Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Canada:

Centram Geothermal to Focus Efforts on Bringing Joaquina Project into Production (Wire Service Canada - News Release)


Centram Geothermal Inc. announced today that it will concentrate its efforts on bringing the Joaquina Project in Guatemala into production. Centram plans to develop a 5MWe power plant at Joaquina and if the reservoir proves to have excess energy, the plant will be expanded. To this end, Centram will bid on a 15 year Power Purchase Agreement in Guatemala's Open Tender 2012 scheduled for October and is starting the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project.

Centram is also seeking strategic partners for its Baru-Colorado project in Panama, and has determined that it will not renew its Atitlan Concession in Guatemala which expires in September.

Australia:

Report: Solar, wind, landfill to make cheapest power by 2030. Not geothermal. (The Register)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
Solar and wind technologies will be the cheapest way to make electricity by 2030, according to a new Australian Energy Technology Assessment (PDF) from Australia’s Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics.

The report, penned with help from consultancy WorleyParsons and the CSIRO, considered 40 different generation technologies and calculated a “Levelised Cost of Energy” (LCOE), “the minimum cost of energy at which a generator must sell the produced electricity in order to achieve its desired economic return” per megawatt hour.

Intriguingly, the report sees little success for geothermal energy, a resource Australia possesses in considerable quantities and also one that has generated some stock market excitement. Costs for that source aren’t projected as falling significantly even in the 2050s.

Read More.....

Monday, July 30, 2012

Canada:

NGP loan restructuring (Northern Nevada Business Weekly)

Nevada Geothermal Power of Vancouver says it's still unable to make full payments on its mezzanine financing debt with Global Energy Partners due to low power production levels at its Faulkner 1 geothermal plant at Blue Mountain. NGP says it's in the late stages of a restructuring plan on the $91.3 million debt, and that it is making full payments on $91.7 million senior debt with John Hancock Life Insurance.

Canada:

Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. Announces Results of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders  (News Release)


Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. has announced results from its Annual and Special Meeting of shareholders held on Tuesday July 24, 2012.

Business items outlined in the notice to shareholders dated June 22, 2012 were all approved namely:
  1. Brian D. Fairbank, James E. Yates, Domenic J. Falcone, Markus K. Christen, R. Gordon Bloomquist, and Gavin Cooper were re-elected as directors of the Company for the ensuing year.
  2. Deloitte & Touché have been re-appointed as Auditors of the Company.
  3. The Company's Share Option Plan was approved. 
  4. The Shareholder Rights Plan as set forth in an Agreement dated December 4, 2008, between the Company and Computershare Investor Services Inc., was further ratified and extended to 2015.
  5. The proposal to consolidate the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company on a basis of one (1) new common share for up to five (5) old common shares, at the discretion of the board, was approved along with a change of name of the Company. 
Read More.....

USA, Montana:

Geothermal power plant could come to Skykomish area (The Monroe Monitor/Valley News)



On a sunny day, Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier are visible reminders that much of the scenery of the Cascades is owed to volcanic activity.

And even though those volcanoes are fairly distant, the processes that made them are very much present in the mountains near the pass, which is why there are hot springs scattered throughout the region.

Technology:

Finding the heat — Small drone ’copters conduct geothermal survey, at less cost (Mtstandard.com)

Bryan Stueve, left, and Matthew Lavin, project engineers with the Dewhurst Group LLC based in Montana City say drone helicopters cut geothermal survey costs nearly in half. (Photos by George Plaven/The Montana Standard)
A new method of mapping geothermal energy is taking flight in Montana.

Dewhurst Group LLC, a geothermal exploration company with offices in Montana City, is developing sensors fixed aboard small drone helicopters to survey geothermal sources from the air.

Project engineers led a demonstration Tuesday behind Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs, joined by officials from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Commerce.

The Dewhurst Group will be exhibiting at the GRC Annual Meeting and GEA Energy Expo September 30-October 3.

Read more.......

USA:

US-Backed Geothermal Pumping Power To Grid (Earth Techling)

More clean energy has come online with help from the 2009 stimulus-backed loan guarantee program.

Ormat Technologies said this week that the McGinness Hills geothermal plant in Lander County, Nev., which actually began putting out power in mid-June, had met requirements for commercial operation under its financing obligations.

Ormat received a partial guarantee for a $350 million loan – 20 percent of the guarantee was the responsibility of a private lender – under the Section 1705 program that was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The loans supported construction of three geothermal power plants in Nevada. McGinness Hills was the last of the three to go into service.

United Kingdom:

Government support for the UK deep geothermal power industry falls short of requirements (Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production)

Despite the relatively low-cost projections of increasing the level of support to five Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) due to the low level of expected generation in the UK, the banding review has decided to leave support levels at two ROCs. This may largely be due to the fact that the UK can benefit from the high levels of investment in Europe that are likely to reduce the levelized costs of geothermal power generation by half by 2020.

