Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)

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

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

Geothermal Event! Register Now and Save $50!

Register Now for GRC Annual Meeting & Expo and Save!

Save $50 for this premier geothermal energy event by registering before the event

The GRC Annual Meeting & Expo will bring together geothermal companies, academics, financiers, policy leaders, students, and other individuals to attend or exhibit at the event, to be held from September 15 to 18 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA.

Attendees who register before the event pay only $1,130 as Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) members or $1,330 if non-members. The non-member registration includes GRC membership through 2020. Students with a current identification card from an accredited institution pay just $175 which also includes GRC membership through 2020. Registration onsite at the event will incur a $50 processing charge. 

In addition to the prestigious Technical Program, the three-day registration to the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo includes Sunday evening events until late (an Opening Reception, Outdoors Exhibits and an After-after Party!), the Opening Session on Monday morning, a Network Reception on Tuesday and the GRC Expo and lunch on all three days.

All the latest information and a tremendous tool for networking at the conference, can be found on the Event App, which can be downloaded at https://attendify.com/app/611o5d/.

Registration is available through a secure online connection on the GRC website at www.geothermal.org or download the Program containing a printable Registration Form.

This is the premier gathering to learn about the latest developments in geothermal energy. Last year, the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo hosted over 1,000 attendees from 34 different countries.

The GRC Annual Meeting will offer technical, policy, and market conference sessions, educational seminars, tours of local geothermal and renewable energy projects, and numerous networking opportunities.

The Expo features a unique opportunity for leaders in the geothermal energy sector to showcase their projects, equipment, services and state of the art technology to the geothermal community. Reserve your booth now! There were more than 100 exhibitors at last year’s trade show.

Room reservations can now be made on the GRC website at www.geothermal.org.

For more information about the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo in Palm Springs, California, USA, visit www.geothermal.org or call (530) 758-2360.

For information on how to sponsor this event, contact Estela Smith, GRC at (530) 758-2360 or grc@geothermal.org

More Information & Register..........

Malawi: Japanese Company Supports Geothermal Energy Development in Country

Toshiba pledges support towards Malawi’s geothermal energy development (Malawi Nyasa Times)

Toshiba, the renowned Japanese multinational conglomerate, has pledged to support geothermal energy development in Malawi by, among other ways, offering a scholarship to one “young brilliant and qualified Malawian” to study geothermal energy and hydro power in Japan.

“On the Rukuru Project and the partnership with Egenco, Toshiba has said they first need more information before they can make any commitment and we are going to provide the required information through our ambassador here in Japan,” said Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Salim Bagus.

Read More.........

Europe: Geothermal News from EGEC

The EGEC Newsletter July/August 2019 - The Voice of Geothermal in Europe

The July/August issue of the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) Newsletter is now available.

Click here to download. In this issue:

Policy

• EGEC Innovation Fund Workshop On Geothermal Energy: Call for projects extended
• Aligning EU financing with climate and energy priorities for geothermal development

News

• Innovative project in Glasgow to explore abandoned coal mines for geothermal heating
• German geothermal community urges more use of geothermal in Germany
• Energy companies meet with Italian Ministry of Economic Development

Projects

• ETIP-DG Stakeholders Meeting
• 100% Renewable Heating & Cooling for a Sustainable Future

Geothermal Education: GRC Announces Seven Scholarship Awards

Geothermal Resources Council Announces Scholarship Winners (News Release)

The Scholarship Awardees will be acknowledged at the 2019 GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), a non-profit educational association dedicated to the promotion of geothermal energy and associated technologies around the world, is pleased to announce the recipients of seven GRC Scholarship Awards.

The selection was based upon a variety of factors, including the individual’s academic record, student activities, geothermal industry experience, and career goals.

The Undergraduate Award winners are:

• Sharon Best (University of California, Riverside, USA) and 
• Maria Alejandra Taborda (University of Medellín, Colombia).

The winners of the Marcelo Lippmann Graduate Scholarship Awards are:

• José Eduardo Granados Pastrana (National Autonomous University of Mexico); 
• Kurt Kraal (University of Nevada, Reno, USA); 
• Catherine Lambert (Cornell University, USA); 
• Kevin Mendoza (University of Utah, USA) and 
• Omar Rodríguez Villarreal (Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico & Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, France).

The scholarship winners will be acknowledged at the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo, to be held in Palm Springs, California, USA, from September 15-18.

