Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Canada: Vacancy as Operations Manager at CanGEA

Operations Manager - Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA)

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

CanGEA is looking for a business-oriented professional with a basic appreciation of geosciences who can apply skills in operations management and communication. The candidate must be highly motivated to lead operation roles as well as create their own initiatives to further enhance CanGEA’s business development and overall performance.

The Operations Manager will work with CanGEA’s Policy Director, whilst proactively pursuing self-led initiatives related to developing geothermal business opportunities for CanGEA. The Operations Manager position will offer the selected candidate the opportunity to gain direct industry experience as well as experience in other areas such as web design, business writing and the creation of technical materials for members and the general public.

More Information.........

Philippines: Geothermal Energy is Top Renewable

How reliant is the Philippines on renewable energy? (BusinessWorld)


Renewable energy resources — which include geothermal, hydropower, biomass, solar and wind — accounted for 25% of the country’s power generation mix. 

Renewable energy-based facilities generated 23.19 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2017, up by 5.5% from 2016’s 21.98 million MWh.

Geothermal generated 10.27 million MWh in 2017, topping the list of renewables.

Bolivia: Geothermal Energy to Help Country Use Less Fossil Fuels

Bolivia weaning off gas-based power (Argus Media)

Bolivia's government plans to drastically reduce the use of natural gas for electricity generation in favor of renewables, freeing up more gas for export.

The country added hundreds of megawatts in new renewable energy plants in the past 12 months and work is underway on nearly 1,500 MW in hydroelectric plants, geothermal installations, solar plants and wind farms.

Also in the works is the 105 MW Laguna Colorada geothermal plant in Potosi. The plan includes construction of a 5 MW pilot plant that will then be used to provide electricity for the subsequent stages.

"Geothermal energy is something that has been studied here for years, because it is very feasible to develop in Bolivia. We think it is an important option for changing the energy matrix," said deputy energy minister Bismar Canelas.

Kenya: Potential for More than 10 GW Geothermal Energy - KenGen

Kenya is betting big on geothermal installations (Power Technology)

Kenya stands tall among African countries as far as geothermal energy is concerned, with a capacity of 600 megawatts (MW) as of 2017.

Geothermal could prove to be a promising source of renewable energy for Kenya. The country has a vast geothermal potential along the world-famous East African Rift valley that transects the country from north to south. According to KenGen, which generates most of Kenya’s electricity, geothermal technology has a potential of more than 10GW in the country. The technology also has the lowest unit cost and is suitable for base-load application.

Iceland: Geothermal Powered Hydrogen Production at Hellisheiði to Begin Soon

Hydrogen to Be Produced in Iceland (Iceland Monitor)

(Courtesy mbl.is/Golli)
The Icelandic power company ON Power (Orka náttúrunnar) will begin the production of hydrogen at the end of August, as part of a European project, Morgunblaðið reports. 

An electrolyzer  has been purchased and is being installed next to Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant in Southwest Iceland. 

Sale of hydrogen for vehicles could begin as early as October. Two other Icelandic companies, Orkan, owned by Skeljungur hf., and Icelandic New Energy, participate in the project. Orkan opened two hydrogen stations earlier this summer.

Bjarni Már Júlíusson, CEO of ON Power, states that the idea is to produce the hydrogen by the geothermal power plant and to distribute it in bottles to prevent any loss in transport. The hydrogen will be produced at one location and delivered at two to three stations.

Monday, July 30, 2018

France: New Anti-Corrosion, Fiberglass Lined, Production Well at Bonneuil-sur-Marne Geothermal District Heating Project

Anti-Corrosion Well Concept Validated In The Paris Basin (News Release)

by Pierre Ungemach & Miklos Antics

GPC Instrumentation Process (GPC IP) scored this year a new success and milestone in smart well architecture. 

On July 20, GPC IP successfully completed a new anti-corrosion, fiberglass lined, production well at the Bonneuil-sur-Marne (Paris southern outskirts) geothermal district heating (GDH) site operated by SETBO, the local, city managed, heating company.

The 2,020 m deep -38° slanted, well combines a large (20" X 13"3/8) steel cased propping column and a twin (13"3/8 X 9"5/8) fiberglass production liner assembly, the casing x liner annulus being kept free (i.e. not cemented), a design initiated in 1985 on the emblematic Melun l’Almont GDH well GMA4, completed though via a simplified architecture (single 13"3/8 casing/9"5/8 fiberglass liner) and production (self-flowing) mode (P.Ungemach - 1994. A New Geothermal Well Concept. IGA News. Quat. 20; Jan. March 1995 pp.12-13). 

This former experience validated the fiberglass lining concept with respect to material aging (no fiberglass wheep nor destructuring), well integrity (no heavy duty workover and no acidizing so far), reduced maintenance (only one master valve change), well productive performance (artesian, non-sustained, 300 m3/h flowing rate under 2 bar wellhead pressure), in spite of below bubble point self-flowing production and related fluid degassing. 

