Geothermal is not currently deployed in markets within the scope of the Department of Energy’s proposed rule. GEA is submitting comments in this docket given the potential geothermal resource in some areas of the regions affected by the DOE proposed rule and given the potential for this rule to influence other competitive wholesale markets where geothermal is an active market participant (i.e., CAISO).
A blanket rule rewarding power plants for having onsite fuel steps over the underlying problem and, in doing so, may create new problems and skewed markets.
We agree that the time is right for a national conversation about how to ensure a reliable and resilient electricity grid, and we look forward to engaging with DOE and FERC to ensure the grid-related attributes of geothermal are well understood and accommodated in federal policymaking.
The GEA asks FERC to not move forward with this proposed rule and instead focus on identifying services that promote grid reliability and system resilience, and design markets (or give ISO/RTOs chances to design markets) that efficiently procure and compensate for those services.
Instead of finalizing the rule, FERC should convene regional technical conferences to explore technologies and resources that are or that could provide grid reliability and system resilience services under improved market designs.
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From the Global Geothermal News archives:
- Friday, September 29, 2017 - USA: New FERC Rule Could Boost Baseload Electricity Generation
- Tuesday, September 12, 2017 - USA: FERC Exploring Enhanced Compensation for Generators that Provide "Essential Reliability Services"