Romania: Opportunity to Explore in Two Geothermal Concessions

Bid round for mining exploration: geothermal, mineral water and other resources (Lexology)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

On 19 August 2019, the National Agency for Mineral Resources (NAMR) published Order no. 294/6.08.2019 in the Romanian Official Gazette. 

The order approves the list concession areas for exploration activities and opens bidding round 99/2019 in the mining sector. The list of exploration activity concession areas includes: two areas of geothermal waters; four areas of natural mineral waters; one area of feldspar (pegmatite with feldspar); one area of coal; four areas of lignite, four areas of dispersed and rare element minerals; three areas of sand and gravel; one area of magnesite rocks and one area of industrial tuff.

The deadline for submitting the offers is 24 September 2019. 

Read More........

Geothermal Event! Fieldtrip to Imperial Valley Geology and Power Plants

Fieldtrip to Salton Sea Geothermal Field from GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

• Wednesday - Thursday, September 18-19 (Two Days)
• Cost: $250 - Limited to 50 participants - sign up now!
• Led by: Billy Thomas, Mike Krahmer and Sam Abraham.

Mud volcanoes with the Hudson Ranch Geothermal
Power Plant in the background. GRC Fieldtrip 2013.

This two-day fieldtrip will visit the Imperial Valley, home to the world-renowned Salton Sea geothermal field.  The tour begins with a stop at Painted Canyon in the Mecca Hills to observe the San Andreas Fault up-close where discussion of local structures will explain the unique geologic setting of the Salton Trough. The tour will continue with a stop at Red Hill, one of the Quaternary volcanoes that make up the Salton Buttes, and nearby fumaroles and hot springs to discuss the geothermal activity in the area, as well as the Salton Sea and future development (including the potential for mineral extraction).  Tours of the Hudson Ranch power plant, CalEnergy wellfield will conclude the first day.

Day 2 begins with a drive near the US/Mexico border (and nearby solar farms) on the way to Ormat’s Heber geothermal power plant for a tour. The final stops on the way back to Palm Springs will include a visit to “Slab City” (just outside of the town of Niland) to seethe amazing Salvation Mountain and a flowing hot well. The final stop will be at the Wister mud pots along Highway 111, where the movement of a mud pot has created a dangerous situation for the integrity of the highway and Union Pacific railroad.

We look forward to having you join us on this trip to the Imperial Valley, which has become a significant hot spot for renewable energy – with production from geothermal, solar, wind and biofuel – and possibly soon to be one of the most important regions for lithium mining.

More Information.........         

Sign Up With GRC Annual Meeting Registration........

Geothermal Event! Accelerating Geothermal Lithium Extraction Technology - A Panel Discussion at the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - Panel: Accelerating Geothermal Lithium Extraction Technology

1:30 - 3:10pm, September 16,
Mojave Room at the Palm Springs Convention Center

Moderator: Charlene Wardlow, California Department of Conservation – Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources

"Geothermal Energy the savior of Salton Sea",
by Alexander Schriener Jr.

Panelists:

• Derek Benson (EnergySource)
• Rod Colwell (CTR)
• David Deak (Marbex)
• Elisabeth de Jong (CEC)
• Anna Wall (Capstone)

Mineral recovery from geothermal brines, particularly at the Salton Sea, has been thought about and researched for over 40 years. The silica laden brines have caused many challenges to operations resulting in patents to manage the fluids to inject them and to help stop all the facilities from scaling up. The brines contain an abundance of different elements but currently the metal of most interest is lithium. 

The market for lithium batteries continues to grow, especially driven by expanding demand in the electric vehicle market, yet most of the supply of lithium comes from China. Thus, domestic resources have become more important for national security for the USA and our economic growth, especially in the Imperial Valley of Southern California. 

The panel will review the world lithium supply including geothermal brines, the economics of recovery, environmental issues associated with current lithium resources and, importantly, a discussion on how to accelerate the extraction technology.

Sign up with registration for GRC Annual Meeting & Expo........

USA, Idaho: Important Renewable Energy Conference at Geothermal Hot-Spot!

9th Annual Energy Policy Research Conference (Energy Policy Institute)

Energy Decision-Making in Times of Disruptive Change

September 29th - October 1st, 2019 - Boise, Idaho

The 9th Annual Energy Policy Research Conference is a month away!

Remember to book your hotel room soon. The Grove Hotel will provide a discounted rate of $134 per night until 8/30/19. More information........

