Japan:

Japanese Oil Company to Study Geothermal Power Generation in Hokkaido (Power Engineering Magazine)

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (JAPEX) said Monday that it will begin a three-year feasibility study in June for geothermal power generation in Hokkaido, northernmost Japan.

The company, will dig a well in an area near Musadake volcano in the town of Shibetsu to study underground temperature distribution and other subjects.

If the location proves promising, JAPEX will build a 15,000-kilowatt geothermal power plant there, aiming to start its operations in or around 2023.

The company estimates the total costs for the feasibility study at about 2 billion yen.

Read More.....

Iceland:

Sri Mulyani Indrawati to Give Keynote at Iceland Geothermal Conference 2013 (IceNews)

Sri Mulyani Indrawati

It has been announced that Mrs. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the Managing Director of the World Bank, will be giving a keynote speech at the first Iceland Geothermal Conference, IGC 2013, taking place at the Harpa Conference Centre in Reykjavík, March 5-8.

Sri Mulyani Indrawati joined the World Bank in June 2010, where she is responsible for the Bank’s operations in Africa, East Asia & the Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, the Middle East & North Africa and South Asia.

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Uganda:

Tapping of Geothermal Energy Finalized (AllAfrica.com)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Uganda is looking at the middle of this year as the time when the country will ascertain the geothermal potential and areas to be drilled.

Speaking to the East African Business Week in an interview last week, Mr. Vincent Kato, the Principal Geologist at Geological Survey and Mines Department said that they had identified sites and four had been developed.

"We are still at the exploration stage and present we have licensed six private companies. So by midyear we shall be in a better position to ascertain which areas we need to drill," Kato said.

He added that three geothermal prospective sites; Kibiro in Hoima, Katwe in Kasese and Panyimur in Nebbi are being prioritized and funded by the government but that no drilling had yet taken place.

Read More.....

USA, Oregon:

AltaRock Energy Announces Successful Multiple-Zone Stimulation of Well at the Newberry EGS Demonstration (AltEnergyMag - News Release)

(Courtesy Newberry EGS)

AltaRock Energy today announced that it has created multiple stimulated zones from a single wellbore at the Newberry Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) Demonstration site. Creating multiple stimulated zones from a single well will dramatically increase the flow and energy output per well for the completed system, which will include soon-to-be-drilled production wells. The overall effect will be to lower the cost of geothermal energy production by as much as 50 percent. This is a major advancement for EGS and has the potential to move geothermal energy from a niche role to a major player in AltaRock's energy portfolio.

Read More.....

USA, Idaho:

U.S. Geothermal Provides 2012 Review and Milestones for 2013 (Marketwatch - News Release)

U.S. Geothermal Inc. provided a 2012 review and planned milestones moving forward thru 2013. During 2012, the Company's management and operating teams were focused on improving operations at Raft River, Idaho and advancing both the San Emidio, Nevada and Neal Hot Springs, Oregon projects into commercial operations. Commercial operations were successfully achieved at San Emidio in May 2012 and at Neal Hot Springs  in November 2012.

Read More....

USA:

Obama Inauguration Speech Promises Action on Climate Change and Support for Renewable Energy Sources (BBC News)


We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition, we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries, we must claim its promise. That's how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure -- our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That's what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

Read More.....

Argentina:

Course: Fluid Geochemistry of Volcanic and Geothermal Systems

Caviahue, Argentina

March 11-15, 2013

An international  course organized by the Universidad Nacional De Rio Negro and the Asociacion Geologica Argentina, and supported by the IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Lakes. Lectures will be held in English and Spanish.

Saint Kitts and Nevis:

Nevis Government Terminates Geothermal Contract with West Indies Power (SKNVibes.com)

The Nevis Island Government is now free to pursue the development of geothermal energy by its own means. Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry made the announcement on January 18, 2013, two days after a High Court ruling gave the Administration the green light to do so.

Mr. Parry told the Department of Information that the Court ruled that West Indies Power, a company that had been contracted by the Administration to explore and develop geothermal energy on the island could no longer fulfill its end of the agreement.

“Two days ago the Court ruled that West Indies Power was in no position to meet its obligations. West Indies Power is a company that helped to develop geothermal energy on Nevis to a stage where it is proven that there is energy available for commercial use.

