Thursday, October 31, 2019

Finance: Crypto-Currency Mining Looks to Geothermal for a Reliable Power Source

Geothermal Has a Future (and Present) in Crypto-Currency Mining (HashCore for Medium.com)

Any successful mining operation must secure reliable and competitively priced power. As mining continues to scale and industrialize, demand will increase for baseload power. Firms who develop and operate baseload energy resources will be well suited to take advantage of this.

This is where geothermal developers come into play. Geothermal is the only renewable energy resource that can provide year-round baseload power without having to rely on the grid or costly energy storage. This competitive advantage is evidenced in Iceland, where geothermal energy supplies many of the world’s largest mining facilities.

As this space industrialized, some companies attempted vertical integration of energy production using hydro, solar, and wind. These companies have struggled, because they underestimated the limited capacity factor of these energy resources (≤ 75%). For this reason, the future of mining will rely on vertical integration of geothermal energy production.

Read More.......

Kenya: Call for Papers for Eighth Africa Rift Geothermal Conference

Eighth Africa Rift Geothermal Conference (ARGeo-C8)

2-8 November 2020
UNEP headquarters, Nairobi Kenya 


The Government of the Republic of Kenya will be hosting the Eighth African Rift Geothermal Conference (ARGeo-C8) in partnership with UNEP, GDC, KenGen, GAK, AUC and IGA-ARB. The conference will be held at UNEP headquarters, in Nairobi, Kenya from 2-8 November 2020. The Conference consists of:
  • 2-3 November 2020: The Short Courses.
  • 4-6 November 2020: The Main Conference
  • 7 - 8 November 2020: The Field Trip.

Indonesia: Opportunity for 12-Month Geothermal Trainee Program at Star Energy

Employment - Star Energy Geothermal Trainee Program (JobStreet)

(Courtesy JobStreet)
We are looking for best graduate candidates from reputable universities to join for Star Energy Geothermal Trainee Program (SGTP). SGTP is a 12-months apprentice program for fresh graduate engineers and earth scientists to be placed throughout the company’s operations. SGTP aims to accelerate the competency of new talents for geothermal industry in Indonesia by integrating recruitment process and development program. Participants will be exposed to class room sessions which cover various topics as well as on-the-job trainings.

Star Energy is Indonesia's largest geothermal energy producer. Star Energy partners with two state-owned companies, namely PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT PLN (Persero) to manage geothermal energy into electricity in West Java Province. In the Pangalengan area, Star Energy Geothermal (Wayang Windu) Ltd., operates a geothermal facility with a total capacity of 227 megawatts (MW).

In Sukabumi, Star Energy Geothermal Salak, Ltd., manages one of the largest geothermal fields in the world, which can produce electricity of 377 MW. While in Garut, Star Energy Geothermal Darajat II, Limited that supplies geothermal steam to power plants, is capable of generating 271 MW of power.

More Information and Apply.........

Philippines: Earthquake Blocks Access to Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant - Report

More help sent to quake-stricken North Cotabato (Cebu Daily News)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sent more troops to Kidapawan City and Tulunan town in North Cotabato as reports of deaths and residents left homeless continue to pour in from stricken areas.

A tremor measuring at 6.4 magnitude rocked Tulunan town at 9:14 a.m. on Thursday, October 31, 2019, collapsing buildings already weakened by two previous strong quakes.

Colonel Rey Alvarado, commanding officer of the Army 72nd Infantry Battalion, said  around 100 personnel workers are also still trapped in the Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City.

Alvarado said roads leading to the power plant were rendered impassable by fallen rocks and debris.

Netherlands: Stakeholders Can Now Apply for the Autumn Support Package for Geothermal

Netherlands puts forward €5 billion in new clean energy subsidies (PV Tech)


The Netherlands has launched the latest round of its renewable energy subsidy programme SDE+ this week, with a budget to the tune of €5 billion (~US$5.6 billion).

Stakeholders can now apply for the Autumn support packages for technologies related to five categories: biomass, geothermal, water, wind and sun.

Running from 29 October to 14 November, the €5 billion will be dished out in three stages, with subsidies increasing in each phase, according to the Netherland’s Enterprise Agency (RVO) website.

Geothermal energy, also known as geothermal heat, is eligible for SDE + in the following categories:
  • geothermal heat with a depth of at least 500 meters
  • geothermal heat with a depth of at least 4,000 meters
  • geothermal heat with a depth of at least 500 meters, whereby existing oil or gas wells are used for one or both wells of the doublet
  • geothermal heat, whereby expansion of a production installation takes place with at least one additional well with a depth of at least 500 meters
Read More.........