Chile: Enel Plans to Add 30 MW Capacity at Cerro Pabellón Geothermal plant

Enel adelanta tres años plan de inversión en energía renovable en Chile por US$700 millones - Enel advances a 3-year investment plan in renewable energy in Chile for US $ 700 million (La Republica)

Cerro Pabellon geothermal power plant, by Silke Lohmar, Santiago, Chile. GRC PHOTO CONTEST 2017
La tercera parte de este plan incluye la expansión de la central geotérmica Cerro Pabellón, la primera de su tipo en Sudamérica y la que opera a mayor altura a nivel mundial. Aquí a los 48 MW que ya están en operación, sumarán otros 30 MW de capacidad, lo que requerirá una inversión marginal, respecto de lo que ya ejecutaron allí.

(From Google Translate) The third part of this plan includes the expansion of the Cerro Pabellón geothermal plant, the first of its kind in South America and the one that operates at the highest altitude worldwide. Here, another 30 MW of capacity will be added to the 48 MW that is already in operation, which will require a marginal investment, compared to what they have already executed there.

Lee mas.........                          Read More..........

Indonesia: PGE Reports Successful Test of 18.9 MW Geothermal Production Well at Ulubelu

PGE Area Ulubelu Berhasil Uji Produksi Sumur Berkapasitas 18,9 MW - PGE Area Ulubelu Successful Test Production of Wells Capacity 18.9 MW (News Release)

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Area Ulubelu berhasil melakukan uji produksi sumur berkapasitas 18,9 MW. Sumur yang mulai dibor pada tanggal 04 November 2017 dan selesai pada 8 Januari 2018 ini,  memiliki kedalaman akhir 2212 MKU (meter kedalaman ukur).

(From Google Translate) PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) Ulubelu Area has successfully conducted a well production test measuring a capacity of 18.9 MW. The well, which was drilled on 4 November 2017 and completed on January 8, 2018, has a final depth of 2,212 meters.

According to the PGE website the Ulubelu area is located at WKP Gunung Way Panas, Lampung Province. The Ulubelu area has 4 PLTP units operating commercially since 2012. Total installed capacity at present is 220 MW.

USA, Idaho: Two Day Energy Policy Conference in Boise

2018 Energy Policy Research Conference (Energy Policy Institute)

September 6-7, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA


We are thrilled to announce the 2018 Energy Policy Research Conference will be returning to our hometown and held at the Student Union Building of Boise State University!

This year we will be adding a few new items to the agenda, including a Women in Energy reception and a student poster session. The Call for Paper Proposals was released in March.  Be sure to join our mailing list to get important updates about the conference!

The 2017 Energy Policy Research Conference – EPRC7 — was held September 7-8, 2017 in Park City, UT and was a great success! A big thank you to our Keynote Speaker, Lorenzo Kristov, our sponsors, and the fantastic presenters.

Since 2011, the Energy Policy Research Conference has been bringing researchers together from across the nation and around the globe. To date, EPRC has been held in a number of different venues throughout the Western U.S., including Santa Fe, NM, Denver, CO, San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, and Boise, ID!

More Information........                      Registration..........

Kenya: Drilling at Baringo Geothermal Power Project to Begin Next Month

Geothermal Development Company to commence drilling wells (ESI-Africa)

Next month, the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) will commence with the operation of drilling wells in Baringo County, in search of steam power.

The company’s general manager in-charge of drilling and infrastructure, George Kinyanjui, said the first phase of the project at Baringo-Silali Block will be seeking to produce steam that can generate 300 MW of electricity to be injected into the national grid.

According to Daily Nation, Kinyanjui said they have identified Paka, Silale and Korossi as prospect areas with each expected to generate more than 100 MW.


From the Global Geothermal News archives:

75 Days to Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - A Geothermal Event!

75 Days to go! Event Registration to Open Shortly!

Geothermal’s Role in Today’s Energy Market

14-17 October, 2018
Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno, Nevada, USA


Nearly 1,000 attendees came to the 2017 GRC Annual Meeting and Expo from 35 different countries around the world, highlighting the GRC’s role in connecting the global community. With increasing interest in geothermal as a reliable source of renewable energy providing both flexible and baseload power production around the world, the GRC is looking ahead to an even stronger international attendance in 2018.

USA: Webinar on Tool Used to Measure Potential and Guide Development in Geothermal Sector

GeoRePORT: Geothermal Research Portfolio Optimization and Reporting Technique (Clean Energy Solutions Center)

Tue, Jul 31, 2018 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PDT

The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is hosting a no-cost webinar on the Geothermal Resource Portfolio Optimization and Reporting Technique (GeoRePORT) System.

The GeoRePORT System is a resource and project assessment tool used to measure potential and guide development in the geothermal sector. Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), but applicable worldwide, the methodology assesses three categories of geothermal project development: geological, technical, and socioeconomic.

The GeoRePORT System provides a process for objectively appraising project progress and resource grade in individual geothermal areas. The system also allows for broader analysis at the portfolio and countrywide assessments, and it was used in the recent DOE Geothermal Vision Study (GeoVision) to identify potential barriers to geothermal development in the United States.

This webinar will give an overview of the GeoRePORT system, describing how the system can be used both to evaluate resource grade and project progress and to look at case histories of individual assessments and countrywide assessments.

The webinar presentation will be followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.