“It means that because of that ruling the Government is in a position to end its arrangement with West Indies Power and to develop geothermal power itself and this is what the government is placing itself in a position to do,” he said.

Read More.....

Mexico:

Más Detalles Entorno al Centro Mexicano de Innovación en Energía Geotérmica (Piensa en Geotermia)

El secretario de Desarrollo Económico del estado de Michoacán (México) dio a conocer más detalles sobre el futuro Centro Mexicano de Innovación en Energía Geotérmica destacando que ocuparía un espacio de 30 hectáreas.

The Secretary for Economic Development of Michoacan (Mexico) has released more details about the future 30 hectare Mexican Center for Innovation in Geothermal Energy​​.

Read More.....

Global:

Report Expects Global Geothermal Revenue to Grow in 2012 (Domestic Fuel)

In 2012, the global Geothermal industry is expected to see a 123% increase in revenue compared to 2011, respectively.

A new report shows that advanced energy became a $1.1 trillion market globally in 2011, outpacing even pharmaceutical manufacturing worldwide, and the U.S. sector is expected to have grown by 19 percent last year, with American revenues rising to $157 billion. The report from Advanced Energy Economy highlights how in 2011 alone, this advanced energy sector, including hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, waste and biomass, generated more than $20 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

In 2012, the Wind, Other Distributed Generation, and Geothermal subsegments are expected to see a 10%, 49%, and 123% increase in revenue compared to 2011, respectively. All other subsegments are estimated to have declining revenues during this time, including Hydropower (-65%), Marine (-53%), Waste (-42%), Biomass (-31%), Nuclear (-10%), Gas Turbines (-9%), and Solar (-7%).

Read More.....

USA:

Reports: Energy Secretary Steven Chu to Step Down (Electric Light & Power)

Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu
(Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

Steven Chu, who has headed the U.S. Department of Energy since January 2009, has decided to step down, according to Bloomberg, who sites people close to the matter.

Chu's exit would leave leaderless the three top departments that deal with energy policy, with Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar having already announced their plans for departure.

Chu's tenure at the DOE was marked perhaps most significantly by a stimulus-funded spending spree that concentrated on smart grid technology, renewable energy projects and an active federal loan guarantee program for upstart technology companies.

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Philippines:

Geothermal Lowers Electricity Bills in Philippines (Manila Bulletin)

Customers under the coverage of Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative (Noreco2) will now benefit from lower rates in their monthly billing this January.

Noreco 2 General Manager Eunora Sameon said the member-customer-owners (MCOs) of Noreco2 will enjoy a decrease in the generation charge of P0.0737 per kilowatt hour.

She said the discounted amount is due to the availment by the electric coop of the 3.2 percent prompt payment from Green Core Geothermal, Inc. (GCGI).

Read More.....

USA:

Renewable Energy Supplies Half of all New U.S. Electricity in 2012

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has just released a report revealing that renewable energy accounted for 49.10 percent of all new domestic electricity capacity in 2012, for a total of 12,956 MWe. Some 3,276 MWe (25.29 percent) came online during December 2012 alone.

This means that renewable energy now comprises 15.40 percent of total U.S. generating capacity.

The Geothermal steam power industry added 13 units for a total capacity of 149 MWe in 2012 compared to 9 units with a capacity of 56 MWe in 2011.

Read More.....

USA:

U.S. GEA State of the Geothermal Energy Industry Briefing (News Release)

Registration is now open for the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association's State of the Geothermal Energy Industry Briefing, to be held on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The half-day event will convene U.S. geothermal industry leaders, congressional staffers and government agencies for the release of the 2013 Annual GEA Industry Update, as well as a discussion by key corporate and policy insiders about what is required to move the industry forward.

Read More.....

Global:

Global Warming has Increased Monthly Heat Records by a Factor of Five (International Economic Platform for Renewable Energies)

Monthly temperature extremes have become much more frequent, as measurements from around the world indicate.

On average, there are now five times as many record-breaking hot months worldwide than could be expected without long-term global warming, shows a study now published in Climatic Change. In parts of Europe, Africa and southern Asia the number of monthly records has increased even by a factor of ten. 80 percent of observed monthly records would not have occurred without human influence on climate, concludes the authors-team of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Complutense University of Madrid.

Read More.....