USA, California: Call for Abstracts for High-Temperature Well Cementing Workshop

Joint GRC-SPE Workshop: High-Temperature Well Cementing

March 30 - April 1, 2020,
Wyndham San Diego Bayside, San Diego, California, USA

Call for Abstracts - Deadline is Dec. 1

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) together with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) invite you to present your latest technical work in High-Temperature Well Cementing at the special joint workshop.

The topics to be covered are listed in the agenda for the workshop.....view the new website for more information.

Please submit your abstracts to Estela Smith at grc@geothermal.org. Call 530.758.2360 ext 102.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is December 1st, 2019.

Download the Flyer...........

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #8 out of 13: Josh Nordquist, Manager of US Resource Operations, Ormat


Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Canada: Province Clears the Way for 5 MW Alberta No. 1 Geothermal Power Project

Province gives a boost to local geothermal power plant idea (EverythingGP)

The province says it has cleared the way for the company that wants to build a geothermal power plant south of Grande Prairie to begin seeking regulatory approval.

Terrapin Geothermics wants to build the plant in the Gold Creek area in the MD of Greenview.

The province’s Energy Ministry says in a news release that Terrapin has been granted permission to do testing operations to check the geothermal potential in that area.

“Projects like these show that companies have confidence investing in Alberta. Provided the projects are in the best interest of Albertans, we need to hold up our end of the bargain by ensuring timely approvals,” said Energy Minister Sonya Savage in that same release.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

New Zealand: Employment as Project Manager at the Tauhara Geothermal Power Station

Vacancy: Senior Project Manager – Geothermal Development (Contact Energy)

Location: Wairakei, Taupo, New Zealand

Our purpose is to put our energy where it matters and to decarbonise the New Zealand energy sector. We are New Zealand’s leading geothermal electricity generator, owning and operating six existing geothermal power stations whilst holding consents for a further 250 MW of generation on the Tauhara field. We also have looming key decisions to make on the future of the Wairakei Geothermal Field where resource consents expire in 2026, so we’re are not short of exciting, market leading renewable projects.

What you’ll do: You’ll be the Project Manager of Contact’s scope of works for the Tauhara Power Station comprising of above ground geothermal steamfield facilities and ancillary requirements around the Power Station.  This Fixed Term position will cover the Contact Energy scope of work for the Tauhara Project, the scale of which is expected to be greater than $50 million dollars.

More information and apply..........

Netherlands: TU Delft Announces New Assistant Professor of Geothermal Energy

Maren Brehme new assistant professor of geothermal energy at TU Delft (SPG, Platform Geothermie)

Mrs Maren Brehme has started as a new assistant professor of Geothermal Engineering at TU Delft.

She collaborates with Phil Vardon and professor David Bruhn, among others. Maren is a hydrogeologist aiming to understand subsurface fluid flow using multidisciplinary approaches for sustainable geothermal energy use.

She has 10 years experience in geothermal research. During her PhD she studied the role of faults and fractures in geothermal reservoirs, while in her PostDoc she studied the operation of geothermal systems.

The future work will cover two main aspects: Where to drill the next well? and How to run a geothermal system sustainably? She combines approaches from hydrogeology, structural geology and geochemistry to find answers to this questions. One of the main projects she will be involved in is the DAP geothermal doublet on the TU Delft Campus.

Read More.........

Turkey: US Industrial Automation Company Helps Boost Gürmat Elektrik Geothermal Power Plant

Rockwell Automation performs complete digital network migration at Turkey’s largest geothermal power plant (Automation Update)

New controllers, software and network architecture deliver more robust cybersecurity, higher performance, easier diagnostics and significantly enhanced data capture.

With the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0, manufacturing and process data has taken on a whole new level of importance. With smart devices, much deeper integration and enhanced tools to collect, collate and exploit this data, operators and plant owners now have a level of insight into their operations that gives them the ability to make more informed process-critical decisions faster than ever before.

This data-driven paradigm does however rely on robust systems at every level; and even one weak link in a network can negate the efficacy of the data being collected in terms of its speed, effectiveness, security, timeliness and volume. For this reason, a data infrastructure should encompass every facet of a plant’s operation in order to extract the best possible information for the optimisation of operations.

Gürmat Elektrik, which operates the biggest geothermal power plant in Turkey, faced this scenario recently, recognising that the existing data and networking infrastructure was not only incapable of delivering contemporary levels of performance, but was also lacked robust cyber security.

To counter these issues, Gurmat contacted Rockwell Automation in Turkey, asking it to assess and propose a solution.

Read More.........

USA, California: Boom Times Ahead for Lithium from Geothermal Brine?