The speaker will be Katherine Young, the Geothermal Program Manager at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States

Friday, July 27, 2018

Greece: Government Seeks Comments on Draft Geothermal Energy Law

Έρευνα, εκμετάλλευση και διαχείριση του γεωθερμικού δυναμικού της χώρας και άλλες διατάξεις - Research, exploitation and management of the geothermal potential of the country and other provisions (Yπουργείο Περιβάλλοντος και Ενέργειας)

Ο Υπουργός Περιβάλλοντος και Ενέργειας, κ. Γιώργος Σταθάκης, θέτει από σήμερα, Πέμπτη, 19 Ιουλίου 2018, σε δημόσια ηλεκτρονική διαβούλευση το σχέδιο νόμου με τίτλο «Έρευνα, εκμετάλλευση και διαχείριση του γεωθερμικού δυναμικού της χώρας και άλλες διατάξεις» και καλεί όλους τους πολίτες και τους φορείς να συμμετέχουν καταθέτοντας τις προτάσεις τους.

Οι απόψεις και οι προτάσεις που θα υποβληθούν θα ληφθούν υπόψη για τη βελτίωση των προτεινόμενων ρυθμίσεων.

Η δημόσια διαβούλευση θα ολοκληρωθεί την Πέμπτη, 9 Αυγούστου 2018 και ώρα 15:00.

Σας ευχαριστούμε προκαταβολικά για τη συμμετοχή σας.

(From Google Translate) On Thursday, July 19, 2018, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. George Stathakis, launched a draft law entitled "Research, exploitation and management of the geothermal potential of the country and other provisions" for public electronic consultation and invites all citizens and others to participate by submitting their proposals.

Views and proposals submitted will be taken into account to improve the proposed arrangements.

The public consultation will be completed on Thursday, 9 August 2018 at 15:00. 


Thank you in advance for your participation.

Make Sure of Your Booth at the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - A Geothermal Event!


14-17 October, 2018, Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno, Nevada, USA

55 exhibitors - so far - have signed up for the geothermal energy event of the year:

EXHIBITOR EXHIBITOR
AMSA, Inc. Mill Man Steel Inc.
A.W. Chesterton Company Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems & Turboden
BS&B Safety Systems, LLC NALCO Water
CGG Multi-Physics Nevada Division of Minerals
CICESE Ormat Technologies, Inc.
C-FER Technologies (1999) Inc. PCC Metals Group
Case M&I PM International Suppliers
Coastal Technologies Inc. Paul Graham Drilling & Resource Cementing
Cooling Tower Depot Phoenix Geophysics Ltd.
Croll-Reynolds & Tsurumi Pump Pioneer Petrotech Services Inc.
Dewhurst Group, LLC POWER Engineers, Inc.
EnergyNet PowerChem
Ethos Energy Group Quantec Geoscience Limited
EvapTech, Inc. Rexa, Inc.
Exergy Scientific Drilling
Expro Group Scovan
Fuji Electric Seequent
Gardner Denver Nash Sinclair Well Products
GEODEEP Suez Renewable
Geologica Geothermal Group Thermochem, Inc.
Geothermal Resources Council TIX-IKS Corporation
Geothermal Resource Group TNG Energy
GeothermEx Toshiba
Horizon Well Logging U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Iceland Geothermal Veizades & Associates, Inc.
Indar Electric Well Analysis Corporation

In conjunction with the prestigious Annual Meeting, the GRC will also host an expo in which companies can promote projects, equipment, services, and technology to leading geothermal energy scientists, producers, renewable energy industry stakeholders, regulators, utilities, and key associated business leaders around the world.
Contact Ann Lay Email: alay@geothermal.org, Phone: (530) 758-2360 ext. 100 if you have any questions.

Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)


A Round-up of this week's international geothermal energy news.......

Click on the links below to view the whole story and other news on Global Geothermal News.

Ethiopia: RFP to Submit Proposals for Development of Geothermal Data Management System

Request For Proposals: Ethiopia Data Management Implementation (USEA)

Funding Agency: USAID
Implementing Agency: United States Energy Association
RFP Closing Date: Aug 17, 2018

The United States Energy Association (USEA) is inviting prospective organizations or individuals through this Request for Proposal (RFP) to submit proposals for a consultancy on the development of a geothermal data management system for the Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) and Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP) in Ethiopia. This is an activity implemented by USEA, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the Power Africa Initiative.

Proposals are due by 17:00 hours EST of the closing date. Please forward your proposal in soft copy (PDF form) to Ms. Ashley Ndir, Senior Program Coordinator, at andir@usea.org

More Information.........

Global: Become a Member of the Geothermal Resources Council

Support your geothermal energy association - Join the GRC!

As of December 31, 2017 the membership of the GRC stood at 1,176 including 217 student members. Membership is drawn from 44 countries around the world.