USA:

World GeoPower Markets USA Summit

Securing Finance and PPAs for Geothermal Projects

May 28 - May 29,  2013              San Francisco, United States

Designed to be board-level, networking-heavy, this event will be led by developers, operators/owners, utilities and financiers and the mix of different formats offers a key opportunity to do business:

• Meet the “sharks”: meet one-on-one and present your project to investors
• One-to-one meetings: arrange meetings with key attendees ahead of the event
• Round table format: enhanced discussions and private sessions allow open and honest ideas exchange
• Off-site meetings: arrange a meeting before the event with key clients off site,  select the venue and bring your clients
• Speed networking: mini-meetings that last for a few minutes, giving you the chance to meet more attendees and swap business cards

Read More.....

Global:

Geothermal Resources Council Announces New Board of Directors

Louis Capuano III and Dennis J. Gilles join the new GRC Board of Directors

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) is governed by a Board of Directors, elected by the general membership to 2-year terms. To provide continuity, half of the Board is elected every year. All GRC members are eligible for election to the Board of Directors. 

The global GRC membership took part in the ballot in the late fall, and the result was that two new members of the Board were elected:

Louis Capuano, III is Drilling Engineer/Project Manager at Capuano Engineering Company. Louis joins his father, Louis E. Capuano, Jr. on the GRC Board of Directors. He has been an instructor at the National Geothermal Academy in Reno the last two years.

Dennis J. Gilles is a member of the Board of Directors for U.S. Geothermal. He was Senior Vice President with Calpine Corporation, responsible for the management of all Calpine geothermal interests, including The Geysers. Dennis has served on the GRC Board before and also served for 10 years as the Chairman of the Board for the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).

Louis and Dennis join the eight other members who have been re-elected to the Board of Directors: Paul Brophy, James W. Lovekin, Roy L. Mink, Joseph Moore, Marilyn Nemzer, Lisa Shevenell, Charlene L. Wardlow, and Shigeto Yamada.

At the end of 2012, the GRC membership stood at 1,595, with members from 44 countries. The Board of Directors includes three international members.

Photos of the new Board of Directors can be seen on the GRC Website at www.geothermal.org/BOD.html

Canada, USA - Nevada:

Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. Reaches Agreement on Transfer of Blue Mountain Geothermal Project (News Release)

Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. (NGP) has announced that the company and funds managed by EIG Global Energy Partners (EIG), the mezzanine lender for the Blue Mountain Geothermal Project, have entered into an equity transfer agreement under which NGP will transfer its 100% interest in NGP Blue Mountain HoldCo LLC to Blue Mountain Power, LLC, a company owned by EIG.

NGP will continue as project operator of the Faulkner 1 geothermal power plant and will provide management and administrative services through its operating subsidiary, Nevada Geothermal Operating Company LLC and will receive its normal operating fee under its existing operating agreement, during a cooperative transition period of up to twelve months from the BM HoldCo equity transfer date.

Read More.....

Chile:

Geoglobal Energy Chile Quiere Acelerar El Desarrollo de La Planta de Curacautín (Piensa en Geotermia)



Rüdiger Trenkle, gerente general de GeoGlobal Energy Chile, ha declarado que estarían considerando dividir el proyecto geotérmico de Curacautín de 70 MWe en varías fases y esperan poner en marcha la primera unidad de 12 MWe a mediados de 2014.

Rüdiger Trenkle, CEO GeoGlobal Energy Chile, says the company would consider splitting the 70 MWe Curacautín geothermal project into phases and expect to launch the first 12 MWe unit in mid-2014.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

West Java Geothermal Potency is 6,096 MWe (The President Post)

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jero Wacik recently inaugurated the development of the 30 MWe Unit V Kamojang Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP)   and the Lahendong Geothermal Field for steam supply to PLTP Unit IV Lahendong in Kamojang, Bandung District, West Java.

Both PLTP are operated by PT. Pertamina (Persero) through its subsidiary, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE). Kamojang PLTP Unit V will start operating by the end of 2014 and Lahendong Geothermal Field has supplied steam since December 23rd, 2011. Kamojang PLTP Unit V is the development of four unit existing PLTP. Currently, the Kamojang installed capacity is 200 MWe. The development of Kamojang PLTP Unit V and Lahendong are part of the Fast Track Program 10,000 MWe Stage II.