How lithium could be Calif.'s next 'gold rush' (E&E News)

Derek Benson, the chief operating officer of EnergySource Minerals, gesturing toward the pipe that carries super-hot water from subterranean faults into the company's geothermal plant. David Ferris/E&E News
Derek Benson, chief operating officer of the geothermal power producer EnergySource, pointed to a white shipping container, where fiberglass tanks are being used to pull lithium out of the same brine from the sandstone depths.

EnergySource, based in San Diego, is making an expensive gamble that it can be the first to tap a vast reserve of lithium here that has frustrated engineers for decades. Lithium has always been valuable, but the arrival of electric vehicles presages an enormous new market. That market could be dominated by Chile, or Australia, or China, each of which has its own lithium reserves. Or, if the geothermal entrepreneurs of the Salton Sea have their way, the winner could be America.

"People may look back on 2019 as the next gold rush, in terms of what's begun this year," said David Hochschild, the new chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC), who has become a leading advocate.

A prodigious quantity of lithium lies below and around the Salton Sea, which itself lies 226 feet below sea level. The leading geothermal company, Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE), estimates that its properties alone could produce 300,000 metric tons of lithium a year. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the entire world produced 43,000 tons of lithium in 2017.

USA, California: New Website Showcasing High-Temperature Well Cementing and Integrity Workshop

GRC Launches New Website Showcasing High-Temperature Well Cementing and Integrity Workshop (News Release)

 “Exploring Geothermal and Oil & Gas Synergies”

Join us for the Joint GRC-SPE Workshop

March 30 - April 1, 2020
San Diego, California, USA

The draft agenda, abstract submission, hotel reservations, and more, can be found on our new dedicated website at https://cement.mygeoenergynow.org/

Deadline for submission of abstracts is December 1st, 2019.

Geothermal wells experience high temperatures at very shallow depths and are required to cement casing across the entire length of each casing string set in the well. Our joint workshop will enable both industries to share their experiences, technologies, technical procedures and best practices on this important aspect of well completion.

The GRC and the SPE invite you to present your latest technical work in High-Temperature Well Cementing and Integrity at this special joint workshop.

View the new website.........

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #7 out of 13: Elisabeth de Jong, Program Administrator - Geothermal Grant and Loan Program, California Energy Commission


USA: Winners of the Annual Women in Geothermal (WING) Awards Announced

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2019 WING Awards (News Release)

The 2nd annual Women in Geothermal (WING) Awards were presented to four deserving recipients at the September 2019 GRC Annual Meeting and Expo in Palm Springs, California.

These awards are given each year to people selected by their peers for their commitment to the promotion, development and education of women in the geothermal industry. 

Kunzes Dolma
The winners are chosen because they embody WING’s four core values: Courageous, Empowering, Open, and Caring.
  • Courageous:  Kunzes Dolma, Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency (LREDA)
  • EmpoweringPaul Siratovich, Upflow Ltd.
  • Open: Sean Keaney, Mercury Energy
  • Caring: Charis Wong, L'Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Geothermal Energy Magazine - 60 Pages Now Available Online

Now Available - GRC Bulletin - Vol. 48, No. 5, September/October 2019

The September/October 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.

Sixty (60) pages of geothermal news and information now available for members only.

In this issue:
  • President’s Message, by Andy Sabin
  • Executive Director's Message, by William Pettitt
  • Communication from the GRC, by Ian Crawford
  • Inside Geothermal, by Ian Crawford
  • A New Boost for the Geothermal Industry In British Columbia?, by members of the GRC Student Committee
  • GRC Annual Meeting & Expo 2019 - A Photo report
  • On the Road: GRC Coso Geothermal and GreenFire Energy Field Trip, by Hollis Chin
  • Chatting Geothermally With . . . . . ., by Susan Fox Hodgson
  • And Then. . . !! Geothermal Moments, by Susan Fox Hodgson
  • Calendar of Events
The GRC Bulletin is only available online to GRC members. To make sure of your copy join the GRC today!

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #6 out of 13: Richard Holt, Chief Reservoir Engineer and President of Geothermal Science, Inc


USA, Nevada: Solar Augmented Geothermal Energy Project Gets PUC Approval

Nevada PUC approves UC Won's Petition to Develop New Geothermal Power Production Technology in Northern Nevada (News Release)
   
RenewGeo Solar Charged Thermal Storage Power Technology Gets Green Light From Nevada Public Utilities Commission

UC Won, LLC is pleased to announce it has secured an order from the Public Utilities Commission confirming that UC Won’s solar augmented geothermal energy technology could be used to serve an end-use customer in Nevada without state regulation.

Curt Ledford, attorney for UC Won with the law firm Davison Van Cleve, said, “Today, the Commission’s ruling certifies that UC Won’s revolutionary technology can be used in Nevada to serve a specific customer seeking 100% renewable resources to serve its needs.”


