July 2017

Monday, July 31, 2017

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+: Make Your Hotel Reservations Now!

Book Your Room for the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

The Holiday Inn Express Salt Lake City Downtown and Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel are the official hotels for the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+, both a short walk (350-500 yards) from the Salt Palace Convention Center, the location for most of the events.

The GRC has contracted with the hotels for a discounted block of rooms for a limited time. There is a choice of rooms with either two double beds or a king bed starting at $149 a night excluding taxes and fees. We strongly recommend making your hotel reservations on-line through dedicated web pages. The preferred rate is automatically applied. If you need to make your reservations over the phone make sure you mention you are part of the Geothermal Resources Council/ Geothermal Energy Association group to get the special rate.

Holiday Inn Express Salt Lake City Downtown (350 yards from the GRC Annual Meeting registration area)

Salt Lake City’s newest and most modern Holiday Inn Express Hotel, featuring the new FORMULA BLUE look designed with smart travelers in mind. Guests will enjoy a fresh contemporary high-tech hotel designed to offer a unique express experience and a great stay in the heart of Downtown Salt Lake City. Guests will also enjoy the convenient location directly across from the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Holiday Inn Reservation Link.........

Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
(500 yards from the GRC Annual Meeting registration area)

Set on the light rail system in the heart of the city’s entertainment district, Hilton Salt Lake City Center is a great starting off point for sightseeing. The hotel is also across the street from the Salt Palace Convention Center, making it an ideal Utah meeting and recreation spot.

Hilton Reservation Link.........

Why Stay at the Conference Hotel?

GRC and GEA strongly encourage you to stay at one of the conference hotels to gain the benefits of networking with colleagues, being close to the event venue, and relaxing in nice hotel properties.

We make every effort to negotiate the best possible rates. When you stay at the conference hotels, you help GRC and GEA meet our contractual obligations, avoid paying financial damages for this meeting, secure suitable venues and preferred dates-and-rates for future conferences.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Geothermal Energy Event - Registration Now Open

Registration is Open for GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+

Special deals for early birds and students at prestigious geothermal energy event

Registration is now open for the biggest annual geothermal event of the year. The GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ will bring together geothermal companies, academics, financiers, policy leaders, students, and other individuals to attend or exhibit at the event, to be held from October 1-4 at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Early birds who register before August 30 pay only $880 as Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) members or $1,030 if non-members. The non-member registration includes GRC membership through 2018. Students with a current identification card from an accredited institution pay just $125 which also includes GRC membership through 2018.

In addition to the Technical Program, the three-day registration to the GRC Annual Meeting includes an Opening Reception on Sunday evening, the Opening Session on Monday morning, a Network Reception on Tuesday, entry to the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) GeoExpo+ and lunch on three days.

Registration is available from the GRC website at www.geothermal.org. A Preliminary Program complete with a Registration Form is available to view and download. However, the GRC recommends online registration through a secured connection. The link is available on the front page of the GRC website at www.geothermal.org.

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+: Make Your Hotel Reservations Now!

Book Your Room for the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

Friday, July 21, 2017

USA: 2018 Stanford Geothermal Workshop Call For Abstract Now Open

STANFORD GEOTHERMAL WORKSHOP 43rd ANNUAL
Dates: February 12-14, 2018

Call For Abstract:

Topics:
Papers will be presented on recent research relating to geothermal reservoirs including:

Case Studies: reservoir response to production, effects of injection, scaling characteristics
Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS): current and future activities
Engineering Techniques: reservoir simulation, empirical methods, well tests, tracers
Field Management: strategies for exploitation, injection, scale inhibition
Exploration: geophysics, geochemistry, geology, heat flow studies, outflows
Drilling and Well Bore Flows: well stimulation, bore flow modeling, hydro-fracturing, scaling
Low Enthalpy Systems: applications of heat pumps, hot dry rock technology
Geosciences: application of geophysics, geochemistry, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.

For more information.....