Members of the GRC come from around the world
The GRC membership is open to any person, organization, agency, or company. The membership advantage includes access to:
  • The GRC Policy Committee - An add-on option for GRC members who want to fund advocacy work at the U.S. state and local level.
  • International Geothermal Association (IGA) Membership - through the GRC's affiliation with the International Geothermal Association (IGA), all GRC Members are automatically members of the IGA, which offers discount registration to its World Geothermal Congress events (every 5 years), quarterly IGA News and a special discount rate for the international publication, Geothermics.
  • GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - discounted registration for the largest annual geothermal energy conference and trade show in the world.
  • GRC Bulletin - (6 issues) official worldwide industry trade publication of the Geothermal Resources Council, the Bulletin is the definitive voice for geothermal energy development and production.
  • GRC Membership Roster and Registry of Geothermal Services & Equipment - a unique publication that provides business, consulting and research contacts throughout the international geothermal community.
  • Online GRC Library - More than 42,000 catalogued items, free downloads of premium content.
  • Education Program - special meetings, workshops, and conferences on a broad range of topics pertaining to geothermal exploration, development and utilization at a discount to members.
Additionally, GRC members receive a discount on advertising and exclusive first-access space consideration in all GRC publications. For more information about advertising, please contact Anh Lay at alay@geothermal.org.


New members can also contact GRC at grc@geothermal.org or (530) 758-2360 for further information.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

USA, Nevada: The Policy Committee of the Geothermal Resources Council Supports Renewable Energy Ballot Measure

Vote yes on 6 — solutions to Nevada's clean energy future are underground: Nordquist (Reno Gazette Journal)

Josh Nordquist
Josh Nordquist is the interim chair of the Geothermal Resources Council Policy Committee.

Nevada’s state-of-the-art geothermal facilities are vital to ensuring that electricity demand is met, power bills are low, local communities prosper and Nevada’s economy and environment remain vibrant.

Today, Nevada produces hundreds of megawatts from geothermal power plants and has the second-highest geothermal reserves in the nation, enabling it to easily bring online more low-cost, renewable resources.

Right now, much of that potential languishes untapped while fossil fuels continue to flow.

Question 6, a ballot measure sponsored by Nevadans for a Clean Energy Future, guarantees that 50 percent of the state’s power supply will come from renewable energy by 2030, helping to ensure that renewable electricity resources are fully utilized.

The Policy Committee of the Geothermal Resources Council and the geothermal industry support Question 6. 

Currently, about 20 percent of the power in the state is renewable, while two-thirds of the electricity we consume comes from fossil fuels like natural gas, which costs us more than $700 million annually to pipe in from other states.

Geothermal is a unique renewable resource that provides voltage regulation, flexible capacity and inertia, making the electrical grid reliable and stable. Geothermal enables greater amounts of wind and solar to come online, which is instrumental to achieving higher renewable requirements.

No state is better positioned to increase its use of low-cost, indigenous renewable resources than the Silver State. The time is now for Nevada to approve Question 6, increase our reliance on renewables and transition away from a coal- and natural‐gas‐dominated electricity system.

What does more geothermal development mean to you?
  • Every additional 30 MW geothermal development in Nevada has a $200 million economic impact in the local community
  • Every additional 30 MW geothermal development in Nevada employs more than 300 local workers in our communities
  • Every additional 30 MW geothermal development in Nevada avoids 140,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually
  • Let’s stop ignoring what’s right below us and start thinking about the future. Whether you want cheaper power, a sustainable economic boom or cleaner air, there are plenty of reasons to vote “yes” on Question 6 in November.

USA, Colorado: NREL Researcher Works on Solar Hybridization of Existing Suboptimal Geothermal Plants

Guangdong Zhu: Tapping Varied Experience to Advance Geothermal Energy (NREL)

Guangdong Zhu
As a youth growing up in China, Guangdong Zhu—or GD, for short—often had electric power on his mind, perhaps because it wasn’t always a reliable commodity. As he grew older, he considered that his interest in math, science, and technology might be applied to the power grid. And in college, he gravitated toward thermal engineering, influenced in part by an older friend who worked as an engineer at a local coal-fired power plant.

Guangdong’s bachelor’s degree from Northeast China Institute of Electric Power Engineering was followed by a master’s degree in thermal engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University. Wanting to pursue more varied research topics at a high level, he applied to various U.S. universities, settling on a doctorate program in mechanical engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where he received a full scholarship. In his dissertation research, GD modeled flow within rock formations, with the goal of helping sequester carbon dioxide from power plants by pumping supercritical CO2 into saline aquifers. 

USA, California: Draft Planning Map for Salton Sea Sets Asides Land for Development of Geothermal Facilities

Mapping out the possibilities: EIFD Salton Sea draft map submitted for review (Imperial Valley Press)


The next phase in exploring the possibility of creating an enhanced infrastructure finance district to fund improvements to the Salton Sea has begun.

Proposed improvements include a $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion plan calling for substantial infrastructure to be built in incremental phases.

The crown jewel of the plan to restore the Salton Sea is the concept of a perimeter lake – a 60-plus-mile-long channel that would allow boaters to traverse the majority of the Salton Sea from the New River tributary clockwise to Bombay Beach and back again.

The channel created by the dredging crews would be separated from the main body of the Salton Sea by a large berm that would eventually encompass the entirety of the lake, except for a portion at the extreme southeastern point, east of where the New River flows into the body of water.

This location has been set aside for the development of geothermal facilities and mineral extraction facilities.

