Monday, September 30, 2019

Canada: Vacancies at Alberta Geothermal Energy Developer

Employment Opportunities with Eavor Technologies

Positions Type: Full time
Jobs Closure Date: October 21st
Jobs location: Calgary, Alberta

Job Title: Senior Geologist

Eavor Technologies Inc. is seeking a dynamic geologist who is excited to join a team that is developing and globally deploying a new technology to produce heat and power from a disruptive closed-loop geothermal energy solution (Eavor Loop). Candidate must possess strong analytical skills and an innovative approach to problem solving. Send resumes to careers@eavor.com Subject line: Senior Geologist

Job Title: Junior Geoscientist

Eavor Technologies Inc. is seeking a dynamic geoscientist who is excited to join a team that is developing and globally deploying a new technology to produce heat and power from a disruptive closed-loop geothermal energy solution (Eavor Loop). Candidate must possess strong analytical skills with the ability
to manage large data sets and have an innovative approach to problem solving.
Send resumes to careers@eavor.com Subject line: Junior Geoscientist position

Eavor (pronounced “Ever”) is a technology based Energy company led by a team dedicated to creating a clean, reliable and affordable energy future on a global scale. Eavor’s solution (Eavor-Loop™) represents the world’s first truly scalable form of green baseload power. Learn more about our technology........

Opportunity to Have a Say on the Direction of your Geothermal Association - Deadline for Candidate Petitions is Today!

Become a Candidate! GRC Board of Directors 2020-2021 Term (News Release)

Final candidate petitions accepted through Tuesday, October 1st.

The next election for the Board of the Geothermal Resources Council will be in November 2019, voted by our members. It’s vital that all our members participate in this vote. It’s your chance to have a say on the direction of your association.

The Board will soon announce a list of nominated candidates selected by the current Directors.

Every member also has the right to petition for a candidate by collecting 25 signatures from other members.

Final candidate petitions will be accepted through October 1st.

Instructions on Completing a Nomination by Petition...........

USA: Do You Know of Any Underutilized Wells in Known Geothermal Resource Areas in the United States?

DOE Announces RFI For Geothermal Field Research Applications (JD Supra)

September 25, 2019, DOE EERE announced via the Federal Register a request for information (RFI) on the identification of wells of opportunity for critical geothermal field research applications.

DOE’s RFI is directed to the geothermal community, seeking information about underutilized wells in known geothermal resource areas in the United States. Its aim is to obtain feedback on industry willingness to partner with DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) to test downhole tools, technologies, and methodologies that can improve the probability of successful geothermal commercialization.

Responses to the RFI can be submitted electronically and must be received by October 25, 2019. The complete RFI document can be accessed here.

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Science & Technology: Project Looks Into Exploiting Supercritical Geothermal Resources in the Ductile Crust

Research on geothermy: volcanic regions as a source of energy (Innovation Origins)

Geothermal energy is considered to be regenerative energy. Its advantages: The heat stored in the earth can be used for heating and cooling and also to generate electricity. Scientists at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) in Spain now want to find out to what extent low-lying volcanic regions can also serve as a clean and sustainable source of energy. They are doing this by actively pumping water into these ultra-hot geothermal systems in order to generate renewable heat and electricity.

The research project, named HIGHER, is about a new form of deep geothermy that concentrates primarily on volcanic regions. What is particularly interesting about this technology is its potentially high energy production. As a matter of fact, it exceeds conventional systems by a factor of ten.

The scientists recently published their results in the renowned scientific journal Nature Communications. The HIGHER project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. With a positive outcome – as the TU Freiberg and the UFZ are planning to further expand their collaboration in the field of environmental geosciences.

Europe: Geothermal News from EGEC

The EGEC Newsletter September 2019 - The Voice of Geothermal in Europe

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

Click here to download. In this issue:

Policy
  • EGEC Innovation Fund Workshop On Geothermal Energy
  • EGEC / NEW country fiches published
  • Aligning EU financing with climate and energy priorities for geothermal development
  • EIB Energy Lending Policy
News
  • European Shallow Geothermal Days
  • Geothermal possibilities mapped in Central Netherlands with help of small explosives
  • Geothermal heating networks expanded with EU funds in Zakopane, Poland
  • Geothermal heat part of Audi’s plans and commitment to Paris Climate Agreement
  • Utilising supercritical fluids, geothermal could play a crucial role for NZ’s carbon-zero energy future
  • Geothermal part of plans to make district heating carbon-neutral in Espoo, Finland
Projects
  • GEORISK Workshop – The right scheme for my market
  • 100% Renewable Heating & Cooling for a Sustainable Future
  • Praxiforum Geothermie.Bayern, Munich

Friday, September 27, 2019

Geothermal Event! Call for Sessions for GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

Reno2020 Call for Sessions Opening Now (News Release)


Due November 8, 2019

This is a “Call for Sessions” for the 2020 GRC Annual Meeting & Expo to be held at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada from October 18-21, 2020. We are inviting proposals for specific sessions at next year’s meeting. Sessions can be organized and led by up to three people, a session chair and two co-chairs. Successful session chairs will be expected to assist the technical chair to recruit authors and organize reviews. A session will include at least four papers.