The UK can effectively get a free ride and exploit the technological innovations; however, the result will be a delay in generation. Cost projections for geothermal developments in the UK have shown that power generation is not economically viable without the inclusion of heat in combined heat and power (CHP) plants. 

Vanuatu:

Vanuatu gives green light to geothermal power (Radio New Zealand International)

Efate island in Vanuatu 
(Courtesy KUTh Energy)
An Australian geothermal energy developer has been given the green light to produce geothermal power on Vanuatu’s main island.

KUTh Energy has been given government consent to establish at least two four MWe geothermal power plants on Efate, which will displace the current reliance on diesel-based power.

Read More.....

New Zealand:

New Zealand Power Sales On Hold Until September (Wall Street Journal)

The New Zealand government has been told to delay plans to partially sell four energy companies until a decision is made on whether the sale could breach the rights of New Zealand’s indigenous people guaranteed by the country’s founding document.

New Zealand indigenous Maori are claiming ownership of geothermal and water resources used by the energy companies under the 172-year old Treaty of Waitangi document, which promised Maori undisturbed possession of their properties including lands, forests and fisheries unless the tribes sold these to the British Crown.

USA:



Co-sponsored by


The GEA is pleased to announce its second annual National Geothermal Summit on Tuesday, August 7th and Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 in Sacramento, CA. This event brings together companies and individuals in the US geothermal industry with experts, government officials and other key decision makers. Topics covered will include:
  • Reducing the Risks of Geothermal Exploration and Drilling
  • Utility Experience with Geothermal Power
  • Streamlining NEPA and Project Planning and Permitting
  • Improving Incentives for Geothermal Power
The event also includes a small exhibit area featuring sponsor, government and industry tabletops. 

Friday, July 27, 2012

USA, California:

Sunrise Powerlink transmission line dedicated in San Diego County (Southern California Public Radio)

The Sunrise Powerlink began operating in June and was
 dedicated in a ceremony with Gov. Jerry Brown on 
Thursday. (Courtesy Southern California Public Radio)
California Gov. Jerry Brown dedicated the sometimes-controversial 117-mile Sunrise Powerlink in San Diego County on Thursday.

At a ceremony in an Alpine substation, Brown touted the recently-completed transmission line’s ability to carry wind, solar and, hopefully in the near future, geothermal energy from the Inland to San Diego Gas & Electric customers. Renewable energy makes up about 20 percent of that utility’s current portfolio mix.

Read More.....

USA, California:

Study: California is a World Geothermal Leader (KCET)

A study of the global geothermal industry reveals that seismically active California is the global leader in generating power from the Earth's heat. With more than 50 active geothermal plants generating up to two gigawatts of power, California generates two thirds of the U.S.'s geothermal power, and has more geothermal capacity than any other country.

The Aruvians Research report, "Analyzing Geothermal Power in the U.S.," is a survey of American geothermal energy and the economic and regulatory worlds in which it operates.

Read More......

USA, California:

Green Innovation Turns Farmer's Crop Red


Houweling's Tomatoes officially unveils its new 8.8 MW combined heat and power (CHP) energy project in Camarillo, California on August 22, the first greenhouse CHP plant in the nation.

Designed by GE, the innovative, ultra-high efficiency natural gas-fired plant provides heat, power, and CO2 (carbon dioxide) to Houweling's 125-acre tomato greenhouse. Learn how this project helps to sustainably power the business and supply energy to the grid while lessening the environmental impact on the community through CO2 emissions capture.

The U.S. Clean Heat & Power Association invites you to join GE and Houweling's Tomatoes for the unveiling of their new CHP system!

WHEN: August 22, 2012, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Houweling's Tomatoes
645 West Laguna RoadCamarillo, California.

REGISTER NOW  -  Register by August 7

Thursday, July 26, 2012

USA, Nevada:

Ormat Announces Commercial Operation of McGinness Hills Geothermal Power Plant (Marketwatch - News Release)


Ormat Technologies, Inc. announced today that its McGinness Hills geothermal power plant located in Lander County, Nevada met the requirements for commercial operation under the OFC 2 Senior Secured Notes

The 30 MWe (net capacity) power plant has been in full operation since June 15, 2012, selling the renewable electricity to NV Energy under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement at approximately half of the full energy price. Full energy prices are expected to be paid upon NV Energy's approval of the Commercial Operation Date (COD).

Read More.....

Nicaragua:

Ram Power Receives Initial Equity Distribution From Its San Jacinto-Tizate Project (Environmental Expert.com - News Release)


Ram Power, Corp. has announced that it has received an initial equity distribution of approximately $1 million from the San Jacinto-Tizate geothermal power project, which began commercial operation of its Phase I 36 MWe expansion in January 2012, and has produced approximately 157,000 MWh.