The Commission’s Order in this docket confirmed UC Won’s understanding that the project would not be prohibited by Nevada law or subject to rate regulation by the Commission. The Commission, in its order, stated: “The facility described in the Petition is not a public utility.” In addition, the Commission finds that requirements of the recently amended NRS 704B, “do not apply to the transaction described in the Petition.”

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News Archives:

Europe: Geothermal Should be Part of a Vision for 100% Renewable Heating and Cooling - Report

2050 Vision for 100% Renewable Heating and Cooling in Europe (RHC-ETIP)

This Vision by European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETIP) is intended to provide a clear prospect for the heating and cooling (HC) sector by 2050. It helps to understand the potential of the various renewable heating and cooling technologies and it shows, through a multidisciplinary approach, the way to follow to achieve a carbon-free HC sector by 2050. Both technical and non-technical issues are discussed, along with the presentation of relevant best cases.

The real challenge is to set up coordinated strategies at European, national, and local levels to reduce fossil fuels to zero by 2050. The narrow window of opportunity due to the long lifespan of heating and cooling (H&C) systems requires public authorities to maximise efforts in the next decade.

Solar thermal, geothermal, bioenergy, district H&C, and ambient and excess heat recovery -complemented with renewable electricity- are the backbone of a radically new, user oriented, carbon-neutral, efficient, reliable, and flexible energy system.

Read More..........

Netherlands: Geothermal District Heating Project Chooses Location Near Utrecht

Onderzoek naar aardwarmte gaat verder in Nieuwegein - Geothermal heat research continues in Nieuwegein (Warmtebron)


Op zoek naar een geschikte locatie om het onderzoeksproject Lean voort te zetten, heeft Warmtebron Utrecht voor Nieuwegein gekozen. Het vervolgonderzoek richt zich op het gebied rondom het warmteoverdrachtsstation (WOS) van Eneco nabij het kruispunt A.C.Verhoefweg / Symfonielaan / Batauweg. Daarmee zetten we een nieuwe stap in het onderzoek naar de mogelijkheden van aardwarmte in de provincie Utrecht.

(From Google Translate) In search of a suitable location to continue the Lean research project, Warmtebron Utrecht has chosen Nieuwegein. The follow-up research focuses on the area around Eneco's heat transfer station (WOS) near the ACVerhoefweg / Symfonielaan / Batauweg intersection. We are thus taking a new step in research into the possibilities of geothermal heat in the province of Utrecht.

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

USA, Washington D.C.: Geothermal Resources Council Supports Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act

Joint statement of support for, and action on, H.R. 4186, the Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act of 2019 (News Release)


As the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees continue their work to address tax extenders, as well as long‐term tax policy legislation, the National Hydropower Association (NHA), American Biogas Council, Biomass Power Association, Energy Recovery Council, and Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), come together to strongly support H.R. 4186, a bipartisan bill co‐sponsored by Reps. Elise Stefanik (R‐NY) and Scott Peters (D‐CA), and urge swift action to pass the measure.

H.R. 4186 provides a 2‐year retroactive extension (for 2018‐2019) of the expired renewable energy tax credits for hydropower, marine energy, biomass, biogas, waste‐to‐energy and geothermal resources, along with an extension through 2024.

The U.S. has long used targeted tax incentives to leverage investment and innovation in the energy sector. This is true for fossil and renewable resources alike. Hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in private investment across the industries – not to mention gigawatts of affordable, reliable, and renewable power – have been driven by tax policies.

However, for too long, our resources have been undervalued and overlooked in the clean energy tax policy debate despite the carbon‐free, renewable electricity benefits (among many others) they provide. Tax policy has become de facto energy policy at the federal level and our industries have been placed at an untenable competitive disadvantage – as demonstrated by the growth trajectories compared to wind and solar resources.

The provisions of H.R. 4186 would address this disparity. These tax credits are a critical incentive for the continued deployment of reliable, renewable, baseload power in our sectors, which we believe supports a national energy strategy that seeks to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining grid reliability and resilience.

Therefore, our groups are united in seeking the retroactive extension of the tax credits and the passage of this long‐term extension. We call on Members of Congress to support these objectives as the work on extenders and a larger bill develop.

Monday, October 28, 2019

USA, Nevada: Employment Opportunities at Ormat Technologies

Vacancy - Staff Geochemist (Ormat Technologies)

Location: Reno, Nevada, USA

The position is responsible for conducting geochemical investigations of exploration projects and operational fields to develop new and expanded opportunities for geothermal development. Candidate will work in teams with geologists, reservoir engineers and plant engineers.

More information and Apply........

Vacancy - Staff Geologist

Location: Reno, Nevada, USA

The position is responsible for conducting geologic field evaluations of geothermal exploration projects and integrating them with existing published data to assist in the definition of new development projects. Candidate recommendations to be reviewed by higher level geologists.