We're delighted to also now be joined by the City of Boise, IGEM, GAIN, Idaho National Laboratory, and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council as new sponsors or exhibitors, along with our early sponsors CAES, Idaho Power, Intermountain Gas, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and Geothermal Resources Council.

Preliminary Program..........
Full conference details..........

For questions, please feel free to contact Luke Henken at lucashenken@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-2326.

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Schlumberger to Install Wells at Nevis Geothermal Power Project

Nevis Renewable Energy International, Inc. Announces the Selection of the Geothermal Drilling Contractor for the Nevis Geothermal Project

Nevis Renewable Energy International, Inc. (NREI) announced today that it has selected Schlumberger Integrated Drilling Services to install the geothermal production and injection wells for the Nevis Geothermal Project.

The Nevis Geothermal Project is unique for the Eastern Caribbean, as Nevis contains a geothermal reservoir with a long-term generating capacity sufficient to meet all the present and future needs of Nevis. NREI is proud to be a partner with the Nevis Island Administration in developing this initial 10 MW phase of the project to serve the needs of the Nevis residents. When completed, the geothermal plant will enable the island to transition away from the use of fossil fuels and be 100 percent reliant on zero emission renewable energy power generation.

According to Bruce Cutright, CEO of NREI, “Schlumberger was chosen because of their extensive and successful track record in completing complex and highly reliable drilling programs.” Schlumberger Integrated Drilling services has a global track record of several tens of thousands of wells totaling millions of feet of successful high pressure-high temperature drilling. From its 47 locations worldwide, Schlumberger manages over 70 rigs, working in more than 85 countries and employing more than 100,000 people of over 140 nationalities.
Schlumberger will be working with GeothermEx, a Schlumberger subsidiary and leading geothermal science and engineering firm for the well design, installation and testing of the Nevis wells. Schlumberger will support the Nevis Project from their main base and facilities in Trinidad and their southern hemisphere headquarters in Mexico City.

NREI is a subsidiary of Thermal Energy Partners, LLC, a global geothermal energy development firm based in Austin, Texas. For further information contact Regan Frebourg, rfbourg@thermalep.com

Geothermal Event! Agenda Available for the Opening Session of the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

Speakers Announced for Opening Session of GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

The agenda is being finalized for the plenary session discussions for the geothermal energy community

Monday, September 16 - 8:00am-12:00pm
Primrose Ballroom - Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA

If you want to hear the latest on the geothermal industry, or contribute to the debate, then the Opening Plenary Session is the place to be! Full agenda.........

Confirmed speakers and panelists include:

• Prijandaru Effendi (Indonesian Geothermal Association)
• Angelina Galiteva (California Independent Systems Operator Board - CAISO)
• Sue Hamm (Department of Energy)
• Amanda Hansen (California Natural Resources Agency - CNRA)
• Henry Martinez (Imperial Irrigation District)
• Laura McDonald (Sunrise Strategies Group)
• Will Pettitt (Executive Director, Geothermal Resources Council - GRC)
• Charles Reinhold (Electric Resource Strategies)
• Alex Richter (IGA President)
• Andy Sabin (US Navy and President, GRC)
• Kyle Snyder (Ormat)
• Paul Thomsen (Ormat and GRC Policy Committee Chair)
• Jon Trujillo (CalEnergy and President-Elect, GRC)
• Jonathan Weisgall (Berkshire Hathaway Energy)
• V. John White (Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies)
• Karen Christopherson (Women in Geothermal - WING)

The State of California needs your help to achieve 2,900 MW of net 24/7 always-on geothermal baseload capacity by the year 2030. This year, the session will consist of keynote addresses by leaders in the industry, research and government that will then sit on two panel debates. The goals of the panels are to facilitate objective debate across the experts, and with interactive Q&A from the audience, get to the heart of the debate and help inform the direction of our industry and community.

Croatia: Increasing Interest in Geothermal Energy Development

Čeka nas pravi val investicija u geotermalne izvore energije - A real wave of investments in geothermal energy is waiting for us (Poslovni dnevnik)

Nakon ugljikovodika u prvi plan u Hrvatskoj dolaze i geotermalni izvori, za koje vlada sve veći interes. Prije ljeta otvoren je poziv za istraživanje geotermalnih voda za lokaciju Karlovac 1, a upravo je pokrenut i postupak za dvije nove lokacije u Babinoj Gredi.