Polaris Geothermal Inc.'s Vice President, Operations and COO, Latin America, Tono Rodriguez, stated, 'The Phase I expansion continues to operate with better than average efficiency and availability, and we expect this trend to carry forward not only with Phase I, but also with the Phase II expansion scheduled for commercial operation in December 2012.'

Read More.....

Djibouti:

Djibouti Awards Contract For Geothermal Plant To Chinese Firm (Cross posted from ThinkGeoEnergy)

Djibouti is pushing forward with its geothermal ambitions having awarded a large construction contract for a geothermal plant to a Chinese firm recently.

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
Reported via the Economist, Djibouti has awarded a major contract for the construction of a geothermal power plant to a Chinese firm.

The Djibouti geothermal project has been discussed for years with Icelandic and international players involved in possible development.

Icelandic company Reykjavik Energy Invest in the past planned a 50 MWe project in the country.

Indonesia:

Indonesian company's geothermal plants likely to miss deadline (The Jakarta Post)

State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) reveals that there are 13 geothermal power plant projects that are likely to miss development deadlines and are still stuck in exploration stages.

PLN renewable energy chief Muhammad Sofyan said that partners responsible on the upstream production side were struggling with a variety of problems that slowed down the exploration process, ranging from a lack of supporting infrastructure to tough licensing procedures and financing.

Read More.....

USA, California:

More wells approved for Heber geothermal plant (Imperial Valley Press)

Heber Geothermal Plant in Imperial Valley 
(Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)
Heber’s geothermal plant is expected to get four more wells as the Imperial County Planning Commission approved amending the plant’s permit Wednesday.

The plant, owned by Ormat, was built in the 1980s and currently has its wells inside the plant, said Charlene Wardlow, director of business development for Ormat.

With the amendment, Ormat will now drill four wells outside the plant which will be interconnected with pipelines along existing field roads to the plant, according to county staff.

Read More.....

Global:

GRC/CGEC Workshop Exceeds Expectations (PR Web.)

International community comes together for geochemistry workshop at the University of California, Davis. GRC promises more workshops in future.

Gene Suemnicht talks to
the packed workshop
On Thursday and Friday, July 19 and 20, the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) and the California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC) cosponsored a workshop titled Recent Advances in Geothermal Geochemistry.

The event was a great success. Bill Glassley, CGEC Director, commented, “I was particularly pleased to see so many young professionals, graduate students, and women present. I believe we are seeing a revitalization of our community.

Indonesia:

Indonesian Geothermal Energy Plan Raises Hackles (The Jakarta Globe)

Not everyone is happy with government’s plan, announced by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik, to increase the purchase price of electricity produced by geothermal sources from 9.7 cents per kilowatt hour to between 10 cents and 17 cents per kilowatt hour.

State utility company Perusahaan Listrik Negara, which buys the power from independent producers, said the price was “too high” and did not reflect the typical investment return for projects in renewable energy.

Read More......

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

USA:

Betting on Steam (East Bay Express)

The Obama administration is boosting its investment in renewable, geothermal power. But will it solve our energy problems?

Eighteen geothermal power plants are distributed
across 45 square miles at The Geysers.
(Courtesy Calpine Corp.)
Biding its time beneath our feet is enough heat to power the entire state of California. But that's nothing. According to a 2008 estimate from the US Geological Service, there may be enough sub-surface energy in the West alone to meet roughly 70 percent of the nation's electricity needs. Other projections have placed that figure far higher, exceeding the sum of all energy consumed in the United States.

USA, California:

California Energy Commission EPIC staff workshop in Los Angeles (PDF)

The California Energy Commission staff will conduct a workshop to discuss the first triennial investment plan for the Electric Program Investment Charge Program. Energy Commission commissioners may attend the workshop.

August 9 and August 10, 2012 - Beginning at 9:00 am

CalTrans Bldg. District 7, 100 South Main Street Conference Rooms A, B, C Los Angeles, California

USA, Hawai'i:

Arguments Against Geothermal Are ‘Absurdly Elitist,’ Says Scientist (Honolulu Civil Beat)

Interest in developing geothermal on the Big Island has picked up momentum during the past few years. But it’s also bringing out some age-old critics and becoming a hot-button issue in this year’s race for Big Island mayor.

