FAQs
Are there uses for geothermal heat other than to produce electricity?
Yes. Direct use of the plant’s excess heat and byproducts have been used to support other business ventures, even during the period of the experimental well. The Noii O Puna (Puna Geothermal Research Center) was built next to the experimental power plant in 1985 and the following year the Community Geothermal Technology Program was established to encourage use of waste heat. Pilot projects included drying papaya and lumber, greenhouse propagation, cloth dyeing and aquaculture projects.
Some projects produced results far beyond expectations. Rates of seed germination improved as much as 10 times, for example, and silk cloth dyed here was more colorful and steadfast than cloth from Japan due to the chemical composition of geothermal steam. The popular program was terminated when the experiment ended in 1989.