USA, New Mexico:

Opinion: Geothermal? Potential Heats Up (Santa Fe New Mexican)

Like many, we are excited about a new, renewable energy source for our corner of the world. Geothermal energy has potential, but its promise has to be balanced with the necessity for caring for the natural world.

These are early days, of course, in the exploration of tapping into potential geothermal energy in the Jemez Valley. Done responsibly, the transformation of Earth’s own resources into energy could be an economic boost to the region. Jemez Pueblo also has been exploring geothermal projects, using a $4.9 million Department of Energy grant to look for ways hot water sources could be developed. It’s obvious that many feel the potential for unleashing this energy source exists.

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European Union:

EU Renewable Energy Progress Report (News Release)

Geothermal Energy provides just 1% of renewable energy demand

The European Commission has published the progress report on 2020 renewable energy targets, showing that the EU is on track to meet its 20% renewable energy targets. With a projected share of 15.3% of renewable energy in 2014 in the gross final energy consumption, the EU and the vast majority of Member States are advancing well: 25 Member States are expected to meet their 2013/2014 national targets.

These results are published in the European Commission’s 2015 report on progress made in achieving the EU’s legally binding target for a 20% share of renewable energy, the 10% target for renewable energy use in transport, and the binding national targets by 2020.

In 2014, the share of geothermal in total renewable energy demand in the EU is projected to be 1% made up of 0.4% for heating and cooling and 0.3% for electricity. 

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USA, Alaska:

Pilgrim Hot Springs Geothermal Energy (KAKM)

Wednesday, 6/17 @ 9 p.m.

Frontier Scientists presents a new video about Pilgrim Hot Springs, a geothermal resource about 50 miles outside of Nome, Alaska. Nome community partners and scientists describe the potential and exploration of the geothermal hot springs, considered to be the largest identified geothermal resource in the Central Alaska Hot Springs Belt.

Climate Change:

Taiwan Approves Climate Law, will Launch Carbon Market (Carbon-Pulse)

Taiwan’s parliament on Monday approved a greenhouse gas emission reductions and management act that will set binding CO2 targets to 2050 and lead to the establishment of a domestic emissions trading scheme.

Under the law, Taiwan will cut its emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050, according to a press release by Taiwan’s legislative yuan.

“The Taiwan Government will be implementing a cap and trade scheme to achieve low-carbon economy cost-effectively, with the development of international climate negotiation outcomes taken into account while ensuring companies remain competitive globally,” it said.

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Kenya:

Iceland's EFLA to Review Suswa Geothermal Prospect (SeeNews Renewables)

The Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) has awarded Iceland-based EFLA Consulting Engineers a USD-300,778.5 (EUR 267,900) contract for the review of the conceptual model of the Suswa geothermal prospect in Kenya.

Following an international competitive bidding process, the parties sealed the deal on June 11, according to a press release on Friday. Located in the southern parts of the Kenyan Rift Valley, Suswa’s potential is estimated at roughly 600 MW.

ICEIDA and the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) are co-funding a project whose aim is to encourage and support geothermal exploration and capacity building in East Africa.

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Philippines:

Maibarara Geothermal Confirms 10 MW Expansion (Manila Standard Today)

Maibarara Geothermal Inc. said Monday it completed tests supporting an output expansion of the 20 MW Maibarara geothermal project in Sto. Tomas, Batangas province by another 10 MW.

Maibarara said in a statement it finished bore output testing that confirmed sufficient steam supply to support the 10 MW Maibarara-2 expansion project.

Maibarara is a joint venture among PetroGreen Energy Inc., which owns a 65-percent interest, Trans-Asia Oil & Energy Development Corp., 25 percent; and PNOC Renewables Corp., 10 percent. PetroGreen is a subsidiary of PetroEnergy Resources Corp. of the Yuchengco Group.

Maibarara currently operates an integrated 20 MW geothermal power facility in Sto. Tomas, Batangas that started commercial operations on February 8, 2014.

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Switzerland:

Geothermal Project in Haute-Sorne Approved (News Release)

An important milestone for the energy transition and Geo-Energie Suisse

Geo-Energie Suisse AG has received green light from the cantonal government of Jura for its deep geothermal pilot project in the commune of Haute-Sorne. This important decision puts the vision of a future production of base-load energy from terrestrial heat within reach.

Today the authorities and Geo-Energie Suisse are presenting key data of the project during a joint press conference. Common press release of the canton Jura, the commune of Haute-Sorne and Geo-Energie Suisse (in French) as well as the press release of Geo-Energie Suisse (in German) are available now.