This is what Don Thomas, a UH scientist and one of Hawaii’s foremost experts on geothermal, had to say about some recent arguments that Big island residents were making against geothermal:
"Opponents of geothermal were supporting the construction of coal fired power plants on Oahu and did it in the full knowledge that it was coming from the rainforest in Indonesia. It’s absurdly elitest to think that we have a right to destroy other environments to prevent any impact on our local environment. I think it’s just a horrible philosophy to pursue. It basically just perpetuates this idea that we can forever export and defer the impacts on our society. And the whole business of global warming is just one aspect of it. But people who take this attitude that we can’t tolerate any impacts whatever is irresponsible, frankly."
Thomas, who has studied geothermal in Hawaii for decades, is set to conduct a new round of studies assessing the energy source’s statewide potential. There could even be viable resources on Oahu

Australia:

Panax Geothermal to benefit from Indonesian increase in electricity tariff for geothermal projects (Proactive Investors - Australia)

(Courtesy Proactive Investors)
Panax Geothermal stands to be a beneficiary of the the Indonesian Government’s decision to increase the electricity tariff for geothermal projects.

The Company will enjoy improved project economics for its geothermal energy projects in Indonesia.

Tariffs in Java will increase by about 33% to US$120 per megawatt hour while the tarrif on the island of Flores has increased by 20% to US$150 per megawatt hour.

USA, Hawai'i:

Oahu Heating Up? New Geothermal Testing Could Change Energy Plan (Honolulu Civil Beat)

(Courtesy National Park Service)
Scientists are set to begin testing for geothermal energy potential on Oahu and other Hawaiian islands. And what they find could change the direction of Hawaii’s energy policy.

Tests conducted several decades ago, show that the thermal energy lying below the Big Island’s volcanic rifts is enough to power the state’s electricity needs seven times over, according to a report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

United Kingdom:

UK Developers fear for geothermal under new subsidy regime (Business Green)

Geothermal industry warns cuts to support send out message UK is 'closed for business', although boost for hydro and energy-from-waste welcomed.

Away from the big ticket wind and marine energy subsidy announcements today, developers from some of the emerging renewable energy industries were left mulling a mixed bag of reforms to support levels.

Lobbyists were particularly disappointed with the level of support for geothermal, which will fall from 2 ROCs in 2013 to 1.9 ROCs in 2015 and 1.8 ROCs the following year.

Dr Ryan Law, chief executive of Geothermal Engineering, said he was "shocked" by the cuts, insisting geothermal is a developing industry worthy of similar support to wave and tidal energy, which will from next year enjoy more than double the level of support at 5 ROCs per MWh.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

USA, Webinar:



This webinar will discuss current sales of development-stage renewable energy projects in the US market and application of guidance from the US Department of the Treasury governing transfers of renewable energy assets and equipment. 

In particular, we will focus on property with respect to which Treasury’s “beginning construction” deadline of December 31, 2011 was met and the potential impact of subsequent transfer on the property’s eligibility for a Treasury grant under section 1603 of division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as amended. 

Treasury rules as applied to third-party sales, joint ventures and affiliate transactions will be covered, as well as what information is required to be disclosed by applicants on a project’s preliminary Treasury grant application due September 30, 2012.

USA:

Management of Risk Through Exploration and Site Assessment (ThinkGeoEnergy)

The management of geothermal exploration risk continues to be a hot topic and this recent article looks at the European experience and how it could be applied to North American geothermal projects.

A recent article in North American Clean Energy describes a way to mitigate risk for geothermal projects and describes “financial risk mitigation” as the “golden bullet” to geothermal exploration.

There are so many examples of well run and successful projects in geothermal development, but also many examples of unsuccessful projects.

Read More.....

USA, Hawai'i:

Mayors Race Erupts on Big Island Over Geothermal (Honolulu Civil Beat)

Billy Kenoi 
(Courtesy Honolulu Civil Beat)
Harry Kim says he was looking forward to the quiet life — retiring and being a grandfather. The two-time Big Island mayor had left the county in the hands of his protege, Billy Kenoi.

But a renewed push to construct power plants along volcanic rifts brought the 72-year-old out of retirement.

"I'm in support of the development of geothermal," Kim told Civil Beat. "But it must be right from the position of the people and the environment."

Read More.....

New Zealand:

Quiet geyser shows signs of life (Rotorua Daily Post)

Māori woman beside the Waikite Geyser 
at Whakarewarewa, taken about 1910 
( Courtesy The Encyclopedia of New Zealand)
The once famous Waikite Geyser in Rotorua is showing signs of rejuvenation after 43 years of very little activity, scientists say.

Waikite was once the "crown jewel" of geysers at Whakarewarewa geothermal area, but it has not produced a significant steam eruption and has not had shallow acidic fluids since 1969.

GNS Science geothermal scientist Ed Mroczek said geothermal features were naturally variable, and could be dormant for some years.

"This makes it difficult to distinguish what is part of a natural cycle and what is disruption caused by human activity," Dr Mroczek said. "Our monitoring has shown that not all geysers and springs have returned to their former state, but it is really encouraging to see signs of activity at Waikite."