(From Google Translate) After hydrocarbons, geothermal sources are coming to the fore in Croatia, which is of increasing interest. A call for exploration of geothermal waters for the location of Karlovac 1 was opened last summer, and the procedure for two new locations in Babina Greda has just been launched.

Čitaj više.........                       Read More........

Germany: Voting for International Geothermal Association Board Ends September 30

IGA Board Of Directors Election 2020-2023 (News Release)

The election for the International Geothermal Association (IGA) Board of Directors started 30 June 2019 and will run until 30 September 2019.

Following the IGA Board’s decision on ensuring gender balance and equality almost 40% of current candidates are female. Click here to watch a video about nomination process.

You can vote for up to 25 of 50 candidates from 23 countries:

Abraham, Sam	Li, Kewen
Aguilera, Pablo	Manzella, Adele
Ayling, Bridget	Matsuda, Koji
Bignall, Greg	Matthiasdottir, Kristin Vala
Bjarnason, Bjarni	Meier, Peter
Blair, Andy	Morata, Diego
Brogle, Sylvain	Olivar, Maria Victoria M.
Brotheridge, Jane	Omenda, Peter
Capuano, Louis	Oyama, Hiroshi
Caranto, Joeffrey A.	Prieto, Angela
Casimiro Espinoza, Emigdio	Rotich, Abel
Chandrasekhar, Varun	Sabin, Andy
Darma, Surya	Sangin, Sepehr
Falcone, Gioia	Schmidlee, Virginie
Guglielmetti, Luca	Siratovich, Paul
Hajto, Marek	Suryantini, Ninik
Harskamp, Bob	Svalova, Valentina
Hillbrand, Gudrun	Szita, Gabor
Huenges, Ernst	Tingshan, Tian
Izquierdo-Montalvo, Georgina	Utami, Pri
Jahrfeld, Thomas	Verdoya, Massimo
Jalilinasrabady, Saeid	Wielenga, Jelle
Kaya, Eylem	Wissing, Lothar
Kiryukhin, Alexey	Yasukawa, Kasumi
Letvin, Amelia Ida	Zemedkun, Meseret

Please cast your vote here: https://www.geothermal-energy.org/igamembers/

If you are a member of an Affiliated Organization like the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), please contact your coordinator and get your IGA ID (log-in & password) to be able to access the IGA Voting Platform.

If you are a corporate, institutional or individual member, you will receive your login credentials from the IGA Team.

Philippines: Geothermal Energy “... is what will save us from the threats of climate change today and in the future.”

EDC bats for geothermal energy over coal (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Energy Development Co. (EDC) is pushing for the replacement of coal-fired power plants with geothermal plants as base load facilities or those that provide supply round the clock, amid efforts to address risk of climate change from electricity generation.

Miguel S. De Vera, head of strategic initiatives, legal and regulatory office at EDC, said in a statement the energy sector was the greatest contributor to climate change, with almost 61 percent of all carbon emissions worldwide coming from electricity production and industrial processes.

De Vera said that, in the Philippines, coal continues to comprise more than half of the country’s energy mix and is largely seen as the base load power of choice due to continued perceptions of cheaper costs.

“This is a wrong notion because the tradeoff with coal is permanent and irreversible damage to our environment and to our overall health and well-being, as well as to the future of our natural resources,” he said.

De Vera said geothermal energy—one of EDC’s renewable energy platforms—remains the base load power of choice for energy experts because of its reliable and stable nature.

“Geothermal is a pioneering energy source that played a big role in saving our nation from economic and political turmoil in the 1970s,” he said. “It is what will save us from the threats of climate change today and in the future.” 

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

Chile: Construction of New 33 MW Addition to Cerro Pabellon Geothermal Plant Begins

Enel Chile, ENAP start building 3rd unit at Cerro Pabellon geothermal plant (Renewables Now)

Pampa Apacheta, by Silke Lohmar, Santiago, Chile. GRC Photo Contest 2017.

Geotermica del Norte SA, a joint venture (JV) between Enel Green Power Chile and Chilean state-owned oil company Empresa Nacional del Petroleo SA (ENAP), has initiated the construction of a third generating unit at the Cerro Pabellon geothermal power plant to add 33 MW of new capacity.

The plant expansion will come with an investment of around USD 100 million (EUR 90.1m). The new unit is expected to start operations in the second half of 2020.