For more information on the Call for Sessions, please click the button below or visit the GRC website.

Mark Your Calendar:
  • Call for Sessions Deadline - November 8, 2019
  • Call for Papers Deadline - May 27, 2020 - more information coming soon!
GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - October 18-21, 2020
See you at the GRC’s Reno2020 great gathering of our Industry and Community!

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.

Indonesia: Video on World Bank’s Geothermal Resource Risk Mitigation Project

Indonesia: Mitigating Risks to Scale Up Geothermal Power (World Bank)

(Video 1:45 Minutes)

Indonesia has 40% of the world's geothermal resources yet remains dependent on fossil fuels. The World Bank’s Geothermal Resource Risk Mitigation Project seeks to support the Government of Indonesia in implementing an innovative financing mechanism that addresses the high risk of exploration to scale up the use of geothermal energy. Learn more about the project.........

Finland: Testing at 40 MWth Espoo Geothermal District Heating Project Scheduled to Begin at Year End

Piloting world’s first seasonal geothermal energy storage (Business Finland)

Interview with Mikael Maksimow, Chief Operative Officer - Quantitative Heat Oy

How to develop 2000 meters deep geothermal heat well and confirm its function? This is exactly what we at Quantitative Heat Oy are set to do in Smart Otaniemi programme. During the last years we have done a huge amount of research and simulations and developed a working hypothesis of how 2000 meters deep geothermal heat well would behave in real estate heating and cooling.

....We cannot do a 2000 meters deep geothermal heat well in a laboratory scale, nor in a scale of 500 meters, simply because it just won’t work that way… We therefore needed to get funding for the full-scale power plant, a power plant based on a set-up no one had ever tried before. At first, this felt as a quite daunting task, but soon we had two very promising leads.

Our pilot geothermal heat well is being constructed in Koskelo, Espoo, for [the NREP Oy] 15,000 m2 logistics center.

Thus, we are living extremely exciting times in QHeat as we are presently drilling the bore hole and we expect that we can initiate the testing at the end of the year!

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

New Zealand: Appraisal Drilling for New Tauhara Geothermal Power Plant to Conclude Early Next Year

Contact decarbonisation effort gains momentum (Scoop.nz)

Contact, the country’s second-largest energy retailer, makes more than 80 percent of its electricity at dams on the South Island and at its geothermal fields around Taupo. It is currently drilling at the Tauhara field as part of a plan to expand generation there so it can reduce its use of gas-fired generation, or to provide firms with direct steam field heat for processing.

James Kilty, the firm’s chief generation and development officer says the drilling at Tauhara is going well and all indications are that the resource will probably be better than the company expected a decade ago when it sought consents for generation development there.

“We’re confident that the resource will provide a significant uplift in megawatts for us,” he said.

The appraisal drilling, due to wrap up early next year, will “position us really well for the next few years of fun.”

United Kingdom: Stoke-On-Trent Geothermal District Heating Network Expands

Second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network gets under way (Bdaily)

The second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network began today (Thursday, 26th Sept) when civic and business leaders, and students from Stoke on Trent College’s Urban Heat Academy attended a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the latest 1.4km installation of flow and return pipework.

The district heating network is led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, and the latest £1.9m phase follows on from pipes being laid under Leek Road in Stoke earlier this year.

Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for the environment, said: "Careful mapping of our city’s geology has shown us that there is geothermal energy under Stoke-on-Trent, and the deep seam coal-mining of the past has helped us to identify its source. It is serendipitous that our energy source of the past could help us in powering our city for the future. Our plans for the network are that it will eventually go on to be powered by these hot underground rocks."

"We’re thrilled to be launching this latest phase of works. It is the next stage of a total 18km of pipes that will be installed over the next four years stretching across the city."

Read More.......

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

USA, New Mexico: Video of 14 MW Lightning Dock Geothermal Power Plant

Turboden - 14 MW ORC geothermal power plant in New Mexico (TurbodenItaly)

(Video 1:00 Minute)

A delightful overview of Lightning Dock, a 14 MW ORC Geothermal plant in New Mexico! More information about this ORC System produced by Turboden......

Indonesia: More Funds for Geothermal Resource Risk Mitigation Project from World Bank

Indonesia: Scaling Up Geothermal Energy by Reducing Exploration Risks (News Release)

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a $150 million loan for Indonesia to scale up investments in geothermal energy by reducing the risks of early-stage exploration. The loan is accompanied by $127.5 million in grants from the Green Climate Fund and the Clean Technology Fund, two institutions supporting climate-friendly development.