Dr Mroczek said elevated levels of chloride in the hot water at Whakarewarewa indicated that pressure had increased and water from deeper in the earth was being pushed towards the surface.

USA, Nevada:

Gradient mandates on Patua geothermal (Project Finance)

Gradient Resources has mandated Union Bank to lead a financing for its Patua geothermal project. Union Bank, a Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group member, replaces original lenders BNP Paribas, Dexia.

Monday, July 23, 2012

USA:


Co-sponsored by


GEA is pleased to announce its second annual National Geothermal Summit on Tuesday, August 7th and Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 in Sacramento, CA. This event brings together companies and individuals in the geothermal industry with experts, government officials and other key decision makers. Topics covered will include:
  • Reducing the Risks of Geothermal Exploration and Drilling
  • Utility Experience with Geothermal Power
  • Streamlining NEPA and Project Planning and Permitting
  • Improving Incentives for Geothermal Power
The event also includes a small exhibit area featuring sponsor, government and industry tabletops. 

Japan:

Japan Minister presses for larger budget for development of geothermal power (Japan Times)

Environment Minister Goshi Hosono said Sunday that the state budget needs to be expanded to promote the development of geothermal power.

"We need to establish a research system to overcome the energy crisis and to provide a reasonable budget," Hosono said after inspecting a geothermal power plant in Fukushima Prefecture.

Japan's failure to sufficiently fund the geothermal power sector has created a shortage of researchers and technology that has not progressed since the 1970s, Hosono said.

Fiji:

Geothermal exploration interest in Fiji (Fiji Broadcasting Corporation)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
Fiji will soon grant two geothermal exploration licenses. There are currently four spots of geothermal activity in Fiji. These are Savusavu, Labasa, Sabeto and Vatukoula.

Assistant Director Mining Venesio Nasara says a company has applied for exploration at Sabeto and Vatukoula and another company has expressed interest for exploration at the Savusavu spot.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

W. Java geothermal plant to proceed (The Jakarta Post)

Publicly traded state construction company PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA) says it will proceed with a long delayed plan to build a 40 MWe geothermal power plant in West Java.

WIKA corporate secretary Natal Argawan said in Jakarta last week that the firm’s subsidiary Wijaya Karya Jabar Power secured a contract to build and operate a geothermal power plant in the Gunung Mas geothermal field in 2008, although project realization had been slow due to high financial risk.

“We are completing a seismic survey,” he told Kontan business daily. Drilling would start as soon as the survey was completed, he added.

In the first phase of development, which was expected to begin early next year, the company would drill two of seven targeted wells, each for an estimated cost of US$5 million, according to Natal.

“Hopefully, the drilling process will be complete in 2013. We will continue by building the power plant in the next phase. We expect the plant to start operations in 2015,” Natal said in a telephone interview.

Read More.....

Commonwealth of Dominica:

Geothermal Energy To Reduce Dominicans Electricity Bills By 40% (The Gleaner - Jamaica)

(Courtesy Wikipedia Commons)
The Dominican government says it is pleased with the developments within the geothermal energy sector and has assured nationals that they could expect at least a 40 per cent reduction in electricity bills within the coming months.

Energy Minister Rayburn Blackmore told Parliament on Thursday night that the Roosevelt Skerrit administration is considering building a 10-15 MWe plant in the near future as the island seeks to develop alternative sources of energy, describing the geothermal sector as a success story.

Read More....

Philippines:

Local Geothermal Already Nearing Limit (Manila Bulletin)

While the Philippine government is still dreaming to maximize development of geothermal resources, experts regrettably noted that the country is already nearing its limit on that sphere.

Project operators affiliated with the International Geothermal Association have noted that the estimated geothermal resource of the country is at 4,000 MWe; and 1,966 MWe are already on commercial operations.

“The Philippines has an estimated 4,000 MWe of geothermal resources and about 1,900 MW of this potential is already commercialized … this suggests that almost half of the geothermal potential of the Philippines has been developed already,” project operators said.

Read More......

Kenya:

Kenya Launches Biggest Geothermal Plant (CRIENGLISH.com)

Olkaria II Power Station (Courtesy
Kenya Electricity Generating Company)
Kenya on Monday launched its biggest investment in geothermal power generation with the commissioning of the Olkaria IV 280 MWe plant at Naivasha, about 100 km west of the capital Nairobi.

The project of nearly 950 million U.S. dollars will be completed in December 2014, enabling geothermal to contribute 30 percent to the country's energy mix.

"This project is a tipping point of geothermal generation in Kenya. It is a stamp that Kenya is serious about geothermal generation," Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KENGEN) Managing Director Eddy Njoroge said during the launch.

