Tuesday, October 4, 2016

USA, California: Energy Commission Announces $3.5 Million for Geothermal Energy R&D

Notice of Proposed Awards (NOPA) - Improving Performance and Cost Effectiveness of Small Hydro, Geothermal and Wind Energy Technologies (News Release)

On June 15, 2016, the California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) released a competitive solicitation to fund innovative research and development for in-conduit hydropower, geothermal and wind technologies that will result in improving the performance and cost effectiveness of renewable energy sources.

Up to $8.5 million in Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) funding is available to fund applications in:
  • Group 1: Expanding California’s Use of In-Conduit Hydrokinetic Power.
  • Group 2: Improving the Cost-Effectiveness and Operational Flexibility of Geothermal Energy Production.
  • Group 3: Upgrading California’s Aging Wind Turbines.
The three winners of funds in the Group 2 geothermal category, ranked in order, are:
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    High-Resolution Micro-Earthquake Imaging of Flow Paths Using a Dense Seismic Network and Fast-Turnaround, Automated Processing. ($1,672,639)
  2. SRI International
    Recovery of Lithium from Geothermal Brines ($873,387) 
  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Coupled Reservoir-Wellbore Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical Modeling ($999,032)