“That is an area that may need infrastructure improvements and it also is an area that may see some growth, particularly in energy or mineral extraction type projects,” Horne said. “We have been talking to folks out there on the Salton Sea area who are looking at geothermal or mineral extraction projects that may need road improvements in that area to improve access.”

Read More........

East Africa: What are the Unique Skills and Training Needed for Geothermal Development?

The Big Question - geothermal training (ESI Africa)

Harmony with Nature - Abraham Sam Samuel
(GRC Photo Contest 2011)
The Rift Valley in East Africa is recorded to have about 15,000 MW of potential geothermal capacity. With Kenya at the leading edge – set to increase generation from 672 MW to 5,000 MW by 2030 – neighbouring Djibouti, Ethiopia and Tanzania have indicated ambitions to extend their geothermal energy profiles.

The challenge however is centred on the lack of experienced geothermal operators and available training in Africa, which makes this development somewhat risky.

The Big Question we asked the experts is: What are the unique skills and training needed for geothermal development and operation and how can this be achieved for Africa’s unique operations?

According to Phyllis Gathoni Mathenge, Drilling engineer at Geothermal Development Company, Kenya is in a unique position to host such trainings as it has all aspects of geothermal development from green geothermal fields, geothermal fields under appraisal, exploration and production drilling, as well as geothermal developed fields and power plants.

Chile: Potential for Around 3,800 MW and Over USD 20 Billion in Investments for Geothermal Energy

The Geothermal Roundtable of Chile issues Final Report

The Geothermal Roundtable of Chile was a request from the Geothermal Council of Chile through its Chairman Mr. Gonzalo Torres Macchiavello to the Ministry of Energy. It was financed by the ESMAP/World Bank and counted with the active  participation of the industry, academia and social actors.

The process consisted of 13 workshop sessions held during 2017 and the preparation of the final report took place in the first semester of 2018 which ended covering two successive Government Administrations (from different political wings). 34 entities attended represented by an average of 40 people per workshop.

The Geothermal Roundtable focused on determining CAPEX, OPEX, modelling the insertion of the technology into Chile´s energy matrix, identifying barriers to entry and proposing Public Policies to provide incentives for geothermal development.


New Zealand: 25 MW Te Ahi O Maui Geothermal Power Station On Track for Commissioning Before Year End

Eastland Group’s geothermal power set to boost earnings (Gisborne Herald)


Eastland Group’s Te Ahi O Maui geothermal power station, near Kawerau, is largely complete and will boost the company’s earnings by $10 million a year, says chief executive Matt Todd.

The next stage is the commissioning of the power station, for which Eastland Group capitalised directly-attributable costs of $121 million in March 2018.

“The original business case had commissioning towards the end of the 2018 calendar year and we are on schedule to achieve that.”

Production from the plant, assuming a capacity of 25 MW, should be about 210 GWh a year.

Germany: Successful Drilling Produces 100 Degrees C from 2,800 Meters at Munich Geothermal District Heating Project

Errfolgreiche erste Bohrung beim HKW Süd - Successful first drilling at HKW Süd (Tiefe Geothermie)

Die Stadtwerke München (SWM) vermelden nach dreimonatiger Bohrzeit am Heizkraftwerk Süd (HKW Süd) in München eine Thermalwasserfündigkeit von über 120 Liter pro Sekunde mit einer Temperatur von über 100 Grad Celsius. Die zweite Bohrung beginnt Ende Juli.

(From Google Translate) Stadtwerke München (SWM) has announced that after three months of drilling at the South (HKW Süd) combined heat and power plant  in Munich a source of thermal water flowing at more than 120 liters per second with a temperature of over 100 degrees Celsius has been reached. The second phase of drilling starts at the end of July.

Weiterlesen........            Read More.........

USA, Texas: Vacancy as Geothermal Drilling Manager with Schlumberger

Geothermal Drilling Manager (Schlumberger)

Location: Houston, Texas, USA

The Geothermal Drilling Manager position has overall responsibility for geothermal aspects on a project and requires both detailed and broad well engineering and operations knowledge including the ability to design wells for a wide range of well types and different operations.

They will have direct project work in geothermal energy exploration, development and resource evaluation, specifically in the stages of design, specification, budgeting and reporting of drilling new production and injection wells, working-over existing wells or controlling production/injection wells.

Europe: Geothermal News from EGEC

The EGEC Newsletter July 2018 - The Voice of Geothermal in Europe

The July issue of the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) Newsletter is now available.

Click here to download. In this issue:

Miklos Antics (GPC Instrumentation Process) is the new President of EGEC

Policy
  • Geothermal a key flexible player in the European electricity market
  • MijnWater presented at the Platform for Coal Regions in transition 
  • EGEC joins the Decarb Heat initiative
  • Renewable Industry associations’ statement on the 2050 EU Decarbonisation Strategy
News
  • Portugal announces investments in geothermal heating and mapping
Projects
  • GEO-ENERGY EUROPE & GeoENERGY Days 
  • ETIP-DG: Presentations from the Annual Conference 2018 are now available online
  • MUSE: Managing Urban Shallow geothermal Energy

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

USA: GRC Policy Committee has First Meeting

Successful First Meeting of the GRC Policy Committee


The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) recently unified with the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), the US trade association for commercial interests in geothermal electricity production, to strengthen our ability in advancing the science, education, and development of renewable geothermal energy resources.