Located in the Atacama Desert in the Chilean region of Antofagasta, the Cerro Pabellon plant consists of two units of 24 MW each already in operation. Once the third unit goes live, the plant will generate 600 GWh per year.

Italian energy group Enel SpA, through its Chilean renewables unit, controls Geotermica del Norte with a 51% stake. Other shareholders are ENAP, holding 48.6%, and Chilean state-owned mining company Codelco with a 0.4% stake.

Read More.........

USA: Employment Opportunity as Program Manager for GTO’s Hydrothermal Resources and Low Temperature & Co-produced Resources Program Areas

Supervisory Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Physical Scientist - Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO)

The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is currently hiring for the following position:

• Supervisory Interdisciplinary General Engineer/Physical Scientist
• This position will serve as the Program Manager for GTO’s Hydrothermal Resources and Low Temperature & Co-produced Resources program areas
• Location: Washington, D.C. or Golden, CO
• Pay scale & grade: GS-15
• Salary $137,849 to $166,500 per year
• Announcement closes: 09/03/2019

Apply Here..........

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Only a Few Booths Left at the Geothermal Energy Event of the Year

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - A Geothermal Event!

15-18 September, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA

In conjunction with the prestigious Annual Meeting, the GRC will also host an expo in which companies can promote projects, equipment, services, and technology to leading geothermal energy scientists, producers, renewable energy industry stakeholders, regulators, utilities, and key associated business leaders around the world.

68 exhibitors - so far - have signed up for the geothermal energy event of the year:

A.W. Chesterton Company	PCC Metals Group
AMSA, Inc.	PM International Suppliers LLC
Baker Hughes, a GE Company	PowerChem Technology
Boart Longyear Company	POWER Engineers, Inc.
Bray International	Probe (formerly Kuster)
BS&B Safety Systems, LLC	Quantec Geoscience Limited
Case RMC	Quantum Spatial, Inc
C-FER Technologies (1999) Inc.	Reed Electric
CFM San Diego	Resource Cementing, LLC
CGG Geoscience	Rexa, Inc.
Dept. of Oil Gas and Geothermal Resources	Schlumberger
EGESIM	Scientific Drilling
Emerson/Caltrol, Inc.	Seequent
EnergyNet	Sinclair Well Products
EthosEnergy	Solenis LLC
EvapTech, Inc.	Southern California Valve
Fuji Electric	Suez
Gardner Denver Nash	Thermochem, Inc.
GeoMechanics Technologies	TIX-IKS Corp.
Geothermal Resources Council	TNG Energy Services
Geothermal Resource Group	Torishima Pump Mfg.
GeothermEx	Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Horizon Well Logging	Turboden
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Maxwell Oil Tools	U.S. DOE Geothermal Technologies Office
Mettler Toledo	Utah FORGE
Mill Man Steel Inc	Veizades & Associates, Inc.
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems	Webco
NALCO Water	Well Analysis Corporation
National Renewable Energy Laboratory	Welltec Inc.
Navy Geothermal Program	Wieland Thermal Solutions
Nevada Division of Minerals	WWT International
Ormat Technologies, Inc.	Xcore
Paul Graham Drilling & Service Co

More Information.........

Contact Ann Lay Email: alay@geothermal.org, Phone: (530) 758-2360 ext. 100 if you have any questions.

Canada: Successful Share Issue Raises Funds for Saskatchewan Geothermal Power Project

Deep Testing and Drilling Program Underway, Private Placement Oversubscribed (News Release)

DEEP Earth Energy Production Corp. has announced that a $5,000,000 private placement closed on August 20th, over subscribed to total $5,190,000. Each purchased unit consisted of one Class “A” common voting share and one warrant to acquire one additional share prior to 24 months from the date the warrant was issued.

The company also announced that the 2019 field testing and drilling program is now underway.

A second well drill program is planned to commence after the initial flow and build test is complete. This well will be drilled from the same surface location as the first well directionally to the southwest with a bottom hole located 1,500m laterally from the original well. Once complete, a 60-day production and injection test will commence on the project’s first combined geothermal well pair.

The results of this work will provide detailed data required for the final subsurface and facility design required prior to full construction. The reservoir data will be incorporated into a full scale simulation model to design the full production wells, optimal well spacing and full field development. This data will also be implemented to optimize the final surface power facility design.

Read More.........

Switzerland: Vacancy as Professor in Geothermal Research and Teaching

Full Professor in Experimental Geothermics (University of Neuchâtel)

Location: University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Starting date: February 1st, 2020 or to be agreed.
Application deadline: August 31st, 2019.

The successful candidate will teach various courses at Bachelor’s and Master’s levels at the Faculty of Science (7 hours/week over the whole year). He/she will also supervise Master’s and PhD dissertations. He/she will conduct high-level international research on experimental aspects of deep geothermics and alternate underground exploitation (e.g. heat storage) that complements existing strengths in numerical modeling.

Experts in geological and geomechanical characterization of fractured reservoirs and stimulated systems at intermediate/large depths are encouraged to apply. Research should focus on key hydro-and thermo-mechanical reservoir processes using experimental approaches in underground laboratories and full-scale geothermal projects.

The successful candidate has a proven funding record with experience in collaborating with industry partners to facilitate technology transfer, and she/he is expected to collaborate with local, national and international partners.

Read More and Apply........

USA, Washington DC: Presentation of Important Geothermal Energy Report

Geovision: Opportunities for Increased Geothermal Deployment in The U.S. (USEA)

Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - 11:00am

United States Energy Association (USEA), Washington, DC, USA

Please join us as Dr. Susan Hamm, Director of the Geothermal Technologies Office for the U.S. Department of Energy, discusses the findings of the Department of Energy’s report: GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet. In addition to addressing the state of geothermal energy in the U.S., the report highlights the opportunities for geothermal to have a sizable role in meeting the nation’s 21st-century energy demands. The report provides a pathway forward for the future of geothermal and what needs to be done to increase the presence of geothermal in the energy sector.

More Information.........

Dr. Susan Hamm will be chairing a special session dedicated to the findings of the GeoVision report on Tuesday, September 17 from 8am to noon at the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo, Palm Springs, California, USA.

Canada: Flow and Built up Test at Estevan Geothermal Power Project is Underway

DEEP begins flow testing geothermal well (Pipeline News)

Drilling of second well is planned for the latter half of September

(Video 3:32 Minutes)

With a recent $5 million private placement of funding in place in addition to previously announced federal and provincial government money, Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) has begun flow testing of its first well for a geothermal electrical power production facility south of Torquay, within sight of the U.S. border.

Dave Brown is the project engineer for drilling and completions. He said the approximately 220 metres of core retrieved from the 3,530 metre-deep vertical hole was analyzed during spring breakup. Now the hole saw a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) at the end of 3.5 inch tubing. “It’s now sitting at 2,500 metres,” he said.

This phase of flow testing has several purposes. “We started production at a lower rate and ramped it up over 12 hours,” Brown said. The hot water, really a brine, first goes through three settling tanks before entering the 27-tank farm which will be used as temporary storage. While the initial flow from the well was dark, it soon cleared up, as evidenced by samples drawn into a bucket. “We got some solids initially, but not anymore,” he said.

Read More.........

USA, Hawaii: Islands Seek to Procure 900 MW of Renewable Energy

Hawaiian Electric Companies issue call for projects to accelerate islands' renewable energy transition (News Release)

The Hawaiian Electric Companies are beginning Hawaii's largest procurement effort for renewable energy resources to end the use of coal and reduce reliance on imported oil for power generation, moving the state closer to its goal of using 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

Approximately 900 megawatts of new renewables or renewables paired with storage – generating about 2 million megawatt-hours annually – are sought. It is among the largest single renewable energy procurements undertaken by a U.S. utility.

This includes estimated targets of technologies equal to 594 MW of solar for Oahu, 135 MW for Maui and up to 203 MW for Hawaii Island, depending on whether other renewable energy projects are available on that island.

For Hawaii Island, additional renewable generation is sought even assuming the Puna Geothermal Venture plant returns to service and the Hu Honua biomass plant comes online as planned.

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

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Thursday, July 18, 2019 - USA, Hawaii: Opportunity for Geothermal Energy to Replace Coal and Oil Power Plants

Philippines: Rehabilitation of Tiwi and MakBan Geothermal Power Plants Continues

AboitizPower to raise capacity of Tiwi-MakBan (Philippine Star)

Aboitiz Power Corp. expects to increase the generation capacity of the Tiwi and MakBan geothermal power plants after the six-year rehabilitation of the steamfield commenced last year.

AboitizPower chief operating officer Emmanuel Rubio said rehabilitation in the Tiwi and MakBan Geothermal Complex has already commenced.