In his speech, the minister explained that Indonesian geothermal potency is so huge, approximately for 29,000 MWe that is 40% of the world potency and 22% of some or approximately for 6,096 MWe is in West Java. So, the minister advised to investors to invest in new and renewable energy such as solar power, geothermal, biomass power plant, and hydro power plant.

Read More.....

Philippines:

Top Power Players in the Philippines (Rappler)

The Lopezes, long identified with the power industry, has the greenest portfolio with its plants sourcing energy mostly from geothermal and natural gas. Lopez-led Energy Development Corp., is the largest producer of geothermal energy in the Philippines and the largest IPP in Visayas with 43.3% share.

USA, Montana:

New Report Issued on the Benefits of Geothermal Use in Montana

Bob Lawrence & Associates, Inc., in partnership with the Geo-Heat Center of the Oregon Institute of Technology, announces the release of a report entitled  "The Economic, Environmental, and Social Benefits of Geothermal Use in Montana (PDF)."

Montana has a long and rich history of geothermal use. Today, the documented direct uses of geothermal waters are related to tourism and recreation, spas and resorts, space heating, and greenhouse heating.

Montana has significant geothermal potential for future uses, from new applications of direct use heating, to resurgence in mineral spa therapy, to
development of low‐to‐moderate temperature resources for electrical power generation.

Bolivia:

Talks on Revitalization of Laguna Colorada Project in Bolivia (ThinkGeoEnergy)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is in discussions with the Bolivian government on re-starting the Laguna Colorada geothermal power project in Bolivia, which was estimated in the past at a potential 100 MWe capacity.

The project site is in Sud Lípez province, Potosí department, at 4,900m above sea level near the border with Chile.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

Geothermal Industry to be Taken Out of Mining Sector (en.bisnis.com)

The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) wants to take geothermal power out from the mining category to protect the designation of geothermal as an alternative energy.

The Secretary General of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) with the Ministry Djadjang Sukarna said his office would continue to seek to harmonize regulations related to the utilization of geothermal energy. One of these proposed revisions to the Law No. 27/2003 concerning the use of geothermal heat to be separate from mining activities.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

GRC Course at 2nd ITB Geothermal Workshop 2013

Geothermal Resources Council

Pre-Workshop Course (PDF)

East Campus Centre ITB, Bandung, Indonesia

March 4-5, 2013

“Exploration Drilling and Early Stage Geothermal Reservoir Characterization”

• Steve Ponder, Executive Director, GRC
• Paul Brophy, President EGS, Inc.
• Louis Capuano, Jr. CEO, Capuano Engineering
• Paul von Hirtz, President Thermochem, Inc.
• Dr. Subir Sanyal, GeothermEx, a Schlumberger Company
• Dr. Suryantini, ITB
• Ir. Ali Ashat, ITB

Registration fee: Student US$ 50; Government US$ 100; Industry US$ 400

Number of participants are limited to 100 people.

For registration please contact Dr. Suryantini: suryantini@gc.itb.ac.id

USA, California:

2013 Imperial Valley Renewable Energy Summit & Expo

13-15 March, 2013, Holtville, Imperial Valley, California

Hungary:

4th European Geothermal PhD Day

Szeged, Hungary, 5th -7th of May 2013.

The event will be hosted by University of Szeged, Department of Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Petrology, Faculty of Science and Informatics.

PhD students working in the field of geothermal research are all invited to take part, not only in geosciences , but also including engineering, chemistry, business, law, etc. As in the past 3 occasions, PhD students will have the chance to present their work both with an oral presentation and a poster.

Indonesia:

Kamojang IV Geothermal Plant Commences Operation (Indonesia Today)

Indonesia Energy and mineral resources minister Jero Wacik has officially commenced the operation of fourth unit of Kamojang geothermal power plant in West Java Saturday (January 12).

The 30 MWe unit, is operated by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy, subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina.

A fifth unit, also 30 MWe, is scheduled for commercial operation late next year. Kamojang Unit V is located 42-KM south of Bandung, capital city of West Java province.

Government expects the new geothermal plant would boost the country's renewable energy portion in energy mix, which is targeted to reach 25% by 2025.

Indonesia:

Korean Investor Eyes Geothermal Power Plant in Sumatra (Jakarta Post)

An investor from South Korea is eyeing a steam power plant (PLTU) construction project in Tebo regency, Jambi province in central Sumatra.The new power plant would generate 400 MWe.

