Alan Gerstler, Desert Research Institute (DRI) vice president and director of DRI’s Clean Technologies and Renewable Energy Center, said geothermal is competitive and has numerous pluses, while solar and wind are intermittent energy sources.
He showed a slide saying renewables are “closing in on cost parity” with fossil fuels. He also made the point that environmental, health care and other cost factors aren't always included in comparative assessments.
Jack McGinley, NV Energy director of regulatory and legislative strategy, pointed out data showing the cost differential despite renewables coming down from prior years. He also said NV Energy likes geothermal, praising reliability because it is a “baseline resource.” Wind, he said, is more of a challenge to harvest in Nevada than solar.
Paul Thomsen, Ormat’s director of policy and business development and a recent Sandoval administration appointee as the director of Nevada’s Office of Energy, described his geothermal energy company’s contribution to the state’s renewable portfolio. He cited a $1.5 billion total investment.
But Thomsen said geothermal is still a small part of the energy sector, comparing it with much larger oil and gas companies and saying there is considerable growth still in front of Ormat and other firms in his field.
NV Energy CEO Michael Yackira and Rebecca Wagner, Commissioner, Nevada Public Utilities Commission are speaking at the Opening Session of the GRC Annual Meeting, at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Sept. 30.
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