More Information and Apply........

Science & Technology: Study Concludes Geothermal Can Help in Decarbonisation of the Power Generation Industry

The environmental impacts and the carbon intensity of geothermal energy: A case study on the Hellisheiði plant (Environment International)

This article focuses on Hellisheiði, a combined heat and power double flash geothermal plant located in Iceland, with an installed capacity of 303.3 MW of electricity and 133 MW of hot water. The study has a twofold goal: (i) identify hot spots in the life cycle and, where possible, suggest improvements, and (ii) understand the potential of geothermal energy to decarbonise the power generation industry.

The comparison shows that the carbon intensity of Hellisheiði is in the range of 15–24 g CO2-eq./kWh, which is similar to those of binary cycle geothermal plants, solar (photovoltaic) and hydropower, lower than other geothermal technologies and fossil-based technologies, and higher than nuclear and onshore wind.

The results demonstrate that geothermal energy, alongside other alternative and renewable sources, can play a substantial role towards achievement of the Paris Agreement goal and the decarbonisation of the power generation industry. Further work should investigate the relation between utilization of geothermal energy and the natural release of greenhouse gases from geothermal systems.

Read More........

The environmental impacts and the carbon intensity of geothermal energy: A case study on the Hellisheiði plant. By Andrea Paulillo, Aberto Striolo, and Paola Lettieri (Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, WC1 E7JE, United Kingdom) Environment International - Volume 133, Part B, December 2019, 105226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105226

USA, California: Wildfire Burning Near The Geysers Geothermal Field - Update

Kincade Fire: Wind-whipped blaze grows to 54,000 acres, as more flee Sonoma County (Napa Valley Register)

The Geothermal Resources Council sends best wishes to all those affected by the destructive wildfires in California, especially the geothermal community in and around The Geysers.

(Courtesy Sonoma County)
Fierce winds on Sunday continued to push the Kincade Fire farther into Sonoma County, torching wineries, hilltop homes and threatening the towns of Healdsburg, Windsor and Calistoga. In the largest evacuation in county history, some 180,000 people from the Wine Country to the coast were ordered to leave as more than 54,000 acres were charred by the rapidly growing blaze. Just 5 percent of the fire is contained, down from 10 percent, as firefighters braced for more blazes that were expected to kick up with the winds again late Sunday night.

Although no deaths have been reported, as of Sunday evening, the fire has taken its toll: 94 structures were destroyed, including 31 homes, and 17 structures were damaged in the blaze that began Thursday afternoon.

From the Global Geothermal News archives:
A spokesman for the Calpine geothermal facility, The Geysers in Lake County near the Sonoma County border, said Thursday that the Kincade Fire caused relatively minor damage and the fire threat to the facility has passed.
"Some of our operations have been temporarily suspended but we expect production will resume very soon," Calpine spokesman Brett Kerr said in the Napa Valley Register news. 
"Consistent with our fire prevention protocols, due to the wind conditions we had de-energized our local power line system before the fire started. We do not believe our facilities caused the fire. There are power lines operated by third parties across The Geysers," Kerr said.
Read More..........

USA, California: BLM Publishes EA for Geothermal Exploration on Western Shore of Salton Sea

BLM seeks public input on Orni 5 LLC geothermal exploration proposal (News Release)

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on the Environmental Assessment for the drilling of up to four geothermal exploration wells within the Truckhaven Leasing Area and the northeast edge of the Ocotillo Wells Special Recreation Management Area, for the purpose of identifying a viable geothermal resource.

The Environmental Assessment for the Orni 5 LLC project is available for a 30-day public review through ePlanning, or by visiting the El Centro Field Office, 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro CA 92243. The public can also mail comments to the same address as listed above with ATTN: Carrie Sahagun, BLM Assistant Field Manager.

For more information, contact Carrie Sahagun, BLM Assistant Field Manager, at 760-337-4437 or via email at csahagun@blm.gov.

Read More..........

USA: Increase of 3.2% Year-on-Year for Geothermal Electricity Generation

Electric Power Monthly with Data for August 2019 ( U.S. Energy Information Administration)

Some interesting statistics for geothermal energy from the latest Electric Power Monthly from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In the year to date through August 2019, the USA generated 10,926 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity from geothermal resources, an increase of 3.2% on last year, from 2,454.9 MW of net summer capacity.