The GRC Policy Committee has been set up as a separate part of the GRC, independently funded by interested organizations, to advocate on behalf of the geothermal community. It has successfully held its first meeting with a well-attended conference call that touched on some current federal and state legislative affairs affecting the industry.

The Policy Committee discussed the active Renewable Portfolio Standard and Energy Choice initiatives in Nevada, legislative activity in California, and federal efforts to streamline geothermal drilling. Discussions will continue to determine the GRC’s role in these issues.

If you would like to join the next meeting of the Policy Committee, or learn more about their initiatives, then please contact Josh Nordquist (Chairman), Will Pettitt (Executive Director), or Anh Lay (Membership Services).

USA, Nevada: Fallon Enhanced Geothermal System Site Could Still be Developed

Energy Department Eliminates Nevada as Test Site for Advanced Geothermal Research but Project Leaders Say Work Will Continue (Sparks Tribune)

James Faulds, the state geologist and director of the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, said that he thought the Fallon [FORGE] team, which he was involved with, put forward a strong proposal. He said the Fallon site would have explored three rock types whereas the Utah site would only target one rock type.

“We really thought we had the best project and best team,” he said.

For everyone involved, the question has turned to what happens to years of research, development and initial exploration at the proposed lab site in Fallon.

“The dust is still settling a bit from the decision,” Faulds said. “There is interest out there to do work on that site independent of the official FORGE [project].”

He said that it’s possible a private company could develop a geothermal power plant on the site. He added that there has already been some industry interest in using the team’s research to turn the site into a commercial project.

“We know that the site is very suitable for [an enhanced geothermal project],” he said.

Nathan Strong, who directs the Churchill Economic Development Authority,  said that in addition to developing the Fallon site for a commercial project, there is still talk of conducting research there. Western Nevada College, he said, is interested in continuing work on the project.

“There’s the potential to acquire money out there and kind of do our own thing,” Strong said.

Read More.........

Italy: Enel Reports Geothermal Energy Capacity of Over 800 MW

Enel's H1 output was 41.4% renewable, hydro included (Renewables Now)

Italian utility Enel SpA produced 50,170 GWh power from renewable energy sources in the first half of 2018, up 25.4% year-on-year, according to its Quarterly Bulletin.

In mid-2018, Enel had 804 MW of geothermal capacity consisting of 762 MW in Italy and 41 MW in South America (Chile), up 2.8% on the year. Net production of geothermal energy as of 2018 was 2,932 GWh, up 1.1% on last year.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

USA, Idaho: GRC Member Supports Utah FORGE Project with Computer Modeling

Utah Forge Geothermal Project Involves INL Modeling Research (INL)

Under a Work for Others agreement, an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) team led by Dr. Robert Podgorney (a GRC Member) participated in the Utah FORGE work by building an earth model (a computer representation of the subsurface structure) and the reservoir model (a computational analysis of fluid flow through the structure), using commercial and INL codes.

The next phase of the project will focus on building out the infrastructure in preparation for a spring 2019 opening. Podgorney said INL will contribute in the following areas:
  • Assist in the implementation of updated geologic and geomechanics models.
  • Supervise and coordinate development of the earth model.
  • Coordinate and conduct Dynamic Reservoir Modeling activities that will inform drilling and stimulation of the production and injection wells.
Read More.........

Dr. Robert Podgorney will present a number of papers on FORGE Research – Enabling EGS at the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo, from October 14-17 at the Peppermill Resort Spa and Casino in Reno, Nevada, USA.

USA, Utah: More Funding for Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy

GOED Approves Economic Opportunity Grant for FORGE (News Release)


The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) has approved an Industrial Assistance Fund, post-performance Economic Opportunity Grant for the amount of $365,000 for the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE). The project will create 23 new jobs with an average full-time wage of $94,000 per year and a capital investment of more than $100 million. 

The grant was awarded to Beaver County for the assistance in the construction of infrastructure related to the project. The project was a top priority in Beaver County’s economic development plan recently presented to Gov. Gary R. Herbert. 

The U.S. Department of Energy announced in June that Utah was to receive up to $140 million in funding across five years to build a first-of-its-kind research laboratory to advance next generation geothermal technologies. 

USA, California: Employment Opportunity in Sales of Geothermal Well Retrofit Technology

Vice President Sales - Greenfire Energy

Location: The Company HQ is in Emeryville, California

As part of the company’s management team, the Vice President Sales will work to develop and commercialize the company’s “ECO2G” geothermal well retrofit technologies. The Vice President Sales is responsible for building a steady stream of profitable retrofit construction contracts.

For more information contact Joseph Scherer, CEO, joseph.scherer@greenfireenergy.com or 888-320-2721.

United Arab Emirates: Employment Opportunity in Direct Use Geothermal Energy

Associate Programme Officer, Geothermal Energy (Direct Use Applications) - IRENA

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Deadline for Application: 11 August 2018

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an inter-governmental organisation mandated with the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy.