USA: The Geothermal Technologies Office Announces Play Fairway Analysis Phase III Selections

The U.S. Department of Energy's Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) announced it will continue funding for 5 projects aligned with Phase III Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) activities. GTO will award up to $5 million in additional funding to 5 of the original 11 projects from the 2014 PFA Funding Opportunity Announcement. The awards will address the overarching theme of uncertainty quantification and reduction in geothermal exploration, specifically through the development of Geothermal Play Fairways. Phase III awardees will move the projects into an exploratory drilling campaign that will test the Phase I and II developed models' ability to discover new resources.

Please click here to view the full announcement.

The selected Phase III awardees are:

Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada‐Reno – Reno, Nevada

University of Hawaii – Honolulu, Hawaii

University of Utah – EGI Great Basin – Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah State University – Logan, Utah

Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources – Olympia, Washington

USA: DOE geothermal project aims to expand technology's reach

The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will partner with seven other labs and six universities on a $9 million project aimed at more efficiently developing enhanced geothermal energy systems (EGS).

Experiments will focus on understanding and modeling rock fractures, an essential element of geothermal systems, and will utilize the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota to create small-scale fracture networks below ground.

Read More....

Djibouti: Djibouti secures $27m loan from Kuwait for geothermal drilling campaign

Reported last week, Kuwait has granted funding of $27 million to support the geothermal development program in Djibouti, Africa.

This was reported in a statement from the Djiboutian Geothermal Energy Development Office (ODDEG). According to the statement, The Kuwaiti Development Fund (FKD) will provide a $27 million loan for the drilling of 10 wells (eight production boreholes and two re-injection boreholes) and a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 15 MW by the year 2021.

Read more....

USA: Employment Opportunities - Associate Oil & Gas Engineer

Under the direction of the Senior Oil and Gas Engineer (Supervisor), the Associate Oil and Gas Engineer (AOGE) will independently perform difficult engineering work related to geothermal production and underground injection in the Northern District office. The incumbent performs assignments that require a high degree of knowledge and skill in geothermal technology, team leadership, communication, and data management, incumbent performs technical evaluation of proposed well operations including underground injection (UIC) projects related to geothermal operations, and prepares permits documenting technical requirements for such operations. The incumbent conducts complex studies of geothermal operations and reservoirs; makes complex calculations, prepares and interprets complex technical data, maps, and statistics; and write reports on investigations. Monitors and investigates the legality and advisability of proposed operations, prepare technical and legal directives and advise operators of preventative or corrective actions. This position requires extensive reviews of well files, projects, notices, field operations and other related duties and provides technical guidance to field engineering staff.

Read more.....

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ - Golf Tournament at Geothermal Event

The Mountain Dell Golf Course (Courtesy Mountain Dell)

Only 72 Spots Available! Sign up early!

Arrive early for the GRC Annual Meeting and enjoy one of the great social networking events on the geothermal calendar. Considered by many to be the most beautiful public golf course in Salt Lake City, Mountain Dell is nestled in Parley's Canyon, 16 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City. A shuttle will be provided for transportation to the golf course (Only 56 seats available).

The tournament is a four-man scramble. Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams, men’s and women’s closest to hole, longest drive and hole-in-one.

$160 per individual or $560 per foursome

Tournament Fee Includes: Green Fee, Range Balls, Tournament Service, Continental Breakfast and Awards Lunch.

This year the proceeds from the tournament will go to the GRC Scholarship Fund.

More details of the tournament can be found on the GRC website. Download the GRC Annual Charity Golf Tournament Brochure and fill out a registration form which can be mailed or faxed to the GRC office. Online registration is also available.

Geothermal Energy Event - Registration Now Open

Registration is Open for GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+

Special deals for early birds and students at prestigious geothermal energy event

United Kingdom: 'Groundbreaking': Cornwall geothermal project seeks funds

A pioneering project to produce power from hot rocks several kilometres under the ground in Cornwall will begin drilling early next year, if a multimillion-pound fundraising drive succeeds.

Abundance, a crowdfunding platform overseen by the main City regulator, will this week launch a bond to raise £5m for the UK’s first commercial geothermal power station, located near Redruth.

Iceland is the world leader in geothermal power, where deep holes are drilled to reach hot rocks, water is pumped down, heated and returned to the surface to generate electricity or provide heating.

Read More....

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+: Make Your Hotel Reservations Now!

Book Your Room for the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

Friday, July 14, 2017

Kenya: Tapping geothermal potential with first of its kind technology in Kenya

In its quest to generate more reliable, clean energy, Kenya has become the first country worldwide to pioneer new geothermal wellhead technology. The technique involves tapping steam from wells that are undergoing tests or awaiting connection to permanent plants. The technology not only helps to utilise the investment put into drilling the wells, which would otherwise be lying idle, but also benefits from early generation.
Kenya’s demand for electricity is driven by the recent, rapid economic growth and industrialisation, which has created the need to accelerate the drilling of geothermal wells to tap into the resource potential and avoid the over-reliance on erratic hydroelectric power. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) related that “the long drought has reduced the capacity of main dams, forcing shutdowns and leading to reliance on costly diesel-powered generators, pushing up energy bills”.

Read more....

USA: Notre Dame installs three geothermal fields

SOUTH BEND — Youngsters run on soccer fields this summer at the University of Notre Dame, unaware that part of the university’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases is hidden under that turf.

Notre Dame has installed three underground geothermal fields designed to lower campus carbon dioxide emissions, reduce use of natural gas and coal, and create long-term savings.

Geothermal systems use less energy to heat and cool buildings than more traditional energy sources, said Paul Kempf, the university’s senior director of utilities and maintenance. Read more....

USA: U.S. Geothermal Inc. Appoints Douglas J. Glaspey Interim CEO and Enters Into Executive Advisor Agreement With Dennis J. Gilles

BOISE, Idaho, July 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- U.S. Geothermal Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE MKT:HTM), a leading and profitable renewable energy company focused on the development, production, and sale of electricity from geothermal energy, today announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Douglas J. Glaspey as Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective July 19, 2017. Mr. Glaspey will also continue to serve as the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

The Company also announced that it has entered into a six-month agreement with current Chief Executive Officer, Dennis J. Gilles, to serve as an Executive Advisor to the Company, effective at the conclusion of Mr. Gilles’ current employment agreement, which expires on July 18, 2017.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to Dennis for his outstanding contribution to the company over the past 6 years as a Member of our Board of Directors, as well as the past 4 years as CEO, and we are very pleased to appoint Doug as the Company’s Interim CEO,” said John H. Walker, Chairman of the Board. “As one of the Founders of U.S. Geothermal, we believe Doug’s extensive knowledge of the Company and geothermal industry experience, will prove valuable as our previously announced Executive Committee continues in the search process for a permanent CEO.”

USA: Portland State to test new revolutionary geothermal technology for heating during winter

Portland State University has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to study the feasibility of bringing new methods of harnessing the power of geothermal energy to previously untapped regions of the United States such as Portland.

PSU was one of six universities throughout the U.S. to receive a collective $4 million in grants from the DOE. Portland's share is $720,000, and will be split between PSU and local partners including the U.S. Geological Survey, City of Portland, AltaRock Energy, and OHSU.

The money will be used to research a new kind of geothermal technology called Deep Direct-Use.
Unlike traditional geothermal power, which relies on natural sources of subterranean hot water such as hot springs and volcanoes, Deep Direct-Use passively heats water above ground during the warm months, stores it underground and then uses the stored heat in the winter. The study will analyze Portland's underlying geology to see if it has enough insulating ability and storage capacity to make that happen. Read more....

Costa Rica: Costa Rica names Miravalles field after geothermal pioneer Dr. Manieri Protti

Reported last week in Costa Rica, the country’s national utility company Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has announced the decision to name Campo Miravalles in the province of Guanacaste in honour of the pioneer of geothermal energy in Costa Rica.

The change was implemented last Friday, in an act in the geothermal field, with presence of his relatives and his former colleagues.

Dr. Mainieri Protti led geothermal research in Costa Rica since the 1970s, which allowed the development of the geothermal projects Miravalles I, II, III, IV and V; Las Pailas I and II, as well as the future Borinquen I and II geothermal plants. Read More.....