For individual states year-to-date net generation through August 2019:
  • California - 7,865 GWh (+1.3%) from 1,744.1 MW
  • Nevada - 2,496 GWh (+9.9%) from 556.7 MW
  • Utah - 289 GWh (-2.4%) from 73.0 MW
  • Hawaii - 90 GWh (+22.5%) from 43.0 MW
  • Oregon - 98 GWh (-16.1%) from 19.5 MW
  • Idaho - 49 GWh (-12.1%) from 10.0 MW
  • New Mexico - 39 GWh (+381.8%) from 8.6 MW
The average capacity factors for utility scale generators in 2018:
  • Nuclear - 92.5%
  • Geothermal - 76.0%
  • Hydroelectric - 41.9%
  • Other Biomass - 61.8%
  • Wind - 34.6%
  • Solar Photovoltaic - 25.1%
  • Solar Thermal - 23.6%
  • Wood - 60.6%
Read More.........

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #5 out of 13: Neel L. Duncan, P.E., Managing Director, New IPT Inc.

Finance: Green Climate Fund Boosts Funding Efforts

Countries step up ambition: Landmark boost to coffers of the world’s largest climate fund (News Release)

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Sweden are the top contributors.

The shared urgency of addressing climate change took an historic step forward today with 27 countries pledging to replenish the Green Climate Fund (GCF) by USD 9.776 billion for the next four years. The resources will help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the negative effects of global warming, such as rising sea levels, record temperatures, prolonged drought, and more frequent and severe weather events.

To achieve maximum impact, the Green Climate Fund’s public investment boosts the climate action capacities of developing countries and helps unlock private sector markets of low-emission, climate-resilient innovation. Every USD 1 billion invested in the Fund spurs nearly USD 3 billion in additional financing, including from recipient countries.

Europe: Geothermal News from EGEC

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

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

Click here to download. In this issue:

Policy
  • Ecodesign framework 
News
  • Philippe Dumas discusses the role of geothermal in the energy transition on Italian TV channel HSE24 Italia
  • Proceedings EGC 2019
  • Joint German and Spanish research project to explore super-hot geothermal systems
  • Geothermal heating project at Mosonmagyarovar, Hungary in progress
  • Addressing the climate crisis with drilling technology being developed in Slovakia
  • Purifying steam of geothermal operations at Larderello being tested Enel Green Power
  • Combi-Gen: combining power and freshwater generation for Eastern Africa
  • New sports complex of Solent University/ UK connected to Southampton geothermal heating plant
Projects
  • GEORISK - Report on Risk Assessment
  • GEORISK - Proposal on how to establish an insurance scheme

Friday, October 25, 2019

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.

Science & Technology: Excellent Overview of Exploring for Geothermal Energy Resources Using Structural Geology

Geothermal Energy and Structural Geology? (European Geosciences Union -EGU)

By Anne Pluymakers, Postdoctoral Researcher Experimental Rock Mechanics at CiTG TU Delft 

Fumaroles and geothermal power plants
(with crosscutting pipelines) dominate the view
in the Larderello area. Credit: Anne Pluymakers.
Fieldwork is a necessity to expand the brain, to kick-start 3D thinking. Field studies with a specific application in mind have – until now – usually been geared towards hydrocarbon reservoirs. However, with the increasing use of the subsurface, for example for CO2 storage and geothermal energy, alternative field studies gain importance.

Here, we will focus on geothermal energy, which is in many countries a prime target of the energy transition. Around half of our energy consumption is simply the need for heat for houses, industry and other applications. Of course, some tectonic settings lend themselves easier to obtaining heat than others. In settings with volcanoes (rift and subduction zones), countries such as Iceland and Italy are frontrunners in developing high temperature (>100⁰C) geothermal energy.

No matter which geographic location and which heat source is targeted, all geothermal energy reservoirs consist of the same components.

Read More..........

USA: Do You Know of Any Underutilized Wells in Known Geothermal Resource Areas in the United States? Deadline for Responses is Today!

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

Responses must be received by October 25, 2019. 

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:

Indonesia: First Phase of Sorik Marapi Geothermal Energy Project Complete

KS Orka - Milestone! (LinkedIn)

by Eiríkur Bragason, CEO at KS Orka

Congratulations to the KS Orka team with the completion of the first phase in Geothermal Power Project Sorik Marapi Indonesia. KS Orka has now two operating power plants, i.e. in Indonesia and Hungary, providing good cash flow and a smooth growth in the 330 MW project portfolio.

It is now time for me and my colleague Michael Reading to leave KS Orka. We would like to thank our Joint Venture Partner Kaishan for a fruitful co-operation in the last four years and wish you many MW in future.

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Education: Video Explainer of Geothermal Energy Technologies

Advanced Geothermal: The Only Baseload Renewable Power Source is Heating Up (ClearPath)

Geothermal is a critical, clean, renewable, dispatchable power source that deserves more attention. Geothermal harnesses the Earth’s core for heat that can be used in homes, industrial processes, or to generate electricity. Geothermal is the only renewable resource.