Chile:

EDC cancels project in Chile, to pursue project in Peru (Zambo Times)

Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has cancelled its two geothermal projects in Chile but will pursue its projects in Peru in line with the goal to expand its international operations.

In a disclosure with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Monday, EDC said the cancellation was made after the company deployed a team of geothermal scientists to its Calerias and Longavi projects, which are under the company’s Chilean joint venture agreement (JV) with Hot Rock Limited (HRL) earlier this year.

Read More.....

Friday, July 20, 2012

India:

Kasmir Geothermal Project gets financial start (Day and Nightnews)

Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) will invest Rs 1,850 crore this fiscal in setting up of power projects.

The annual budget of Rs 1,850 crore was approved by the Board of Directors of the JKSPDC during a two-day meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, anofficial spokesman said today.

A 5 MWe technology Demonstration cum Resource assessment Geothermal Project will be developed in IPP mode at Pugah Leh to herald the beginning of harnessing rich geothermal reserves in Ladakh region, the spokesman said. 

Ethiopia:

Ethiopia aims for 450 MW geothermal power by 2019 (ESI Africa.com)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
The Ethiopian Geological Survey will be the agency responsible for helping achieve the goal of 450 MW of geothermal power in that country by 2019. Director general of the Ethiopian Geological Survey says that this power will be generated at Abaya, Alto, Fentale, Kerbito, Tendaho and Tulu Moye in the coming five to seven years.

Ethiopia has received US$50 million from the Climate Investment Fund (CIF) and part of this funding will go towards developing the country’s geothermal capacity.

Ethiopia's investment plan will see the African Development Bank (AfDB) provide investment and technical support to execute phase II of the country's Aluto Langano geothermal and Assela wind farm projects. Under the terms of the CIF's Scaling up Renewable Energy Program for Low Income Countries, the AfDB will provide US$23 million for these two projects.

Indonesia:

Low Prices Are Burning Geothermal Developers (Jakarta Globe)

The Indonesian government has identified 23 geothermal power plant projects, with a total combined capacity of 2,114 MWe, that are at risk of being halted because they are no longer feasible.

The developers of those projects have seen their costs steadily climb, forcing the selling price of power to be reviewed.

“The selling price of electricity from geothermal projects was set very low, so the developers were going to lose, if they continued with those projects,” Djadjang Sukarna, a renewable energy official at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said on Wednesday.

United Kingdom:

Plan to heat Manchester homes with a geothermal spring (BBC News)

A similar geothermal project 
is under way in Newcastle 
(Courtesy BBC News) 
Plans to drill boreholes in Manchester city centre to extract underground heat for 6,000 homes and businesses have been unveiled.

Two rigs in the Ardwick area would drill down 3km (2 miles) to a thermal spring in the multi-million pound plan. A network of underground pipes would take the heat to homes area.

Developer GT Energy says accessing the renewable heat source will reduce energy costs for residents.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Global:

GRC Geochemistry Workshop Attracts a Global Audience

Gene Suemnicht addresses the attendees
Over 80 attendees from around the world came together for a workshop on the campus of University of California, Davis. Organized by the Geothermal Resources Council and co-hosted with the California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC), over 80 professionals in the Geothermal Industry and graduate students interested in hydrothermal and geothermal systems were treated to over 12 hours of lectures over two days on Recent Advances in Geochemistry. A networking reception held UC Davis Geology Department brought the first day to a close.


Global:

Renewable Energy World Project of the Year Awards

Nominate a Geothermal Project

The Renewable Energy World Network Editors have announced that their Projects of the Year Award Ceremony honoring the year's best wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydro projects will take place this December in Orlando, Florida.

Any project, from any part of the world is eligible to receive an award.

To be eligible to receive an award, projects must have come online between August 1st, 2011 and July 31st, 2012.

Nominations are being accepted through August 31, 2012.

USA, California:


California POU energy investments
Infographic courtesy Union of Concerned Scientists
 California's ten largest publicly owned utilities have made significant renewable energy gains, according to a new report, but some have a lot of work to do to meet the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirement.

The report, "The Clean Energy Race: How Do California's Public Utilities Measure Up?" published today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), charts the improvement in renewable energy made by the ten utilities from 2003 to 2010.

Read More....

Indonesia:

Govt raises prices for geothermal power plants to lure investors (The Jakarta Post)

The Indonesian government has finally raised the feed-in-tariff for geothermal power plants to between 10 to 17 US cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from 9.7 cents per kWh to lure more investors enter the geothermal power business.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said on Tuesday, the feed-in-tariff or the purchasing price of state electricity company PLN for geothermal power plants was increased in order to attract more investors to tap into the country’s rich geothermal resource.

“The new prices will vary from region to region, where the power plants are located. For example, the price in Sumatra would be 10 cents, Java would be 11 cents, while Papua 17 cents,

Read More.....

