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| (Courtesy: The Parthenon) |
West Virginia’s first Geothermal Energy Conference will take place at the Flatwoods Conference Center in Flatwoods, W.Va., on May 22.
Marshall University’s Center for Business and Economic Research and Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences will play host to the event alongside the West Virginia Division of Energy and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey.
There will be a variety of topics presented including data analysis undertaken by Southern Methodist University on geothermal energy that, according to CEGAS, “identified the resource potential, current efforts to refine estimates of the cost of electricity produced from the resource, practical aspects of drilling to depths required to encounter geothermal energy resources necessary for efficient use, geologic characteristics of the resource, critical engineering concepts involved with resource development and the experience with demonstrating development potential of a similar resource.”
Geothermal energy is generated and stored within the Earth. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists it can be found almost anywhere, “as far away as the remote deep wells in Indonesia and as close as the dirt in our backyards.”
“Geothermal energy is unique in that it can provide continuous power production, something most renewable energy resources can’t,” said CBER Director Christine Risch in a Marshall University press release. “It hasn’t been exploited yet in this region because it is high cost and high risk.
“This conference will lay out the steps involved in evaluating and developing geothermal resources, including potential ways to reduce costs and uncertainty. The gathering will move us a little closer to an actual demonstration of the capability of the resource here in West Virginia.”
Tony Szwilski, CEGAS director, added to Risch’s statement by focusing on West Virginia’s significant past and present in the energy field.
“Assessing the potential for geothermal energy in this state is essential, as every domestic energy resource that can meet current and future U.S. energy needs to be evaluated,” Szwilski said.
The event is geared toward energy analysts, researchers of emerging technology, geologists, systems and energy conservation engineers, utilities, resource extraction professionals, environmental consultants, economic development specialists and policy makers.
More information on the conference can be found at www.marshall.edu/cegas/events/wvgec.