(Video 3:51 Minutes)

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #4 out of 13: Trenton Cladouhos, VP of Resource, Cyrq Energy

USA, California: New Community Choice Aggregator is Opportunity for Geothermal Energy

County approves Community Choice Energy ordinance (Village News)

San Diego County is next door to one of the largest geothermal
resources in the world at the Salton Sea.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors laid the groundwork Tuesday, Oct. 15, to get into the business of buying and selling electricity. The supervisors voted 3-2 to approve an ordinance establishing a community choice energy (CCE) program.

The board also directed staff to continue negotiations with potential partners for a Joint Powers Authority to govern the CCE program and return to the board on or before October 2020.

Community choice energy programs, also known as community choice aggregation, allow cities and counties to buy or generate renewable energy like solar and wind for residents and businesses.

A county CCE would offer customers in the county’s unincorporated areas an alternative to buying power from San Diego Gas and Electric. SDG&E would still provide transmission and delivery services.


Community Choice Aggregation in California - An Opportunity for the Geothermal Industry [July/August 2016 Bulletin] by Paul Brophy, Past-President, Geothermal Resources Council, and Community Advisory Committee, Sonoma Clean Power.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Canada: Drilling of Second Well at Estevan Geothermal Power Project Due to Begin

Drilling begins on second DEEP geothermal well (Estevan Mercury)

(Courtesy DEEP)
Drilling on the second Deep Earth Energy Production (DEEP) geothermal power production well was expected to begin in late October.

Former Estevan resident Kirsten Marcia, who is the president of DEEP, said, “Now that we’ve done our flow and build up test, we are back in the field.”

The first thing they did was recomplete the first well into an injection well, and then they took all that fluid on the site and injecting it down into the injection well. It’s been monitored with gauges to see how well it responds to reinjection.

“As soon as that’s complete, we’re drilling our second well.”

Marcia said, “Things can move quite quickly at this standpoint. We need that second well in place so we can do the long-term loop and refine our engineering and construction plans. But after that, things can move very quickly. The longest lead item is ordering the Organic Rankine Cycle power generating facility, which can take 12 to 16 months. The rest is infill drilling.”

“At this point, we believe we can have power to the grid at the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022.”

Read More...........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

USA, California: Wildfire Burning Near The Geysers Geothermal Field

Calpine spokesman says minor damage to geothermal plant near Kincade Fire (Napa Valley Register)

A spokesman for the Calpine geothermal facility, The Geysers in Lake County near the Sonoma County border, said Thursday that the Kincade Fire caused relatively minor damage and the fire threat to the facility has passed.

"Some of our operations have been temporarily suspended but we expect production will resume very soon," Calpine spokesman Brett Kerr said in an email.

"Consistent with our fire prevention protocols, due to the wind conditions we had de-energized our local power line system before the fire started. We do not believe our facilities caused the fire. There are power lines operated by third parties across The Geysers," Kerr said.

Read More..........

Global: Next Issue of the Geothermal Magazine Available Next Week

GRC Bulletin - September/October 2019

Serving the geothermal
community since 1972
Volume 48, No. 5 of the internationally-renowned geothermal energy magazine will be published next week.

In this issue:

  • President’s Message, by Andy Sabin
  • Executive Director's Message, by William Pettitt
  • Communication from the GRC, by Ian Crawford
  • Inside Geothermal: North America, Central & South America, Australasia, Asia, Africa, Europe, Education, Science & Technology, Climate Change, by Ian Crawford
  • A New Boost for the Geothermal Industry In British Columbia?, by members of the GRC Student Committee
  • GRC Annual Meeting & Expo 2019 - A Photo report
    • On the Road: GRC Coso Geothermal and GreenFire Energy Field Trip, by Hollis Chin
    • And Then. . . !!  Geothermal Moments, by Susan Fox Hodgson
    • Chatting Geothermally With . . . . . ., by Susan Fox Hodgson
  • Publications, Websites, Videos & Maps, by Ian Crawford
  • Calendar of Events
Sixty (60) pages of essential news and information is available to GRC members only. Don't miss out! Become a GRC Member and be informed.

Spain: 2.2 MWth Geothermal District Heating Network from Abandoned Coal Mine Wins European Award

6th Global District Energy Climate Awards 2019 (Euroheat & Power)

Awards Winner 2019 - Emerging market: “Barredo Colliery” District Heating | Mieres, Asturias, Spain



Mieres has been traditionally a city closely linked to the activity of coal mining. The closure of coal mines represents for the company Hunosa an important challenge. Between the innovative projects in managing the non-active collieries is the use of water from the mines, and the harnessing of its thermal energy.

