Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Canada:

CanGEA: Geothermal $56-$73 / MWh Better for BC than Site C (News Release)

Today Alison Thompson, Chair and Managing Director of the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) provided a technical briefing on the CanGEA Geothermal Report. Without adjusting for other significant benefits such as reduced transmission costs and increased permanent jobs, the geothermal unit energy cost of $56 - $73/MWh compares positively to the updated Site C cost to ratepayers of $58-$61/MWh.

CanGEA Chair Alison Thompson notes: "To paraphrase Minister Bill Bennett, there is every possible way that geothermal can be the answer to our prayers at the present time. If the BC Government treats geothermal energy as a priority, not an afterthought, geothermal will provide firm energy beginning in 2018 at a lower cost than Site C and in a manner that benefits ratepayers, taxpayers, First Nations, the economy and the environment, not to mention having a carbon footprint that is lower than Site C."

CanGEA geothermal background information available at http://www.cangea.ca