“We have started looking at rehabilitating some wells in Tiwi. I think we’re already seeing some of the output of the (steamfield). It’s 12 wells, 50 megawatts. We signed that contract,” he said.

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

USA, Nevada: Solar Augmented Geothermal Energy Project Seeks PUC Approval

Solar-powered synthetic geothermal plant seeks exemptions from PUC (The Nevada Independent)

A nascent Reno-based technology company planning to use experimental methods to create a solar-powered “synthetic” geothermal power plant is taking additional steps to ramp up operations.

The “RenewGeo” concept and future project by Reno-based company Unified Collective (UC) Won announced in February that it had secured leases at two existing geothermal production wells in Churchill County.

Its next step is procedural: a request for an advisory opinion from the Public Utilities Commission that the company not be considered a “public utility” and thus operate with more regulatory flexibility than other power plants in the state.

According to a white paper describing the project, the concept of renewable geothermal or “RenewGeo” is designed to address two problems — use of carbon-based fuels accelerating climate change, and difficulties in intermittent renewable-based energy sources, such as solar or wind, that are less reliable and produce most of their energy at non-peak times.

Instead, “RenewGeo” is an attempt to meld geothermal energy with large-scale solar — essentially using created solar power and “storing” it by pumping heat into the ground into old or unusable geothermal wells, where it can then be used on a controlled, regular basis to produce carbon-free, renewable energy. The white paper estimated that eight hours of solar power would create enough energy to provide 24 hours of reliable power from the geothermal process — a way to “store” renewable energy without producing or using lithium-ion batteries or other methods.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News Archives:

• Tuesday, February 12, 2019 - USA, Nevada: Solar Augmented Geothermal Energy Project to Be Tested on Existing Wells

Science & Technology: Company Claims Closed Loop Geothermal System can be Implemented Across 80 Percent of the World

This Geothermal Energy System Could be Built in a Backyard (Futurism)

Canadian company Eavor Technologies is building a first-of-its-kind geothermal system in Alberta — and it could help the world finally tap into that potential.

“You can put it almost anywhere,” Eavor CEO John Redfern told CBC News. “It’s not like a windmill or solar panel… almost everything’s underground so you can literally put it in someone’s backyard.”

“It’s just a much more benign system,” Redfern told CBC News, “and it’s something that you can implement across 80 percent of the world instead of five percent of the world like traditional geothermal.”

Read More.........

Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)

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

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

Canada: Government Invests in Geothermal Resource Survey in Northern British Columbia

Canada Supports Clean, Renewable Energy Technologies in British Columbia (TMC news)

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $1-million investment for Deh Tai Limited Partnership, the economic development company of the Fort Nelson First Nation, to assess the resource potential of several renewable energy technologies.

This assessment includes a potential geothermal electricity generation project, which involves the Saulteau First Nations' participation.

"Today's announcement is an investment in the future of our people and all our children. Having access to clean energy through geothermal is a key priority for our Nation. We are thankful to the federal government for providing the necessary financial assistance to explore this project further. Having access to geothermal will bring many benefits to our community and create security and economic benefits as we move forward for decades to come," said Chief Sharleen Gale, Fort Nelson First Nation.

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Canada: 5 MW Alberta No. 1 Geothermal Power Project Announced

Canada Invests in Alberta’s First Commercial-Scale Geothermal Facility (Natural Resources Canada)

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $25.4-million investment in Northwestern Alberta’s first commercial-scale geothermal facility, which will generate clean energy  and create jobs. The project, Alberta No. 1, will be overseen by a partnership between Terrapin Geothermics and the Municipal District of Greenview. PCL Construction will also participate in this project.

A first in the province and among the first of its kind in Canada, the facility will generate five megawatts of electricity annually, enough to power 6,800 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20,000 tonnes per year. The project will also create new jobs during the construction and operation phases.

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Geothermal Event! Four Exciting Fieldtrips from GRC Annual Meeting & Expo!

Fieldtrips from Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting  (News Release)

Spaces are filling up fast for these popular excursions from the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo in Palm Springs, California, USA.

In addition to the main event of the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo taking place September 15-18, 2019, there will be a grand total of four fieldtrips before and after the conference.

Just before the start of the conference two half-day trips will offer a chance to relax and enjoy the fantastic scenery and culture of the Palm Springs area. On Saturday, a three hour off-road ride in a Jeep will take you into the California Desert, along the San Andreas fault-zone through slot canyons and a natural palm oasis. On Sunday morning, a two-mile hike into the Palm Canyon will visit a special place for the Agua Caliente (Hot Water) Band of Cahuilla Indians among the trees in a beautiful palm oasis.