The actual project that now has been completed involves the development of a District Heating with a Generation Plant in the own facilities of Barredo Colliery. The heat pumps benefit the temperature of the water pumped at 23º.

Subsequently it feeds, using an underground pipe network, two public buildings and a total of 245 dwellings.

Read More.........

Finance: List of Top Ten Geothermal Power Plants in the World

Indonesia owns four of top ten highest active capacity geothermal plants globally, says GlobalData (Investor Ideas)

The top ten countries for total geothermal plant capacity remained (in descending order) the US, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Kenya, Japan and Costa Rica, which together represented almost 86% of global geothermal installed capacity at the end of 2018. The US is the biggest market, with more than 25% of the installed capacity, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines with 13% market share, respectively.

Among the top ten largest geothermal power projects, four are located in Indonesia, representing almost 47% of the total capacity of these projects. The country, which is rich in geothermal resources, has over five gigawatts (GW) of project pipeline under various stages of development. GlobalData estimates that Indonesia will become the largest market by 2027, overtaking the US. Indonesia's Gunung Salak Geothermal Power Plant has remained the unchallenged leader in the list of top geothermal projects, with a capacity of 375 megawatts (MW).

Netherlands: Geofood Project Researches Use of Geothermal Heat for Greenhouse and Fish Farming

Research into the combination of geothermal heat, lettuce cultivation and fish farming started (WUR)

Under great interest the project Geofood has been started. The aim of Geofood is to investigate whether geothermal heating can not only be used to heat greenhouses, but also to breed fish.

Geofood is a collaboration between the Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and partners from Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands.

To validate this model, an advanced fish farming system was installed at WUR in Bleiswijk in early 2019. It is a so-called recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The largest tanks in this system contain around 10,000 liters of water containing thousands of fish.

Read More.........

Ethiopia: Drilling Contract Signed for 50 MW First Phase of Tulu Moye Geothermal Project

KenGen, Tulu Moye Geothermal Operations sign drilling contract (Addis Standard)

A contract to begin drilling works for phase one of Tulu Moye project in Ethiopia was signed yesterday between Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (Kengen) and Tulu Moye Geothermal Operations PLC (TMGO) at Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa.

Accordingly, TMGO will design, finance, build, operate and maintain geothermal powerplant including drilling of geothermal wells. “The project with an estimated capacity to generate 150MW will be developed in two phases (Phase one – 50 MW, Phase two-100MW) to produce electric power in the Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, Oromia Regional State, Arsi & East Shewa zones, and sell the power to Ethiopian Electric Power.”

TMGO is joint venture between Meridiam, French based global investor & asset managing company & Reykjavik Geothermal Ltd, Icelandic based Geothermal developing company.

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Kenya: Unit II of Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant In Service

Unit II of Olkaria V geothermal power plant in Kenya fully operational (News Release)

Olkaria (Courtesy Steam)
The Unit II of the Olkaria V geothermal power plant is now fully operational. Italian group Steam, one of the companies in the SGC Geothermal consortium that worked on this project with Gesto Energy, made the announcement. The Olkaria V geothermal plant, is one of the largest geothermal power plants currently under construction and the largest African geothermal plant.

The first unit of this plant was commissioned in July 2019 by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), the independent power producer (IPP) developing the project in western Kenya. Both Unit 1 and 2 will supply a total of 160 MW of electricity and absorbing 500 tonnes of dry steam per hour, at temperatures of about 270 degrees Celsius.

Read More..........

Global: Introducing the Candidates for the Next Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Board of Directors

GRC Board of Directors - Nominees for 2020-2021 Term

The next election of the GRC Board of Directors will begin on November 1st.

Candidate #3 out of 13: Matthew Broaddus, Field Services Manager, Thermochem

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Australia: Video of New Winton Geothermal Power Plant

Winton Geothermal Power Station Commissioned (gTET)

 
(Video 1:53 Minutes)

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

Canada: Overview of Kitselas Geothermal Project in BC

Kitselas Geothermal & Borealis GeoPower: Geothermal District Energy (Clean50.com)

This project is a novel approach to geothermal energy development for base-load electricity and renewable heating/cooling alternatives. Important rare earth elements (minerals and metals) can also be dissolved in geothermal brines, thus opening new avenues to ethical mining in the well-established BC mining industry. Resource permitting and conceptual engineering design for geothermal and mining development have been completed.

Once the flow rates of the geothermal wells are established, the resource can be matched to the energy needs for electricity and heating/cooling.

As the first company in British Columbia to undergo this process, Kitselas Geothermal Inc. has made some breakthroughs associated with permitting. They have successfully navigated the many government policies and programs before them, setting a course for other geothermal companies to seek permits and begin projects of their own.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives: