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| In Utah, the Cove Fort geothermal plant gets a new life with hydroelectric additions |
McGrail had some interesting things to say about Enel’s recent headline-grabbing deal to purchase 620 megawatts of US renewable energy projects from GE.
The deal involves 7 solar and geothermal facilities that were already under a joint venture between GE and EGPNA. Many energy industry observers are scratching their heads over GE’s motivation to sell, though paying down debt is probably high on its list.
For EGPNA, part of the motivation to buy may be sole bragging rights to the innovative Stillwater geothermal plant.
As McGrail explained, the plant includes both a PV array and a concentrating solar field. The extra dose of solar power adds heat to the well, slows its degradation by smoothing out operational fluctuations, and stretches out its effective lifespan.
Another facility in the group of 7, the Cove Fort plant, also puts innovative technology to work with the aim of extending the lifespan of a geothermal well.
All of this is by way of saying that the US now has a fairly long roster of older renewable energy facilities that are ripe for technology upgrades that add capacity and/or improve lifespan. It’s like getting a whole new clean power plant, without having to develop a new site.
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