USA: Google X Unveils Dandelion: A New Company for Geothermal Energy

URBED's Barbara Eldredge reports that Google's parent company, Alphabet, has announced a new independent company that's dedicated to the bringing affordable home geothermal energy to the masses.
Dubbed Dandelion, the company plans to drive down costs and amp up convenience. Developed over years of research and protyping, the company’s biggest asset in this fight is a new kind of drill that’s purpose-built for drilling geothermal wells. The technology can install geothermal ground loops in just half a day, as opposed to the typical three or four days, and leaves much of the yard undisturbed.

"We started this project because we realized millions of homeowners are using expensive, truck-delivered fuels because they don't have access to better options today," said Dandelion CEO Kathy Hannun in a statement. "We knew if installing a geothermal heat pump was a simpler and more affordable process, these homeowners would have access to a better product that's also better for the climate."

Read More........

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ - Golf Tournament at Geothermal Event

The Mountain Dell Golf Course (Courtesy Mountain Dell)

Global: Free Article from the GRC Bulletin - The Voice of the Geothermal Energy Community

The Latest News from the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC)

Two free articles from the GRC Bulletin - Volume 46, No. 4 - July/August 2017

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has made available the latest GRC Bulletin, a voice of the global geothermal energy industry, published continuously since 1972.

The Bulletin is free with GRC Membership or subscribe (PDF) to six issues a year for $90 in the USA or $140 worldwide.

The GRC has generously provided 6 pages from the latest issue for free! However, the full issue is 46 pages!

In this issue, there is an article on The Shrinking Salton Sea and its Impact on Geothermal Development. In addition, there is an overview of a GRC Fieldtrip to southern Utah to see geothermal power plants and some fascinating geology from the GRC Annual Meeting. Also, there are 12 pages of geothermal news from around the world.

Join the GRC or subscribe to get the complete issue.

Geothermal Energy Event - Registration Now Open

Registration is Open for GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+

Special deals for early birds and students at prestigious geothermal energy event

USA: 5 Projects to Receive $15 Million to Investigate Wellbore Integrity

GTO and FE Announce Joint FY17 SubTER Lab Call Selections (DOE/EERE/GTO)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) and the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced the selection of 5 projects to receive up to $15 million in funding to investigate wellbore integrity research subjects via a Lab Call announcement. This funding opportunity will address two topic areas:

Wellbore Diagnostics and Integrity assessment in legacy wells, and
Sensors and Tools for Autonomous Completions and Long Term Monitoring of Wellbore Integrity.

The Lab Call is part of a larger effort to address technical challenges associated with operating in the subsurface. In response, DOE has established an integrated technology team that encompasses DOE offices involved in subsurface activities that are aligned with energy production/extraction, subsurface storage of energy and carbon dioxide, subsurface waste disposal and environmental remediation, as well as analysis associated with the subsurface.

GTO and FE partnered in response to a report published by FE in October 2016 titled, Ensuring Safe and Reliable Underground Natural Gas Storage. The report states that to lower the risk for wellbore failure, operators should prioritize integrity tests that provide hard data on well performance through monitoring, logging, and mechanical integrity testing. Well Integrity testing should also use multiple methodologies and not rely on a single diagnostics, and use continuous real time monitoring.

The selected awardees include:

Sandia National Laboratories
National Energy and Technology Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Indonesia: 5-Day Course on Advanced Remote Sensing Methods in Early Stage Geothermal Exploration

Training on Advanced Remote Sensing for Geothermal Exploration (GEOCAP)

24-28 July, University Club of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta

Several speakers will share their knowledge on this topic are:

Dr. Chris Hecker (University of Twente - ITC)
Dr. Rob Hewson (University of Twente - ITC)
Dr. Agung Setianto (Universitas Gadjah Mada)
Dr. Asep Saepuloh (Institut Teknologi Bandung)

This course covers advanced remote sensing methods in early stage geothermal exploration. It will show the potential of the data sets and methods in giving fast, reproducible information for large areas, but it will also help the participants understand the uncertainties and limitations of the different remote sensing techniques. The course includes a one-day field trip to Dieng geothermal field, and case studies on some of the Indonesian geothermal systems.

