The Guam Power Authority (GPA) has managed to whittle down the latest round of renewable energy bidders from the initial 12 to just seven qualified proponents. A total of 60 megawatts are available for companies and organizations to take up as part of the utility's second phase of renewable energy integration. Most of the qualified bidders are proposing solar energy and one has even proposed geothermal energy.
Wind energy may have potential on Guam, a U.S. island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific, but the island has limited geothermal energy resources. This hasn't prevented one company from suggesting up to 10 MW in geothermal power. The concern with geothermal, according to GPA General Manager John Benavente, is that few entities – including GPA – have been willing to expend the cost needed to explore such energy sources. The cost of a geothermal plant would be determined by the depth of the heat source and there are several other variables to consider, Benavente said. What is certain, he added, is that contracting for geothermal energy would require some type of sunset provision in case it takes too long to utilize the technology.