Under the Indonesia Geothermal Resource Risk Mitigation (GREM) project, the financing will help public and private sector developers to mitigate risks in exploration of geothermal resources, including covering a part of the cost in case of unsuccessful exploration. The project will also finance technical assistance and capacity building of key stakeholders in the geothermal sector.

Netherlands: Opportunity as Postdoctoral Researcher in Degassing of Geothermal Fluids at TU Delft

Employment - Postdoctoral Researcher in degassing of geothermal fluids (TU Delft)

The TU Delft is opening a position in the project “REFLECT: Redefining geothermal fluid properties at extreme conditions to optimize future geothermal energy extraction”, funded by the European Commission - Horizon 2020 for 2+1 years. A key objective is to optimize future geothermal energy extraction by investigating challenges related to multiple chemical and physical reactions such as mineral precipitation or degassing. At TU Delft, the degassing kinetics of high temperature, highly saline fluids shall be investigated. 

The duration of the postdoctoral researcher position will be for two years (24 months) with a possible extension of one year. 

Please e-mail your application in one single PDF entitled Lastname_CITG19.60pdf before 27th October to Recruitment-CiTG@tudelft.nl.

Iceland: Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Station Could be Carbon Neutral in a Few Years

Set in Stone (IcelandReview)

Dr. Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir
We’ve driven 30 minutes outside of Reykjavík to Hellisheiði power station. Providing electricity and hot water to the Reykjavík capital area since 2006, it’s the world’s third-largest geothermal power plant. It’s also the site of an important project in the global fight against climate change: CarbFix. Since 2012, CarbFix has been capturing carbon dioxide, dissolving it in water, pumping it into the ground, and turning it to stone, thus permanently removing it from the atmosphere.

In 2012, CarbFix conducted its first experiments pumping carbon dioxide into the ground.  “Now we are binding around one third of the carbon dioxide the station produces, around 12,000 tonnes per year.” said geoscientist Dr. Sandra Ósk Snæbjörnsdóttir. "The next goal, is upping that proportion to make the power station completely carbon neutral. It’s a goal which could happen within the next few years."

Thursday, September 26, 2019

USA: Opportunity for Graduate Students to Partner with DOE National Laboratories

Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program


The goal of the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is to prepare graduate students for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission, by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at DOE laboratories.

The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory/facility in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral thesis while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories/facilities.

Office of Science Priority Research Areas for 2019 Solicitation 2........
2019 Solicitation 2 – Application Due November 14, 2019, 5:00 PM ET

Apply Now........

The Geothermal Energy Magazine - 68 Pages Now Available Online

Now Available - GRC Bulletin - Vol. 48, No. 4, July/August 2019

The July/August issue of the GRC Bulletin is now available to download. Produced by the Geothermal Resources Council since 1972, the Bulletin is the voice of the international geothermal energy community.

In this issue:
  • Executive Director's Message by William Pettitt
  • Communication from the GRC by Ian Crawford
  • Inside Geothermal by Ian Crawford
  • The U.S. Department of Energy’s GeoVision Analysis: Highlighting the Potential of the Heat beneath our Feet by Dr. Susan G. Hamm
  • The Relationship between Geothermal Fluid Flow and Geologic Context: A Global Review by Irene C Wallis, et al
  • The Energy Potential Still Beneath Our Feet: How Germany’s Energy Future May Stem From Its Past by Clinton Smith
  • GeoSmart: Towards Flexible and Efficient Geothermal Systems by GeoSmart Consortium
  • Geothermal Well HGP-A: Hawaiʻi’s First Successful Geothermal Well by Hawaiʻi Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center
  • In Memoriam -  Subir Kumar Sanyal, lfonso Dodong Teves and George William Grindley 
  • Publications, Websites, Videos & Maps by Ian Crawford
  • Calendar of Events
The GRC Bulletin is only available online to GRC members. To make sure of your copy join the GRC today!

Finland: Drilling at 40 MWth Espoo Geothermal District Heating Project Scheduled for Completion in November

Kehä III:n varteen Espooseen alettiin porata kahden kilometrin syvyistä reikää
 - A two-kilometer-deep hole was drilled in Espoo along Ring Road III (Kaupunki)

(Courtesy Liisa Takala)
Qheatin syvälämpökaivon poraaminen Espoon Koskelon tehdasalueella sijaitsevan logistiikkakeskuksen pihalle alkoi heinäkuussa. Kahden kilometrin syvyisen kaivon on määrä valmistua marraskuussa. Yrityksen mukaan valmiin kaivon vuosituotanto on noin 1 500 megawattituntia, mikä tarkoittaa lämpöä noin 10 000 kerrosneliömetrin tarpeisiin, eli vastaa noin 35–40:tä perinteistä maalämpökaivoa. Ratkaisun lämpökerroin on 4–5.