Indonesia: $270 Million Fund to Finance Geothermal Exploration

Gov't Lays Groundwork for Geothermal Exploration Fund (Jakarta Globe)

Indonesia has laid the groundwork for a $270 million fund to finance geothermal exploration, as part of the country's efforts to boost renewable sources of energy.

The government has allocated Rp 3 trillion ($224 million) in the 2017 state budget for the so-called Government Drilling Fund, which will be used to finance geothermal exploration around Indonesia.

The Washington-based World Bank will also chip in with a $55.25 million loan to shore up the fund.

Sarana Multi Infrastruktur, the government's infrastructure investment arm, will be responsible for managing the fund under supervision of the ministries of finance and energy.

Indonesia has about 29 gigawatts of geothermal capacity – the largest in the world – but high exploration costs and the risks involved often prove prohibitive for investors in the sector.

Rida Mulyana, director general of renewable energy and energy conservation at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, said the fund will help reduce exploration risks borne by geothermal producers.

Under the scheme, the government will conduct a survey of potential geothermal resources and drill exploration wells, activities that are usually capital intensive.

Read More...........

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+: Make Your Hotel Reservations Now!

Book Your Room for the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

Friday, July 7, 2017

Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update

A Round-up of this week's geothermal energy news.......

Click on the links to view the whole story and other news stories on Global Geothermal News.

USA: Electricity from Renewable Energy is More Than from Nuclear

Monthly renewable electricity generation surpasses nuclear for the first time since 1984 (EIA)

In March, and again in April, U.S. monthly electricity generation from utility-scale renewable sources exceeded nuclear generation for the first time since July 1984. This outcome reflects both seasonal and trend growth in renewable generation, as well as maintenance and refueling schedules for nuclear plants, which tend to undergo maintenance during spring and fall months, when overall electricity demand is lower than in summer or winter.

Canada: Existing Policy Support for Renewable Energy is Currently Insufficient for Development of Geothermal - Opinion

Can we use geothermal instead of hydro to decarbonise BC? (The Climate Examiner)

Risk of failure vs. progression of costs of developing a geothermal power plant (Adapted from: M. Gehringer, V. Loksha. Geothermal Handbook: planning and financing power generation. Energy Sector Management Assistance Program: Technical Report 002/12. The International Bank for Reconstruction. The World Bank Group. 2012.)

With British Columbia’s soon-to-govern NDP-Green Party coalition poised to send the province’s controversial Site C hydroelectric project to review, many opponents of this hydro expansion are asking why BC cannot develop geothermal energy instead.

This week, the PICS flagship 2060 Project: Integrated Energy Pathways for British Columbia and Canada issued a briefing note seeking to answer that question.

The key challenge is uncertainty. We have a good idea of where hot aquifers might be located, but we aren’t sure. The 11 potential sites are described as ‘P50’, terminology that means that there is a 50/50 chance that the installed capacity will be less (or greater) than projected. So geothermal developers have to drill exploration wells, at a cost of $1 million a pop on average, and then confirmation wells, which cost $4-6 million. This means that as much as half of the cost of development is incurred before anyone knows what the true value of the resource at a particular site will be.

This sort of uncertainty makes investors nervous. Those regions that have extensively developed geothermal such as Iceland overcome this obstacle by reimbursing a proportion of drilling costs or boosting electricity sales revenue via tax credits.

Read More.........

Kenya: KenGen and GDC Look to Expand Geothermal Energy Development

KenGen, GDC in plans to venture outside Olkaria and Menengai in developing geothermal power (Standard Digital)

Kenya is looking to expand the area under geothermal exploration and development as it seeks to increase the amount of electricity produced using the renewable energy. The two major players in the geothermal energy subsector said they are evaluating the possibilities of going outside the fields of Olkaria and Menengai in a bid to increase energy produced from geothermal.

Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and Geothermal Development Company (GDC) said plans are at advanced stages to start geothermal exploration and development outside the two traditional areas.

KenGen has applied for a licence to explore and develop geothermal power in Eburru, also in Naivasha, as well as in Lake Magadi.

State owned GDC said among the areas that it is eyeing include Suswa, away from its flagship fields of Menengai.

Read More.........

Philippines: Geothermal Power Plants Knocked Offline by Earthquake

EDC shuts down geothermal power plants in Ormoc (Inquirer.net)

Cracks caused by the magnitude 6.5 earthquake on Thursday are visible in Barangay Tongonan, Ormoc City in Leyte. On the background are steams coming from the geothermal power plants ran by the Energy Development Corp. Photo courtesy of Cathy Ig-agao Pabganiban

Energy Development Corp. has shut down its power plants in Barangay Tongonan, Ormoc City, Leyte following the earthquake that rocked the province on Thursday.

“For now, all of the plants are shut down and we are evaluating the damage. We will have a more detailed assessment as more information becomes available,” said EDC president Ricky Tantoco in a statement issued on Friday.

The geothermal power plants in Leyte provided 460 MW of power to the Visayas grid before the earthquake hit at 4:03 p.m. on Thursday.

Tantoco said they had accounted all its 502 employees and contractors on site although there were minor injuries reported.

Read More..........

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Grenada: Request for EOI for Geothermal Project Test Drilling Phase Consultancy

Government of Grenada - Geothermal Resource Development Project

Request For Expressions Of Interest - Consulting Services For Environmental And Social Impact Assessment of Geothermal Energy Development – Exploratory Test Drilling Phase

The Ministry of Finance and Energy, the Executing Agency, wishes to procure consultancy services for an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the exploratory test drilling phase of the Geothermal Resource Development Project in Grenada.

The general objective of the assignment is to undertake an ESIA for exploratory test-drilling in targeted areas in Northern Grenada, to ensure that any potential environmental and social impacts associated with geothermal exploration activities are clearly identified and any impacts which may occur post-exploration are also highlighted and considered. This includes opportunities for creating/enhancing environmental and social effects/benefits. Also to ensure that, all geothermal exploration activities are managed in order to avoid or minimise negative environmental and social impacts, and that stakeholders have opportunities to contribute to the process of environmental assessment and management.

The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of ten (10) months. Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than, 1600 hours (Grenada Time) July 28th 2017.

More Information........

Philippines: Government Targets Power Project Red Tape

EO cuts red tape in issuance of permits for power projects (Business Mirror)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Industry players will now only need 30 days—from the current 1,340 days—to secure the necessary permits and licenses to start a big-ticket power project, thanks to Executive Order (EO) 30 issued by President Duterte on June 30.

The EO states that concerned government agencies shall act upon applications for permits involving Energy Projects of National Significance (EPNS) not exceeding within a 30-day period. If no decision is made within the specified processing time frame, the application is deemed approved by the concerned agency.

To be considered among the EPNS, power-generation and -transmission projects must have a capital investment of at least P3.5 billion, significant contribution to the country’s economic development, significant consequential economic impact, significant potential contribution to the country’s balance of payments, significant impact on the environment, complex technical processes and engineering designs and significant infrastructure requirements.

Read More.........

USA: Reference Manual for Green Taxes Updated

Green Tax Incentive Compendium: Federal and State Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency ( Robinson+Cole)

Jerome L. Garciano of Robinson+Cole has updated his Green Tax Incentive Compendium which includes information about incentives in the USA for geothermal projects.

The volume presents certain U.S. federal and state tax incentives promoting the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. Each section outlines the basic features and regulatory requirements for a tax program which provides financial incentives for clean technology development through renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Green Tax Incentive Compendium: Federal and State Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PDF)

Philippines: Large Earthquake Hits Leyte Province - Geothermal Power Plants Affected

DOE moves for restoration of power in quake-hit Visayas areas (Concept News Central)

The Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) said late Thursday evening that it is overseeing the assessment and restoration of energy services after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit the Visayas. Said the DOE in a statement released to media:

At around 4:00 PM today (06 July 2017), a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred in Jaro, Leyte causing power interruptions in Leyte, Samar, and Bohol Islands. Panay, Negros, Cebu and the other areas in the Visayas.