The Associate Programme Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Head, Partnerships and Technical Advisory Services and the overall guidance of the Director of the Country Support and Partnerships Division. The incumbent will be provided guidance through individual meetings with the supervisor, team meetings and through periodic performance reviews and appraisals in accordance with the established policies and procedures of IRENA.

More Information.........

Finland: Stimulation Begins at at the Espoo Geothermal Deep Heat Project

Stimulation underway at st1 Deep Heat project (SMU)

By Peter Malin, SMU Adjunct Faculty

Stimulation of the 6.4 km OTN-III well at the st1 Deep Heat project in Espoo, Finland began on June 4, 2018 and continues to the present time. 

There are 5 stages of packed-off, ball-operated hydraulic-stimulation equipment along the uncased bottom 750 m of the well. About 10,000 cubic meters of drinking-quality water have been injected via 3 of the 5 stages, with pumping currently occurring on stage 4.

The engineering calculations provide a target volume of 18,000 cubic meters of water across the five stages for an economic return.

Read More........

Monday, July 23, 2018

Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)


A Round-up of this and last week's international geothermal energy news.......

Click on the links below to view the whole story and other news on Global Geothermal News.

Mexico: Winners of Regional Geothermal Energy Awards Announced

GEOLAC 2018 Award Winners Announced! (News Release)

The Geothermal Congress for Latin America and the Caribbean (GEOLAC), the largest annual gathering of the regional geothermal market, today announced five winners for its first annual GEOLAC Industry Awards. The winners were recognized on stage at the 5th GEOLAC in Mexico City. 
  • BEST PROJECT - Cerro Pabellón – Geotérmica del Norte
  • BEST FINANCING PROGRAM - Geothermal Development Facility for Latin America 
  • BEST PROJECT – SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - Geothermal greenhouse for social reintegration in Aysén
  • BEST GOVERNMENT GEOTHERMAL PROGRAM - LaGeo, El Salvador
  • GEOTHERMAL LEADERSHIP MVP - Ing. Magaly Flores Armenta

USA: Latest Updates from Geothermal Technologies Office

GTO Quarterly Update Now Available Online

The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) and GTO Director Dr. Susan Hamm hosted the third installment of quarterly updates on July 19, 2018.

The full, recorded WebEx is available online on the GTO website. Check it out, and please share with those who might have missed it.

In this last update we highlighted:

FY 2018 Funding Opportunities
Play Fairway Drilling Activities
FORGE Site Selection
EGS Collab Activities
Waterless Stimulation Projects
International Efforts
DOE Grid Modernization Initiative

Canada: Tremendous Potential for Geothermal Energy in Alberta

Report - Hot Commodity: Geothermal electricity in Alberta (Canada West Foundation)

Innovative technologies promise to provide goods and services better, cheaper and in ways never envisioned before. But often these technologies are ahead of the regulatory curve and stumble because the regulatory environment is designed in ways that exclude them.

One example is geothermal energy for distributed electricity production. Geothermal energy – broadly described as the natural heat of the Earth – is renewable, controllable and clean. Distributed generation – small-scale electricity production at or near where the electricity will be consumed – is reshaping how the world thinks about electricity grids. Both are relative novelties in Alberta.

New Zealand: Video of Silica from Geothermal Brine Processing Plant

Kiwi company creates world first sustainable silica with big business potential (TVNZ)

Taupō's natural hot springs provide energy for around 50,000 domestic homes, but there is a valuable mineral in the murky pools that goes to waste.

Now, at Ohaaki Power Station, they've built a brand new plant to extract the silica from geothermal fluid.

In a world first, the boiling liquid is rapidly cooled and the silica is removed through state of the art filters.

(Video 1:27 Minutes)

Indonesia: Asian Development Bank Helping to Finance Geothermal Energy Projects

Full Steam Ahead for Indonesia’s Low-Carbon Future (ADB)


Developing sustainable energy sources is critical to meet Indonesia’s increasing power demand. The country has 40% of the world's geothermal resources. Development of these resources will help diversify the country's energy mix to meet the demand and its commitment to reduce 30% of its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

While the Indonesian government is improving its geothermal program to attract more investors, development partners like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are helping mobilize financing from public and private sectors to develop these resources.

Read More.........

Science & Technology: Overview of Enhanced Geothermal Systems Collaborative Project

Collab quarterly final - Robert Podgorney

A general overview the the EGS Collab project taking place at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota.

(Video 1:25 Minutes)

In early 2017, the Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) funded National Laboratories to focus on GTO’s vision for longer-term, transformational enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The objective of this Lab Call is to establish a collaborative experimental and model comparison initiative - the EGS Collab.

USA: Opportunity to Provide Geothermal Energy Drilling Training

Request For Proposal – Drilling Training: Cementing for Geothermal Applications and Geothermal Fishing Operations

United States Agency for International Development
RFP Closing Date: Aug 3, 2018


The United States Energy Association (USEA) is inviting prospective organizations or individuals through this Request for Proposal (RFP) to submit proposals for two trainings for geothermal drilling operations; one on principles of cementing and one on fishing operations. This is an activity implemented by USEA, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the Power Africa Initiative.

Questions regarding this RFP are due by 17:00 hours EDT on Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Please send all questions via email to Ms. Caity Smith, Senior Program Coordinator, at csmith@usea.org. Responses to all questions will be sent to all parties and posted on the USEA website no later than Friday, July 27, 2018.