Head of Jambi Regional Investment Coordinating Board and Integrated Service Center (BKMPD-PPT) Hefni Zen said that Jambi Governor Hasan Basri Agus would sign an agreement with a Korean company in the near future.

The project, Hefni said would be a collaboration between a Tabo-owned regional company and a South Korean firm with support from the respective governments.

Global:

Global Geothermal Experiences a 39% Drop in Investment in 2012 (Silicon Republic)

New data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) suggests that clean energy investments dropped by 11% in 2012 due to factors such as regulatory uncertainty and policy changes, especially in big markets such as the US, Spain, India and Italy.

The latest BNEF figures indicate that the US$268.7bn invested in the clean-energy space in 2012 was down from the US$302.3bn invested in 2011. Despite this, Bloomberg said that last year's investment figure was the second highest ever for the clean-energy sector, and five times higher than 2004 figures.

Geothermal experienced a 39% drop to US$1.8bn. Small hydro (projects of less than 50 MWe) was the only clean-tech sector that showed growth in 2012.

Read More.....

Kenya:

Plugged in to Progress With Geothermal Energy in Kenya (Equities.com)

Jackson Kiloku, a 26-year-old Masai who herds animals and raises vegetables, stood at the far end of Inkoiriento village, a panoply of wooden and rusted tin-roofed buildings in Kenya's Nakuru County, and pointed to cables in the sky. "I hope electricity will flow through them soon," he said. "Electricity will be good for our local school and good for our businesses." Daniel Parsitau, a fellow villager added that electricity would make life at home easier as well.

Both look to Kenya's Olkaria geothermal plant, on the boundaries of Hell's Gate National Park, to deliver this new electricity. Olkaria, which has received long-term support from the World Bank and other agencies, is part of Kenya's plan to substantially increase the contribution of geothermal to the country's energy mix.

Only 16% of Kenyans have access to electricity, but with evidence of abundant geothermal resources beneath the country's share of East Africa's Rift Valley, the government plans to double geothermal generation to bring electricity to villages like Inkoiriento. Already, geothermal-developed with $300 million in support from the World Bank since 1978 -delivers about 13% of Kenya's electricity; the goal is to raise that proportion to close to 30% by 2020.

Read More.....

Philippines:

Geothermal Developer Urges Better Data Tools (Manila Standard Today)

Clean Rock chief operating officer
Fernando Sanchez Peñarroyo
(Courtesy IISD Reporting Services)

Clean Rock Renewable Energy Resources Corp. asked the Philippines Energy Department to develop database protocols and tools for geothermal resource assessments.

Clean Rock chief operating officer Fernando Penarroyo said the department should develop the tools for geothermal assessment and make them available to the public to encourage more investors.

Clean Rock is developing the Natib geothermal prospect in Bataan and the Daklan geothermal prospect  in Benguet.

Read More.....

USA, Oregon:

Three Geothermal Reservoirs Created by EGS at Newberry Crater (The Columbian)

Newberry Crater (Courtesy Aurora Sprott)

Geothermal energy developers working on the flanks of an ancient Oregon volcano say they have taken an important technological step toward expanding geothermal energy from a small niche into a potential major source of homegrown power.

AltaRock Energy Inc. of Seattle says the data are still being analyzed, but they are confident they have created three geothermal reservoirs from a single well where none existed before. The breakthrough solves two problems holding back the next level of geothermal development, known as Enhanced Geothermal Systems, or EGS: creating reservoirs big enough for commercial production in places they don't occur naturally, and holding down costs.

Read More.....

USA, Idaho:

Boise Public Works Wants to Drop Geothermal Customer Rates (Boise Weekly)

(Courtesy Boise Weekly)

When many customers connected to Boise geothermal line—the largest direct-use system of its kind in the United States—they assumed that the natural heating system would come with consumer savings. But natural gas rates have plummeted, dropping 39 percent in the last seven years, leaving Boise's geothermal rates near, or above, natural gas rates.

That's why the City of Boise's Public Works Department will be suggesting a 9 percent drop in its geothermal rate when the Boise City Council meets this Tuesday, Jan. 15.

Read More.....

Kenya:

New Rift Valley Steam Wells Start Drilling in April (Business Daily)

Geothermal Sites in Kenya
(Courtesy GDC)

Seven geothermal wells will be drilled in the Bogoria/Silali area as the government diversifies into new fields outside the traditional Menengai and Olkaria zones.