(From Google Translate) The drilling of the Qheat deep well on the grounds of a logistics center in Koskelo, Espoo, began in July. The two-kilometer-deep well is scheduled for completion in November. According to the company, the annual production of the finished well will be about 1,500 MWh, which means heat for about 10,000 floor square meters, which corresponds to about 35-40 conventional geothermal wells. The solution has a heat factor of 4-5.

Lue lisää.........                              Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Kenya: Video of Steam Production at Baringo-Silali Geothermal Power Project

GDC strikes steam in Baringo-Silali (GDC Kenya)

(Video 1:01 Minutes)

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has struck steam at the Baringo-Silali Geothermal Project. This marks a major milestone in opening up a new frontier of renewable energy for Kenya.

The new well at Paka Field, about 260 KM northwest of the capital Nairobi, is the first to be drilled in the geothermal rich region. It will put Kenya on the map as one of the most robust geothermal countries in the world.

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Science & Technology: Thermally-Induced Stress and Strain Effects Dominate the Geomechanical Response of Supercritical Geothermal Systems

The risks of long-term re-injection in supercritical geothermal systems (Nature)

by Francesco Parisio, et al


Supercritical geothermal systems are appealing sources of sustainable and carbon-free energy located in volcanic areas. Recent successes in drilling and exploration have opened new possibilities and spiked interest in this technology. Experimental and numerical studies have also confirmed the feasibility of creating fluid conducting fractures in sedimentary and crystalline rocks at high temperature, paving the road towards Enhanced Supercritical Geothermal Systems.

Despite their attractiveness, several important questions regarding safe exploitation remain open. We dedicate this manuscript to the first thermo-hydro-mechanical numerical study of a doublet geothermal system in supercritical conditions. Here we show that thermally-induced stress and strain effects dominate the geomechanical response of supercritical systems compared to pore pressure-related instabilities, and greatly enhance seismicity during cold water re-injection. This finding has important consequences in the design of Supercritical Geothermal Systems.

Read More.........

The risks of long-term re-injection in supercritical geothermal systems, by 
Francesco Parisio, Victor Vilarrasa, Wenqing Wang, Olaf Kolditz & Thomas Nagel. Nature Communications volume 10, Article number: 4391 (2019)

Italy: Exergy S.p.A. - Geothermal ORC Turbine Manufacturer - Auctioned Off to Chinese Company


Exergy Spa, la prima azienda del gruppo Maccaferri finita all’asta in Tribunale, è stata venduta ieri, poco dopo le cinque del pomeriggio. Ed è diventata cinese: a rilevarla è Nanjing Tica Thermal Solution Co. Ltd, azienda di Nanchino.

(From Google Translate) Exergy Spa, a subsidiary of the Maccaferri Group, was sold yesterday, shortly after five in the afternoon as a result of an auction. And it has become Chinese: the company concerned is Tica Thermal Solution Co. Ltd, a company based in Nanjing.

Leggi di più........                                     Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Indonesia: Government to Drill Wells to Help Minimize Risk

Tahun Ini Pemerintah Kerjakan Pengeboran di Tiga Wilayah Panas Bumi - This Year The Government Is Drilling In Three Geothermal Areas (Katadata)


Pemerintah berharap pengeboran tiga wilayah kerja panas bumi tersebut dapat menarik investor. Pasalnya, pengembangan panas bumi menjadi minim resiko.

(From Google Translate) The government hopes the drilling of the three geothermal work areas will attract investors. The aim is to minimize risk in development of geothermal energy.

Direktorat Jenderal Energi Baru Terbarukan dan Konservasi Energi (EBTKE) Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM) menyiapkan tiga program pengeboran eksplorasi di tiga Wilayah Kerja Panas Bumi (WKP) tahun ini. Tiga WKP tersebut berada di Waesano (Nusa Tenggara Timur),  Jailolo (Maluku Utara), dan Nage (Nusa Tenggara Timur).

The Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (SDM) has prepared three exploration drilling programs in three Geothermal Working Areas (WKP) this year. The three WKPs are located in Waesano (East Nusa Tenggara), Jailolo (North Maluku), and Nage (East Nusa Tenggara).

Baca lebih banyak........                                Read More.........

USA, California: Hot Springs Conference in Palm Springs

Hot Springs Connection - The Only Hot Springs Conference in the U.S.

Specifically designed for hot springs owners, operators, general managers, facilities directors and marketing professionals.

I. Palm Springs: November 4-6 (Monday-Wednesday)
Meetings: presentations, seminars, workshops, trade exchange and networking at the beautiful Miramonte Indian Wells Resort and Spa.

