While it is thought Australia has a potentially large geothermal resource, finding hot rocks can be a challenging and expensive exercise as the rocks are more often than not several kilometres under the ground.

The program will be led by National ICT Australia in collaboration with the University of Sydney.

The program is designed to take existing geothermal data from a wide variety of sources and apply modern statistical machine learning and data fusion methods.

NICTA then aims to develop software that improves the process of exploration, discovery and characterisation of geothermal targets for the benefit of industry.

NICTA will then work with the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Adelaide to use the software to help solve the problem of geothermal target characterisation and exploration.

The project teams will work with GeoScience Australia and the South Australian Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy, which will provide geothermal sensor data sets and expertise in discovery and characterisation of geothermal targets.

They will also work with Australian Securities Exchange-listed geothermal exploration and development companies GeoDynamics and Petratherm.

The project is the first to be funded under the federal government’s $126 million Emerging Renewables program.

Announcing the funding at the Australian Geothermal Energy Association’s geothermal financing workshop, Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said the government was keen to see the development of the industry in Australia.

“Geoscience Australia estimates that one per cent of Australia's geothermal energy could supply the nation's annual requirement for 26,000 years.

“Before we unlock this immense resource, we need to understand the properties that make the best geothermal resource so we can target the best sites for exploration.

“National ICT Australia Limited's initiative will help to define the best potential sites, reducing the costs and risks associated with exploration and helping the geothermal industry to take the next step forward.”

This article first appeared in ILN's sister publication EnergyNewsBulletin.net.