Just after the end of the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo on September 18, a two-day fieldtrip will take advantage of a rare opportunity to explore operations, volcanic geology and hydrothermal features of the Coso geothermal facility located at the China Lake Naval Air Warfare Station, California. This tour will also include a visit to GreenFire Energy’s experimental project demonstrating closed-loop geothermal power production technology using both water and supercritical CO₂ as working fluids.

Also departing on Wednesday, September 18 another two-day fieldtrip will visit the Imperial Valley, home to the world renowned Salton Sea geothermal field. In addition to stops at the John L. Featherstone and Heber geothermal power plants, there will also be up-close observations of quaternary volcanoes, mud volcanoes, hot springs and an actively spreading mud pot! The valley has become a significant hot spot for renewable energy – with production from geothermal, solar, wind and biofuel – and possibly soon to be one of the most important regions for lithium mining.

More information on the fieldtrips, including more detailed itinerary and cost, can be found on the GRC Website at https://geothermal.org.

Netherlands: Geothermal Energy for District Heating and Greenhouse Operations Set to Boom

"Geothermal energy will become commonplace sooner than we think" (Hortidaily)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Although geothermal energy, biomass power plants and other alternative energy sources have received a lot of attention since the recently concluded Climate Agreement, it has been the focus of attention within the horticultural sector for much longer. 

"Actually, for years growers have kept innovating for a license to produce and energy cost reduction," says Léon Lankester of AAB. "Geothermal energy, in particular, has been increasing greatly in the last ten years and that will only further increase in the coming years."

The national ambitions are considerable. In 2050, according to the Geothermal Energy Master Plan in the Netherlands, 700 doublets must provide nearly 4 million households with geothermal energy and a total of 6 million homes with heat (now there are only 375,000). In the year 2019, there are 20 doublets in the Netherlands, most of which can be found in greenhouse horticulture areas. 

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United Kingdom: Twelve Boreholes to Be Drilled at Glasgow Geothermal Research Observatory

Glasgow mine workings scheme could lead to heating for millions of homes (Herald Scotland)

An innovative project in Glasgow’s east end is investigating the potential for untapped mine water to be harnessed as geothermal energy that could be used to help heat millions of homes in the UK.

The geothermal research observatory will explore underground mine workings via 12 boreholes drilled to varying depths in Dalmarnock and Rutherglen’s Cuningar Loop.

So far, scientists have drilled four boreholes with the remaining eight partially drilled exploratory channels to be completed by autumn this year.

Alison Monaghan, geologist and science team lead for the Glasgow Geothermal Research Observatory, said: “Across the world there are already small schemes that use the technology of mine water geothermal and in the first couple of years of what we’re doing in Glasgow should have a big impact as to how more widely the technology could be used.

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El Salvador: La Geo Plans to Add 80 MW Geothermal Energy Capacity

LaGeo proyecta concretar expansión en cuatro años en El Salvador - LaGeo plans to complete four-year expansion in El Salvador (La Prensa Grafica)

Esperan terminar pronto la negociación con el Banco Mundial para financiar la explotación de los pozos de San Vicente y Chinameca.

(From Google Translate) They hope to finish the negotiations with the World Bank soon to finance the exploitation of the wells of San Vicente and Chinameca.

La apuesta es sumar hasta unos 80 megavatios (MW) a la capacidad que ya tiene LaGeo, para lo que se está gestionando un financiamiento por $232 millones. Además del Banco Mundial, el funcionario dijo que hay otros organismos multilaterales que han mostrado interés.

The bet is to add up to 80 megawatts (MW) to the capacity that LaGeo already has, for which a financing of $ 232 million is being managed. In addition to the World Bank, the official said there are other multilateral agencies that have shown interest.

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From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - El Salvador: Turboden Supplies 8 MW ORC Turbine to Berlin Geothermal Project
• Wednesday, May 9, 2018 - El Salvador: Capacity for Another 440 MW Geothermal Energy
• Monday, September 25, 2017 - El Salvador: Great Potential for Geothermal Energy in Region

Geothermal Event! Final Program Available

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

Geothermal: Green Energy for the Long Run

15-18 September, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA



Event Program (PDF)........                          Online Registration.........
Registration Form (PDF).........                    Event Flyer (PDF)..........