II. Desert Hot Springs: November 6-8 (Wednesday-Friday)
Field Trip: one of the few places in the world with naturally occurring hot and cold mineral springs, this water is ranked among the nation’s best for taste by the International Water Tasting Competition.

Register Now........!

Climate Change: Renewables Surpass Natural Gas in Global Electricity Generation

IEA releases new edition of global historical data series for all fuels, all sectors and energy balances (News Release)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has just released the 2019 edition of the world’s most comprehensive series of energy databases and data services including World Energy Statistics and Balances, the full range of fuel information data services, and IEA Key World Energy Statistics.

This annual release adds verified data for 2017 along with provisional data for 2018 for many countries, fuels and sectors. The data reveal a range of emerging and continuing trends from around the world and across all sectors.

In terms of the fuel mix for power generation, coal remained dominant and actually increased its share in 2017 to 38% after three consecutive years of decline. Renewables cemented their place ahead of natural gas, reaching a share of 25% in 2017. Oil has continued its decline, while the share of nuclear has remained relatively constant recently after a long period of decline.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Europe: Project will Create Social Acceptance Model for Geothermal Energy

Crowdthermal project has just started!


The projects aims to empower the European public to directly participate in the development of geothermal projects with the help of alternative financing schemes (crowdfunding) and social engagement tools. In order to reach this goal, the project will first increase the transparency of geothermal projects and technologies by creating one to one links between geothermal actors and the public so that a Social Licence to Operate (SLO) could be obtained.

Crowdthermal will create a social acceptance model for geothermal energy that will be used as baseline in subsequent actions for inspiring public support for geothermal energy. Parallel and synergetic with this, the project will work out details of alternative financing and risk mitigation options covering the different types of geothermal resources and various socio-geographical settings. The models will be developed and validated with the help of three Case Studies in Iceland, Hungary and Spain and with the help of a Trans-European survey conducted by EFG Linked Third Parties.

More Information........

Canada: Report Concludes Potential for Combined Geothermal Power and Heat Plant at Repurposed Gas Field

Natural Gas Wells for Geothermal Heat and Power (News Release)

A new pre-feasibility study published by Geoscience BC evaluates the potential to repurpose the Clarke Lake Field natural gas field to host a pilot plant to generate geothermal energy and heat.

Called Clarke Lake Geothermal Pre-Feasibility Study, the report assesses two potential sites close to the Clarke Lake Gas Field south of Fort Nelson. It outlines the potential costs and revenues as well as technology recommendations and permitting requirements as a first step to understanding economic viability.

The report concludes that there is the potential for a combined geothermal power and heat plant, and that the payback period on development costs would be between 12 and 24 years. It identifies potential customers for power and uses for heat including public building heating and industrial customers. The report also identifies future opportunities that a geothermal plant could help to generate facilitate, including greenhouses that use heat from the plant and the potential to attract cryptocurrency mining operations.

More Information..........

USA, Washington D.C.: GRC Policy Committee Chair Talks Up The Clean Energy Potential of Geothermal

Unleashing the Clean Energy Potential of Geothermal (Rep. Russ Fulcher)

Rep. Fulcher and Paul Thomsen (GRC Policy Committee Chair) discuss the clean energy potential of geothermal energy during the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on Thursday, September 19th, 2019.

Canada: Closed-Loop Geothermal Project Receives More Investment

Vickers Venture Partners Invests in Cleantech Startup Eavor (News Release)



Vickers Venture Partners, a global venture capital firm based in Singapore, today announced their investment in Eavor, a disruptive solution provider in the geothermal energy space. The investment is Vickers’ first ever in a Canadian startup and closes Eavor’s CAD$15 million Series A investment round. The funds will be used to pursue Eavor’s growing pipeline of commercial opportunities around the world.

Eavor is the world’s first viable form of green, scalable, baseload power, and aims to be a significant global energy source without the intermittency issues of traditional renewable power systems. Eavor-Loop, the company’s solution, is a new means of extracting power from the Earth’s natural geological temperature gradient. Eavor-Loop makes a traditional niche energy source, geothermal energy, scalable by removing the need for volcanic-type temperature and permeable aquifers.

Science & Technology: Heat and CO2 from Geothermal Power Plant Helps Grow a "Superfood"

Sustainable Tuscan businesses (The Florentine)

Monteverdi Marittimo is about to welcome a revolutionary scheme, trialed in Chiusdino in 2017-18: a greenhouse that uses geothermal heat and renewable CO2 generated at the nearby geothermal power plant to produce spirulina, a “superfood” rich in protein and antibiotic and antiviral properties.

The experimental greenhouse in Chiusdino, made possible thanks to a collaboration between Enel Green Power and Co.Svi.G (Consortium for the Development of Geothermal Areas), produced “25 per cent more spirulina with 30 per cent less cost,” according to Enel’s website.

Read More.........