Geothermal Development Company (GDC) says it has received $400 million (about Sh34 billion), $300 million of it from US Exim Bank and $100 million from KfW, a German development bank, for the project.

Work on the seven fields of Bogoria, Azuri, Baringo, Korosi, Silali, Lipaka and Chepchuk will start in April, bringing to 20 the number of wells drilled and planned in the country.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

Pertamina Set to Expand Geothermal Portfolio With Ambitious Planning (Jakarta Globe)

When Pertamina redefined itself last year, company officials said they wanted to pursue business opportunities beyond their traditional area of expertise — oil and gas. 

Renewable energy, like the geothermal variety, is one area that greatly excited company officials. 

Pertamina benefited from the country’s old regulations, which put all of Indonesia geothermal assets under its management. Though the regulation has been altered, Pertamina remains at the forefront of geothermal development in the country. 

Pertamina Geothermal Energi, a subsidiary of Pertamina, announced on Saturday that it has broken ground on two geothermal projects, which would increase the country’s electricity generation capacity by 50 MWe. 

Read More.....

USA, Nevada:

Brady Hot Springs Geothermal Well Simulation Program Approved (Press Release - Mesquite Citizen Journal)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office has approved a proposal submitted by Brady Power Partners, a subsidiary of Ormat Nevada, Inc. (Ormat), to develop and test a geothermal reservoir using Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology.

The EGS technology involves creating better hydraulic connections by injecting cool geothermal water to further open the existing network of minute cracks in the rocks deep underground, where natural fractures already occur. The resulting enhanced fracture network would enable increased production of hot geothermal water, thus increasing the power output of the Brady Hot Springs Power Plant. The project is located on an existing production well and the associated drill pad situated on a federal geothermal lease held by Ormat.

Read More.....

USA, Nevada:

Oil/gas search: Fracking comes to Nevada (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a front-page story this week on plans for oil exploration in the north east of Nevada that could involve fracking. There are a number of geothermal power plants in operation and development in that part of the state.

Location of the oil and gas exploration area

Houston-based Noble Energy Inc. is pursuing plans to drill for oil and natural gas across a 40,000-acre swath of public and private land near the city of Wells, about 400 miles north of Las Vegas.

The project would mark the first use of hydraulic fracturing in Nevada.

The use of pressurized fluid to smash oil and gas from previously untapped shale deposits has sparked mining booms and stirred serious environmental concerns from New York to Alaska.

Read More....

Global:

2013 GRC Annual Meeting &
GEA Energy Expo

Make a room reservation now for the geothermal event of the year!

Indonesia:

Geothermal Power Asia Congress 2013

May 21-22 in Jakarta, Indonesia                    Register

The Geothermal Power Asia Congress 2013 provides an opportunity to meet active players across the value chain in Indonesia and neighboring countries to share proved experience, ideas, and learn in-depth insights.

Topics to be addressed:

• Political and fiscal incentives study
• Geothermal resources data enhancement and availability
• Geothermal power generation in oil field
• Financing and investment climate and solutions
• Advancement in drilling, exploration and power generation efficiency
• Forest geothermal resources development and challenges

The organizers are expecting 150+ executive attendees and 25+ decision makers like regulatory agencies, project developers, operators, EPC contractors, equipment providers, investors, law firms and analysts to join this two day event.

USA, Idaho:

Idaho Geological Survey and U-Idaho Explore for Geothermal Energy (University of Idaho)

(Courtesy Idaho Geological Survey)

In an effort to provide the most accurate assessment of high-temperature geothermal energy potential in the region, the Idaho Geological Survey recently drilled new wells in southeastern Idaho.

“These new thermal gradient wells will provide the first accurate picture of the heat flow regime beneath this important volcanic province,” said project leader John Welhan, University of Idaho faculty member, Idaho Geological Survey research geologist and GRC member.

Workers successfully completed installation of three wells in the Blackfoot-Gem Valley volcanic field of southeastern Idaho during the fourth quarter of 2012. The wells were drilled within an 18-mile radius of China Hat, a 60,000-year-old region of volcanic rock near Soda Springs, Idaho.

The wells allow researchers to precisely measure heat coming out of the Earth, which will help them better understand Idaho’s geologic framework, in addition to offering insight into the region’s geothermal energy potential.

