiro Uchida    Japan
1987 Robert Harrison            UK 1998 Agnes G. Reyes    Philippines/N.Z.
1988 Robert O. Fournier United States    1999 Philip M. Wright United States

1989 Peter Ottlik    Hungary 2000 Trevor M. Hunt New Zealand With warmest wishes from

Iceland,

Ingvar B. Fridleifsson, director,