USA, Hawaii: Puna Geothermal Venture Aims to be Back Up and Running by Year End

PGV officials discuss ongoing facility repairs at meeting (Hawaii Tribune-Herald)

Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) is continuing its work toward recovery, plant officials said during a community meeting Wednesday afternoon in Pahoa.

Although recovery is ongoing, plant manager Jordan Hara told the small crowd gathered Wednesday PGV still has “a lot of work to do.”

When it comes to the plant’s equipment, “we’re going pretty good, getting a lot of equipment fixed up, repaired or replaced.”

PGV is currently cleaning out one of its production wells, Hara said, and after that, “we’re in debate of which route we want to go, whether we … drill a new well, or potentially work on another (existing) well, cleaning it out.”

Mike Kaleikini, PGV’s senior director of Hawaii, said after Wednesday’s meeting that PGV still aims to be operational by year-end.

Hara said after the meeting that under ideal circumstances, PGV “would like to at least try to run and test our equipment” by the end of the year. “Now, actually selling power to the grid, (that is) not likely until we have our substation, which is next year. So, we’re shooting to at least start up and run some equipment and make sure everything’s good and test everything … .”

Kenya: Course on Exploration and Development of Geothermal Resources

SDG Short Course IIV on Exploration and Development of Geothermal Resources to be held in Kenya in November 2019 (News Release)

4-25 November, 2019 - Lake Bogoria and Lake Naivasha in Kenya.

The Geothermal Training Programme of the United Nations University (UNU-GTP) and KenGen will be hosting a SDG Short Course IV on Exploration and Development of Geothermal Resources.

Participation in the short course is by invitation only. The course is mainly aimed at young professionals from Eastern Africa and other African Rift Countries with a diploma or a degree in chemistry, physics, geology (earth sciences), environmental science or engineering, who have been actively involved in geothermal energy research in the home country or are potential candidates for that in the near future. Attendance will be limited to individuals below 35 years of age. Female participation is encouraged in support of SDG nr. 5.

More Information.........

Netherlands: Seismic Survey for Geothermal Energy Resources Underway

Kleine explosies brengen mogelijkheden aardwarmte in kaart - Small explosions map the possibilities of geothermal heat (NOS)

In Midden-Nederland wordt over een afstand van 1500 kilometer de aardbodem in kaart gebracht. Energiebeheer Nederland (EBN) voert dit onderzoek uit in opdracht van het ministerie van Economische Zaken en klimaat, om te kijken of er mogelijkheden zijn voor de winning van aardwarmte. Deskundigen hebben berekend dat aardwarmte, ook wel geothermie genoemd, in de nabije toekomst in 20 procent van de warmtevraag van huishoudens zou kunnen voorzien.

(From Google Earth) The earth's soil is mapped out over a distance of 1500 kilometers in the central Netherlands. Energiebeheer Nederland (EBN) is carrying out this study on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, to see if there are possibilities for extracting geothermal heat. Experts have calculated that geothermal heat, also known as geothermal energy, could supply 20 percent of household heat demand in the near future.

Lees verder...........                                        Read More.......

Finance: New Green Climate Fund to Advance Low-Carbon Energy Technologies

Climate Investment Platform Targets Increase in Flow of Capital to Clean Energy Projects (News Release)

Green Climate Fund, IRENA, SEforAll and UNDP launch partnership to advance low-carbon energy transition and raise climate ambition

In response to country needs to mobilize low-carbon, climate-resilient investments, a new global public good announced today will aim to increase the flow of capital in developing countries to meet climate ambitions.

The Climate Investment Platform (CIP) is an inclusive partnership welcoming all stakeholders from governments and international organizations to the private sector to scale-up climate action and translate ambitious national climate targets into concrete investments on the ground.

Read More.........

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Mexico: Drilling in Gulf of California Will Measure Geothermal Energy Potential

Scientists begin project studying ocean floor off Guaymas, Sonora (Mexico News Daily)

Research will reveal information about area's tectonic plates and geothermal energy potential

The JOIDES Resolution, a 143-meter-long vessel with the capacity to dig 8,235 meters below the seabed, will carry out drilling at six different points in the Guaymas Basin.

Manet Estefania Peña of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Autonomous University of Baja California) said the research will enable greater understanding of the tectonic plates beneath Mexico and that will allow “better planning of our cities in the future,” while Pérez said that the sediments of the Gulf of California are likely to contain a “large quantity of geothermal energy that at some point could be used.”

USA, California: Geothermal Leases in Medicine Lake Highlands Voided

Ninth Circuit Voids Geothermal Leases on Sacred Tribal Land (Courthousenews.com)

In a decision hailed by some as a victory for tribal rights and ecological preservation, the Ninth Circuit last Thursday upheld voiding 40-year lease extensions for geothermal energy production on 26 plots of California land deemed sacred by Native Americans.