Vice President Lito Santos of Electricity Development Corporation (EDC) reported to Energy Sec. Cusi that all employees in the area are accounted for, with some of the personnel suffering from minor injuries. EDC owns and operates the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plants (ULGPP). Santos further submitted that all of ULGPP’s units which generates over 500 MW tripped. Santos assures the energy Secretary that the assessments are still ongoing and will prioritize the Tongonan Unit.

Green Core Geothermal Inc. reported that it’s Palinpinon geothermal power plant unit 1 which generates around 37 MW tripped. It was offline at around 4:00pm due to the activation of the Cebu-Negros System Integrity Protection Scheme. However, the plant was immediately back online and delivering its generated electricity at 5:00pm of the same day.

Netherlands: Three Kilometer Deep Geothermal Wells to Heat New Greenhouse Project

TFFG acquires Netherlands’ largest organic vegetable producer (Fresh Fruit Portal)

The largest organic vegetable producer in the Netherlands has been bought by The Fruit Farm Group (TFFG), an entity created three years ago by the shareholders of Belgian-headquartered produce multinational Univeg.

AC Hartman has 72 hectares of horticultural land in the northern Dutch village of Sexbierum which will be expanded to 110 hectares over the next few years making it one of the Netherland’s largest glasshouse horticultural companies.

As part of the new project, AC Hartman’s greenhouses will be heated with geothermal energy – heat energy generated and stored in the earth.

A three kilometre deep well will be bored into the ground in the Sexbierum area from which water will be pumped up to heat the greenhouses. Cool water will then be pumped back into the soil via another well.

Working with AC Hartman to reduce CO2 emissions is Friesland Clean Energy Fund and the Dutch National Green Fund (NGF).

“The ground in the Province of Friesland is highly suitable for geothermal energy. The transition from natural gas to terrestrial heat will eventually lead to a sharp reduction in the province’s use of fossil fuels, thus making an important contribution to meeting its sustainability targets,” Friesland Clean Energy Fund CEO Michel Hendriks says.

Read More........

Canada: Borealis GeoPower Taken Over By New Renewable Energy Company

P Squared Renewables Inc. Announces Qualifying Transaction with Borealis Geopower Inc. (News Release)

P Squared Renewables Inc. has announced that it has entered into a binding term sheet with Borealis GeoPower Inc. and the shareholders of Borealis which sets out the material terms and conditions pursuant to which the parties have agreed to complete a transaction that will result in Borealis becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of P Squared.

The Term Sheet was negotiated at arm's length and is effective as of July 1, 2017.

P Squared Renewables Inc., is a start-up renewable energy company, currently building its portfolio of geothermal, solar, wind and energy storage projects, which will include power generation and technology development. Projects targeted will initially be located in Canada with future global expansion.

Borealis Geopower is a team comprised of geoscientists, engineers, and project developers who have come together to enable geothermal power and heat production as a major player in the Canadian energy market. It is the only company in Canada carrying out geothermal research and development (R&D) that has both a national and international scope.

Read More.........

Africa: Japan to Fund Power Projects, Including Geothermal Energy

Japan gifts $6bn to African power projects (GCR)

The Japanese government has announced an agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help fund power plant construction and other energy-related infrastructure projects in Africa.

The government said it would donate the money to the AfDB to help tackle the issue of electricity shortages on the continent.

This will include targeting areas where there is potential for geothermal production, such as the Rift Valley.

Read More........

Preliminary Program for Geothermal Energy Event

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ - Preliminary Program

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+ - Preliminary Program from Geothermal Resources Council

Webpages

Monday, July 31, 2017

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Monday, July 24, 2017

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Friday, July 21, 2017

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Monday, July 17, 2017

Friday, July 14, 2017

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Monday, July 10, 2017

Friday, July 7, 2017

Thursday, July 6, 2017