USA:

Research and Markets: Analyzing Geothermal Power in the US 2012 (Business Wire)

United States is the biggest producer of geothermal energy in the world. The geothermal market in United States is expected to rise at the rate of nearly 13% in the coming ten years.

Improving technologies such as low temperature plants are driving down costs and could lead to much shorter development timelines, while Enhanced Geothermal System developments could pave the way for the industry's longer term growth. The accelerated growth of renewable energy projects is a response to the powerful combination of high energy prices and growing state government support.

Indonesia:

Indonesian Green Power Aim ‘Realistic’ (The Jakarta Globe)

Government officials look at a model of a geothermal
power 
plant in Jakarta on Tuesday. 
(Antara Photo/Prasetyo Utomo)  
 The country holds 40 percent of the world’s geothermal reserves 

The government is optimistic that the contribution of renewables in the national energy mix will reach 25 percent by 2025 and 35 percent by 2050, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said on Tuesday.

Wacik said that renewable energy currently accounts for only for 5 to 6 percent of the national energy mix.

Read More.....

Philippines:

Philippines commits to increase geothermal output, to tap NZ expertise (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Philippines Department of Energy (DoE) is looking to accelerate the development of about 2,000 megawatts of the country’s geothermal resources.

This will require investments of as much as $8 billion (roughly P344 billion), according to the DoE.

These estimates were based on the global rule of thumb that $2 million to $4 million is needed to produce a megawatt of geothermal power, from the development of the steam field to the operation of a power plant.

On the sidelines of the geothermal forum on Wednesday hosted by the New Zealand Embassy, Energy Secretary Jose Rene D. Amendras said the DoE planned to tap the expertise of New Zealand firms in maximizing the Philippines’s indigenous resources.

Read More.....

United Kingdom:

Sainsbury's digs deep for geothermal power (Business Green)


Supermarket partners with E.on and Geothermal International to install deep geothermal and ground source heat pump technology at 100 stores.

Sainsbury's has pledged to power 100 of its supermarkets with underground renewable heat, after signing a deal with E.on and Geothermal International as part of efforts to slash its carbon emissions by 2020.

The supermarket chain announced two partnerships today that will see car parks in 100 of its larger stores kitted out with both geothermal power plants and ground source heat pumps designed to provide heating, hot water and cooling to stores.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

New Zealand:

Geothermal pioneer took on some big opponents (The Dominion Post)

 Alistair McLachlan RIP. 
(Courtesy The Dominion Post)
Taupo geothermal pioneer Alistair McLachlan spent much of his life battling bureaucracy to see his dream of providing a cheap renewable energy source to generate electricity realised.

His travails became a modern- day David v Goliath struggle for nearly 30 years.

Friends and colleagues became familiar with his dogged stubbornness, relentless determination, and insistence of following his passion for geothermal power.

McLachlan died last week in Taupo, aged 71.

Read More.......

USA, Hawai'i:


Website..... Event includes the following geothermal discussion:

Tuesday, August 14, 10:30 am -12:00 noon

Geothermal: Building to Utility Scale in Hawai‘i & other Island Communities

USA, California:

Karen Douglas, Commissioner on
the CA Energy Commission
CGEC Forum Discusses Geothermal Issues in California

The California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC) opened its 2012 Forum this morning with speakers from across the state.

The keynote speaker was Karen Douglas, a commissioner on the CA Energy Commission. She is the lead on power plant siting and federal stimulus programs. Karen spoke about the state's efforts to require one-third of the state's electricity come from renewable energy by December 31, 2020 and the important contribution that geothermal power can bring to the equation.

Mexico:

Analyzing Geothermal Power in Mexico - Market Research Report (Companies and Markets.com)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)
Mexico is the world's fourth largest producer of geothermal energy at present. The country has seen significant improvement in its geothermal capacity and has a current capacity of nearly 1,000 MWe. The known geothermal reserves of Mexico have been assessed at close to 1,300 MWe. The geothermal deposits embrace the full scale of temperatures (high, medium and low). The current exploitation of the high temperature resource is 853 MWe and of the medium temperature is 107 MWe.

Read More.....

Monday, July 16, 2012

USA, Hawai'i:

Hawaii County geothermal bill gets vetoed

Mayor Billy Kenoi
A pair of bills relating to geothermal energy have died on Mayor Billy Kenoi’s desk, unless the County Council can engineer an override of the veto.

One bill would have required the county Civil Defense Agency to prepare an emergency response and evacuation plan for geothermal facilities and to submit it to the County Council for approval by Aug. 1. The bill is aimed at people living near Puna Geothermal Venture.