Read More.....

Kenya:

Olkaria IV Geothermal Workers Strike Over Pay (The Star)

More than 500 workers at the KenGen Olkaria IV Power Plant in Naivasha yesterday went on strike over low wages and poor working conditions. The strike paralysed the construction of the 280 MWe geothermal plant commissioned by President Kibaki last July.

The workers who are contracted to the Hadish Company downed their tools saying their salaries are too low. A worker complained that they are paid Sh330 daily compared to the more than Sh2,000 paid to their foreign colleagues.

“We want the company to increase our daily pay to Sh500 because we are doing the donkey work as foreign workers loiter around,” he said. The employee accused Hadish managers of mistreating and sacking them arbitrarily.

Panama:

Barú-Colorado Podría Convertirse en La Primera Planta Geotérmica de Panamá (Piensa en Geotermia)

(Courtesy Centram Geothermal Inc.)

El Proyecto Geotérmico Barú-Colorado, que se encuentra en fase de estudios geofísicos, podría convertirse en el primer proyecto geotérmico de Panamá.

The 5 MWe Baru-Colorado Geothermal Project, being developed by Centram Geothermal Inc., could become the first geothermal project in Panama.

Read More.....

Ethiopia:

British Embassy Organizes Awareness Creation Seminar on Geothermal Development (The British Embassy in Addis Ababa)

The UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) department of the British Embassy in Addis Ababa organized an awareness creation seminar on geothermal development from 8-10 January 2013 in Addis Ababa.

The seminar brought together officials from Ethiopia and Djibouti to discuss the technical and regulatory barriers to developing the East Africa’s region’s geothermal resource with a view to producing a set of recommendations for exploiting geothermal, applicable to all Rift Valley countries.

Read More.....

Technology:

Magma in Mantle has Deep Impact (Rice University)

Magma forms far deeper than geologists previously thought, according to new research at Rice University.

A group led by geologist Rajdeep Dasgupta put very small samples of peridotite under very large pressures in a Rice laboratory to determine that rock can and does liquify, at least in small amounts, as deep as 250 kilometers in the mantle beneath the ocean floor. He said this explains several puzzles that have bothered scientists.

Read More.....

India:

Soon, Power from Ancient Rocks (Times of India)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

For the hill state of Himachal Pradesh looking for energy solutions, the future lies in the rocks buried beneath thousands of meters.

A drilling project in the cold desert of Ladakh in Chumathang area by the Geological Survey of India has warmed the prospect of harnessing energy from millions of years old molten rocks.

In the future, metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad too might be exploring the heat generated from the rocks buried in the earth to light up houses.

Read More.....

Technology:

Just Drill a Little Deeper to Unlock Earth's Heat, Geothermal Expert Says (Decomworld)

 North Sea Oil Platform
(Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Now here's an interesting idea. Instead of decommissioning hundreds of North Sea oil and gas wells, why not “recommission” them as sources of lucrative, carbon-free geothermal energy?

This entirely new industry could support thousands of jobs and deliver a clean, affordable alternative to nuclear, whose future in the UK is in doubt anyway.

That was the suggestion of George E. Lockett, promoter of geothermal energy development in the North Sea, at DecomWorld's 9th Annual North Sea Decommissioning Conference, held in November in Aberdeen.

Most of the technology is already available, Lockett said, and the UK continental shelf has a relatively thin crust, about 10km thick compared with 40km to 70km on land, giving the wells there high bottom-hole temperatures. He appealed to oil and gas operators to log depths and temperatures so that hotspots could be mapped, and said geothermal technology could supply more than 100,000 MW of electricity within 50 years.

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Iceland:

USA, Wyoming:

Peru:

Eco Energy Realizará Tareas de Exploración en Puno, Perú - Eco Energy Carries Out Exploration in Puno, Peru (Piensa en Geotermia)

La empresa Eco Energy tiene un periodo de dos años para la realización de trabajos de exploración en las zonas denominadas Pinaya IV y Pinaya V, ubicadas en el distrito de Santa Lucía, provincia de Lampa, Puno, Perú.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) of Peru has granted the company Eco Energy the authorization to pursue the activity of geothermal resource exploration in the areas known Pinaya Pinaya IV and V, located in the district of Santa Lucia, province of Lampa (Puno).

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