The rugged, volcanic landscape of the Medicine Lake Highlands in Siskiyou County has served as a revered site for ancient customs and rituals by Native American groups, including the Pit River Tribe, for the last 10,000 years.

That means the bureau will not be able to renew leases for those 26 plots of land unless they undertake a required environmental review and consult with the tribal governments, because the area was designated as a cultural district in 1999 by the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management first leased the land for geothermal energy exploration in 1982. Houston-based Calpine Energy Corporation inherited those leases in an area where three national forests – Modoc, Klamath and Shasta-Trinity – meet at the northern tip of the state.

Mexico: Mining Company Expresses Interest in Geothermal Power Projects

Grupo México va por desarrollo de proyectos eléctricos por geotermia - Grupo México goes for the development of electrical projects due to geothermal energy (El Financiero)

A través de su subsidiaria Perforadora México, el conglomerado quiere impulsar el desarrollo de proyectos de generación eléctrica por geotermia en el país.

(From Google Translate) Through its subsidiary Perforadora México, the [Grupo Méxicoconglomerate wants to boost the development of geothermal power generation projects in the country.

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Zambia: New Geothermal Plant will Power Industrial Park

Kalahari Geo Energy Project A Catalyst For Development In Monze-Yaluma (Lusaka Times)

Commerce Minister Christopher Yaluma has encouraged Monze Town Council to ensure that the envisaged benefits of the geothermal energy project in the district materialise and improve the living standard of the people in the surrounding areas.

And Kalahari Geo Energy Director Dr Moses Banda says the company will start a pilot power generation at their Bweengwa project by 2020.


From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Germany: Voting for International Geothermal Association Board Ends September 30

IGA Board Of Directors Election 2020-2023 (News Release)

The election for the International Geothermal Association (IGA) Board of Directors started 30 June 2019 and will run until 30 September 2019.

Following the IGA Board’s decision on ensuring gender balance and equality almost 40% of current candidates are female. Click here to watch a video about nomination process.

You can vote for up to 25 of 50 candidates from 23 countries:

Abraham, Sam
Li, Kewen
Aguilera, Pablo
Manzella, Adele
Ayling, Bridget
Matsuda, Koji
Bignall, Greg
Matthiasdottir, Kristin Vala
Bjarnason, Bjarni
Meier, Peter
Blair, Andy
Morata, Diego
Brogle, Sylvain
Olivar, Maria Victoria M.
Brotheridge, Jane
Omenda, Peter
Capuano, Louis
Oyama, Hiroshi
Caranto, Joeffrey A.
Prieto, Angela
Casimiro Espinoza, Emigdio
Rotich, Abel
Chandrasekhar, Varun
Sabin, Andy
Darma, Surya
Sangin, Sepehr
Falcone, Gioia
Schmidlee, Virginie
Guglielmetti, Luca
Siratovich, Paul
Hajto, Marek
Suryantini, Ninik
Harskamp, Bob
Svalova, Valentina
Hillbrand, Gudrun
Szita, Gabor
Huenges, Ernst
Tingshan, Tian
Izquierdo-Montalvo, Georgina
Utami, Pri
Jahrfeld, Thomas
Verdoya, Massimo
Jalilinasrabady, Saeid
Wielenga, Jelle
Kaya, Eylem
Wissing, Lothar
Kiryukhin, Alexey
Yasukawa, Kasumi
Letvin, Amelia Ida
Zemedkun, Meseret

Please cast your vote here: https://www.geothermal-energy.org/igamembers/

If you are a member of an Affiliated Organization like the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), please contact your coordinator and get your IGA ID (log-in & password) to be able to access the IGA Voting Platform.

If you are a corporate, institutional or individual member, you will receive your login credentials from the IGA Team.

Poland: Podhale Geothermal District Heating Network to Expand

Geotermia na Podhalu włącza drugi bieg - Geothermal energy in Podhale engages the second gear (Biznes.Interia.pl)

120 odbiorców ciepła geotermalnego zyskało podłączenie do podhalańskiej sieci w ostatnim roku, a kolejnych 150 obiektów będzie przyłączonych do niej w najbliższym czasie - zapowiedział podczas piątkowej konferencji prasowej prezes Geotermii Podhalańskiej Wojciech Ignacok.

(From Google Translate) 120 recipients of geothermal heat have been connected to the Podhale network in the last year, and another 150 facilities will be connected to it in the near future - President of Geotermia Podhalańska Wojciech Ignacok announced during a press conference on Friday.