Proposals are due by 17:00 hours EDT of the closing date. Please forward your proposal in soft copy (PDF form) to Ms. Caity Smith, Senior Program Coordinator, at csmith@usea.org.

Kenya: South Korean Company Finalizing O&M Contract for Sosian Menengai Geothermal Power Project

South Korea Eyes Housing Deals in Kenya’s Big 4 Development Plan (Footprint to Africa)

During a visit, the South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon met President Kenyatta and oversaw the signing of several memoranda of association (MoU) with Kenyan firms.

One pact involves Korea Western Power and local firm Sosian Energy in the joint development of a 35-megawatt geothermal power plant in Menengai basin, Nakuru.

“The two organisations are finalising a 25-year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) program in relation to a 35 MW geothermal plant in Menengai,” the pair said in a joint statement.

Japan: New Tariff Makes it Profitable to Build Geothermal Power Plants with an Output Below 7.5 MW

Unlocking Geothermal Potential in Japan Through Small-scale Generation (IRENA)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster the Japanese government introduced new policies to accelerate geothermal power plant deployment. These included streamlined procedures for the approval of projects in national parks and, crucially, a new higher feed-in tariff (FIT) for small geothermal plants to more than one-and-a-half times of that of larger facilities. This made it profitable to build plants with an output below 7.5 MW, which do not require environmental impact assessments and can be built in around half the time of larger plants.

These policies have not been unopposed. More than half of the geothermal sources are located around national parks or near the country’s 27,000 thermal springs that onsen rely on for their hot water supply. Critics believe that geothermal projects will adversely affect water supply or quality, or that the plants will have a detrimental impact on hot spring resorts or national parks.

As a result, an important role of the small-scale geothermal plants built since 2012 has been to work closely with onsen operators, hotels and inns to prove that small-scale geothermal power generation can coexist with tourism facilities, without negatively impacting Japan’s natural beauty.

Read More.........

New Zealand: Commercial Extraction of Silica from Geothermal Fluid to Start Shortly

Contact Geo40 partner with Maori on world-leading energy project (News Release)

Geo40, in cooperation with Contact Energy and the Ngati Tahu Tribal Lands Trust, is this month set to start commercially extracting silica from geothermal fluid as part of a world-leading sustainable energy partnership.

The operation will see Geo40 use its technology to extract silica from geothermal fluid used at Contact’s Ohaaki power station.

Once extracted, the silica will be sold to manufacturers for use in everyday consumer goods, such as paint, providing an environmentally-sound source of silica that would otherwise require amounts of carbon-intensive energy to make. The potential volume of high grade silica that will be sourced from Ohaaki is up to 10,500 tonnes a year, most of which will be exported overseas.

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Kenya: Construction at 35 MW Menengai Geothermal Power Project Could Start by September

Construction of Menengai Geothermal plants to begin by September (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation)

Construction of power plants at the Menengai Geothermal Project in Nakuru County is set to begin by September this year following the entry of an Independent Power Producer.

Quantum Power East Africa becomes the first IPP to go into generation of 35 megawatts of power after a financing agreement with the African Development Bank. The bank is funding Quantum Power East Africa to the tune of Ksh 4 billion for the construction of a power plant that will generate 35 MW.


Indonesia: PLN Awarded Permits to Develop Three Geothermal Working Areas

ESDM Assigns PLN to Manage 3 Geothermal Working Areas (Tempo.co)

Ministry of energy and mineral resources (ESDM) has again assigned state-owned electricity company (PLN) to manage three working areas of geothermal (WKP). 
  • WKP Gunung Sirung with an [anticipated] installed capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), 
  • Ranau Lake (55 MW), and 
  • Oka Ile Ange (10 MW).
Previously, PLN had been given permits to manage eight geothermal working areas viz. WKP Mataloko 22.5 MW, Atedei 10 MW, and Ulumbu 50 MW in East Nusa Tenggara; Songa Wayaua 10 MW in North Maluku; Mount Tangkuban Perahu 60 MW in West Java; Tulehu 2x10 MW in Ambon; Ungaran 55 MW in Central Java and Kepahiang 110 MW in Bengkulu.

United Kingdom: Opportunity to Acquire Assets of Geothermal Energy Company

Acquisition Opportunity - Green Energy Geothermal

Paul Masters and Conrad Beighton of Leonard Curtis Recovery Limited as Joint Administrators of Green Energy Geothermal International Limited and Green Energy Geothermal UK Limited (both in Administration) have appointed Hilco Global and Hezy Ram of Dormin Inc. to actively seek interested parties with regards to the sale of the business and assets of the Companies and their shareholdings in related Group entities.

The Green Energy Geothermal Group (GEG) specializes in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of geothermal power plants. GEG’s bespoke, patented technology enables it to rapidly construct geothermal power plants in a fraction of the time required by traditional means. GEG enables developers, independent power producers and state-owned utilities to significantly shorten the time between exploration and revenue generation, achieve accelerated returns on investment and lower project risk. Being modular in design and based on pre-fabricated modules, GEG’s solutions can easily be scaled up.

More Information.........