USA, Alaska:

ElectraTherm Completes Demonstration at University of Alaska (News Release)


Green Machine Reduces Diesel Consumption & Lowers Energy Costs

ElectraTherm’s Green Machine, generating fuel-free, emission free power from waste heat, completed its demonstration at University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) totaling more than 1,100 hours of runtime.

The Green Machine was demonstrated at the University’s main power plant on campus. The technology is targeted for rural Alaskan communities to reduce diesel fuel consumption and lower energy costs.

USA, Nevada:

First solar-geothermal plant blooms in Nevada's high desert (Engadget)

Enel Green Power's Stillwater geothermal/solar
plant (Courtesy Engadget)
Drive west on US Route 50 through a stretch of Nevada highway known as "The Loneliest Road in America" and you'll eventually find yourself in the rural county of Churchill. Once a solitary leg in the Pony Express route, irrigation transformed swaths of Churchill's high desert areas into thriving agricultural communities more than a century ago. Fast forward to today and Churchill finds itself playing host to yet another interesting dichotomy -- a first-of-its-kind power plant that generates electricity by harvesting renewable resources from both earth and sky.

United Kingdom:

New 'hot rocks' scheme in UK (This is Cornwall)

(Courtesy Eden-Project.net)
Energy independence, hi-tech jobs and a long-term income from exporting power to other parts of the country could be a reality for Cornwall by the end of the decade.

A partnership made up of EGS Energy Limited and the Eden Project say the potential to exploit the region's underground heat sources is virtually limitless and that investment is needed now to ensure the new industry is driven forward.

Announcing that the consortium hopes to sink the UK's first geothermal pipes deep into the earth's crust early next year, EGS and Eden are calling on the Government and entrepreneurs to back the £35 million scheme.

Japan:

Japan allows first geothermal power plant to be built inside national park (The Japan Daily Press)

(Courtesy The Japan Daily Press) 
The hot spring resort known as Tsuchiyu Onsen, located in Fukushima City, will be the first Japanese national park to have a geothermal power plant constructed within its borders. This development comes after the Environment Ministry relaxed its regulations in March of this year, now permitting geothermal power generation within its designated parks. 

The advantage is two-fold in that national parks with hot springs are rich for geothermal development, and the number of tourists visiting the resorts has significantly dropped since last year’s nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power plant.

USA, Utah:

EPC contract signed for geothermal power project in Utah (Power Engineering)


Ormat Technologies Inc. said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ormat Nevada Inc., has signed a $61.4 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Enel Green Power North America.

Under the EPC contract, Ormat will provide two air-cooled Ormat Energy Converters at Enel’s Cove Fort geothermal power plant project in southern Utah, about 175 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Enel acquired the non-generating Cove Fort geothermal plant in March 2007. The geothermal plant, when complete, will have an installed capacity of up to 65 MWe.

The first phase of the project is expected to be commercially operating by the end of 2013.

Read More.....

Friday, July 13, 2012

Global:

New Report - The Geothermal Energy Market 2012-2022 (Yahoo! Finance)

The geothermal energy market is likely to see significant investment over the next ten years, though growth will be unevenly spread throughout the world as each region is influenced by a diverse array of factors. 

This new report explains how the market will develop as a multi-billion dollar sector, revealing geothermal energy developments throughout the world and including regional or country specific forecasts and analysis for both the electricity and direct use parts of the market. 

This report covers all the major companies involved in the industry and includes the latest contract developments, newest partnerships and the most significant technological advances. A wealth of data is analysed to provide a clear breakdown of how the geothermal energy market will develop over the next ten years.

Read More.......

USA, California:

Carl Stills (Courtesy 
Imperial Valley Press)   
Two will manage Imperial Irrigation District's energy department (Imperial Valley Press)

Two longtime Imperial Irrigation District employees will lead the district’s energy department on an interim basis. The district is home to three of the top six geothermal fields in the USA.

Mario Escalera and Carl Stills were appointed as deputy managers for the department, announced General Manager Kevin Kelley on Thursday. Escalera will head up day-to-day operations, while Stills will be responsible for strategic planning. IID officials will continue to work to finalize the organizational responsibilities of the department as the recruiting process for a permanent energy manager continues.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

USA, Wyoming:

Taking the Temperature of Yellowstone from Space (USGS - Volcano Hazards Program)

Shaded relief map of Yellowstone with
warm (thermal)  areas color coded based
on how much geothermal heat they are 
emitting per unit area. (Courtesy USGS)
We all know Yellowstone is hot… but how hot? And how can we detect park- or basin-wide changes in geothermal areas (regions that let off Earth’s internal heat) that may take place over months, or years? Thermal imaging with satellites has proven highly useful at erupting volcanoes, where magma emerges at very high temperatures. Geothermal areas, though appearing hot on the ground, are more difficult to study from space because their temperatures are much lower and the signal can be masked by solar heating of the ground surface during the daytime.