A group of developers and researchers expects their site near the Newberry Volcano to make the cut into the next round of siting a national geothermal research lab.
“We feel pretty confident,” said David Stowe, a spokesman for Seattle-based AltaRock Energy Inc., a geothermal firm that leases the Newberry land and has conducted testing at the site.
The possibility of Deschutes County landing the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy has garnered support from federal, state and local elected officials. Proponents expect the facility would generate temporary construction jobs, academic opportunities through area colleges and universities, and an economic boost for local communities that could benefit from visiting researchers and workers.
If Newberry becomes the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, AltaRock would have injection and production wells, the underground reservoir, and information on how the site operates — data for investors to build a power plant there.
If Newberry does not become the research site, AltaRock would then determine what to do with its lease, Stowe said.