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Germany: Holzkirchen Geothermal Heat and Power Plant Seen as a Success

Geothermie Holzkirchen: Neue Bohrung mit neuen Partnern? - Geothermal Holzkirchen: New well with new partners? (Merkur.de)

(Courtesy Thomas Plettenberg)
Holzkirchen - Das Geothermie-Projekt des Markts Holzkirchen hatte seine dramatischen Momente, steuert aber auf ein Happy End zu. Das Thermalwasser liefert Fernwärme und klimafreundlichen Strom. Der Erfolg macht Mut. Holzkirchens Bürgermeister kann sich weitere Bohrungen vorstellen – dann aber als Gemeinschaftsprojekt mehrerer Gemeinden.

(From Google Translate) Holzkirchen - The geothermal project of the Markt Holzkirchen has had its dramatic moments, but is heading for a happy ending. The thermal water supplies district heating and climate-friendly electricity. The project is now deemed successful. Holzkirchen's mayor can imagine further drilling - but only as part of a joint project of several communities.

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New Zealand: Tapping "Supercritical" Geothermal Fluids Could Deliver 10 times More Energy than Conventional Geothermal Energy

Deep geothermal: Is this NZ's clean energy future? (New Zealand Herald)

Dr Isabelle Chambefort
Photo / Margaret Low
The key to driving New Zealand's emissions to net zero by 2050 may lie not above us but kilometres beneath our feet, a top geothermal geologist says.

A new project will explore how tapping deep and hot geothermal resources could yield an unlimited source of clean energy for the country, at a time it's searching for bold ways to decarbonise.

What's called deep geothermal - "supercritical" fluids trapped far below the Earth's crust - packed the potential to deliver 10 times more energy than conventional geothermal energy, GNS Science's Dr Isabelle Chambefort said.

Indonesia: State Investment to Help Develop 110 MW from Geo Dipa Geothermal Power Plants

Govt earmarks Rp 700b for geothermal power in Java (The Jakarta Post)


The government is set to inject Rp 700 billion (US$49.83 million) into state-owned geothermal company Geo Dipa Energi next year to increase the company’s production capacity and support renewable energy projects.

Geo Dipa said in a statement that the state capital injection (PMN) from the Finance Ministry would be used to develop a 55-megawatt geothermal power plant in Patuha, West Java province, and another 55-MW plant in Dieng, Central Java. The plants are expected to be operational by 2023.

Geo Dipa president director Riki Firmandha Ibrahim told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday that the company was focusing this year on procuring equipment and inking contracts.“Next year, we will begin drilling and constructing the plants jointly financed by the multilateral lender ADB [Asian Development Bank],” he added.

Germany: Fifth Well Drilled at Munich Geothermal District Heating Project

SWM Bringen Fünfte Geothermiebohrung Nieder - SWM Bring Down Fifth Geothermal Well (Energate)

Ducks at the Schäftlarnstraße Drill Site in 
Munich, Germany. By David Lentsch. 
GRC Photo Contest 2018.
Die Stadtwerke München (SWM) kommen mit dem Ausbau ihres Wärmeversorgungssystems auf Basis von Geothermie weiter voran. Sie haben die fünfte von sechs Bohrungen für die Geothermieanlage am Heizkraftwerk Süd niedergebracht. Voraussichtlich ab dem 25. September sollen die Pumpversuche dann Auskunft darüber geben, ob die Ergiebigkeit und Temperatur des Thermalwasservorkommens den Erwartungen entsprechen, teilte das Unternehmen mit. Die Ergebnisse aus den vier bisherigen Bohrungen seien bereits deutlich über den Erwartungen, hieß es. Auf Basis dieser Daten ist der Versorger nach eigenen Angaben zuversichtlich, dass die tatsächliche Leistung der Anlage mehr als die geplanten 50 MW betragen wird. Mitte 2020 sollen die Arbeiten an allen sechs Bohrlöchern abgeschlossen sein. Parallel dazu wird die SWM die Heizzentrale bauen, die die Technik beherbergt. Nach den finalen Langzeitpumpversuchen soll die Anlage dann in der Heizsaison 2020/21 ans Netz gehen. 2040 will München als erste deutsche Großstadt ihre Fernwärme zu 100 Prozent CO2-neutral gewinnen. Einen wesentlichen Beitrag soll dabei die Geothermie liefern.

(From Google Translate) Stadtwerke München (SWM) is making further progress with the expansion of its heat supply system based on geothermal energy. They drilled the fifth of six drill holes for the geothermal plant at the southern heating plant. Probably starting 25th of September the pumping tests should then give information on whether the yield and temperature of the thermal water resources meet expectations, the company said. The results from the four previous holes are already well above expectations, it said. On the basis of this data, the supplier is confident that the actual capacity of the plant will exceed the planned 50 MW. By mid-2020, work on all six wells will be completed. In parallel, SWM will build the heating center, which houses the technology. After the final long-term pumping tests, the system will then go on stream in the heating season 2020/21. In 2040, Munich is the first major German city planning to generate 100 percent of its district heating using CO2-neutral sources. A major contribution will be made by geothermal energy.

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