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Philippines:

APC Group Seeks More Time for Kalinga Geothermal Exploration (BusinessWorld Online)

APC Group, Inc. will seek another extension to complete exploration work at its $300-million geothermal power plant in Kalinga, Apayao in partnership with Chevron.

APC Chief Financial Officer Jackson T. Ongsip told reporters last week the company has completed sub-phases 1 and 2 of the geothermal service contract, which covers the geochemical and geophysical surveys of the proposed 100 MW facility.

APC targets to commence the actual drilling of the exploratory wells next year and if the results of the exploration wells prove positive, construction will follow. Completion of the project is targeted for 2019 to 2020.

The Kalinga geothermal project is owned by Aragorn Power and Energy Corp., a subsidiary of APC; local firm Guidance Management Corp.; and Chevron Kalinga Ltd., a unit of US firm Chevron.

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United Kingdom:

Scotland Awards Funding for Geothermal Projects (News Release)

Almost a quarter of a million pounds of funding has been awarded to five feasibility projects across Scotland that will investigate how the thermal energy in the ground can be used to heat homes and businesses.

A total of £234,025 has been awarded to projects targeting sites in Fife, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire and Aberdeenshire that will explore the technical feasibility, economic viability and environmental sustainability of the emerging technology.

The awards have been made from the Scottish Government’s Geothermal Energy Challenge Fund, supported by the Low Carbon Infrastructure Fund, the first strategic intervention established under the new European Structural Funds Programme. They are the first support for geothermal projects in Scotland following a 2012-2013 study which identified significant potential for geothermal heat as a renewable heat source.

Heat is estimated to account for over half of Scotland’s total energy use and responsible for nearly half of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

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GRC Annual Meeting:

Deadline for Global Geothermal Awards is Next Friday (News Release)

Nominations for the 34th annual GRC Awards to be submitted by Friday June 19

Last years GRC Award winners

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) would like to remind the global geothermal community to make their nominations for this year’s GRC Awards. The awards recognize distinguished colleagues in the geothermal community from around the world and have been a highlight of the geothermal calendar since the late 1970’s. The deadline for nominations is next Friday June 19.

The winners will be honored at the GRC Awards Luncheon at the GRC Annual Meeting being held at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno, Nevada, USA from September 20-23. The theme for this year’s meeting is Geothermal: Always On.

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Italy:

Two Zero Emission Geothermal Plants in the Works (Close up Engineering)

Diego Righini, engineer and manager of Rome based ITW LKW is leading a technical team to develop two pilot zero polluting emission binary cycle geothermal plants in Viterbo and Terni, in the Lazio region of Italy. The 5 MW plants will use a closed fluid circuit at 300°F (150°C) so no there will be no gas dispersion or polluting emissions.

The first plant in Terni should be ready in September this year, while the Viterbo plant should be ready in the summer of 2016.

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Science & Technology:

Induced Seismicity in Geothermal Fields Can Serve as a Model for Oil & Gas Industry (SEG)

The latest issue of The Leading Edge, a publication of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Volume 34, Issue 6, (pp. 602–728) has a special section on Injection-induced seismicity.

In the introduction by Robert Habiger (Geophysical Consultant) and Gregory Beroza (Stanford University), it says that the special section “is intended to offer an overview of induced seismicity, along with some of the studies under way to help understand and manage it.”

They also mention that “the geothermal-power industry and the Geysers field in California, for example, have a long history of dealing with challenges of induced seismicity and aspects of their approach could perhaps serve as a model for oil and gas. The DOE and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) created an “induced seismicity: Web site showing the recent seismicity in the Geysers geothermal field.

The Introduction ends with the statement “There is clearly a lot of work yet to be done to understand induced seismicity and to manage the risk that it poses”.

(Thanks to GRC Member Marcelo Lippmann, Staff Scientist (retired) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the submission.)

Australia:

Energy Futures - Geothermal Down Under (ABC Online)

Interview includes Bridget Ayling, geothermal energy researcher, Geoscience Australia - Begin listening at 22:24......



Very large parts of Australia have quite high temperatures at depth. Geoscience Australia did a rough calculation a few years ago now looking at the contained thermal energy in the Australian crust, and we calculated if you could extract 1% of the thermal energy above five kilometres depth and hotter than 150 degrees Celsius, that's equal to about 25,000 times Australia's total primary annual energy use. So we have a huge amount of heat in Australia.

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USA, California:

The Geysers Geothermal Pipeline Project Approved (Lake County News)


The Lake County Planning Commission on Thursday gave its approval to an above-ground pipeline project proposed by Geysers Power Co. after the company and Middletown Rancheria representatives reached an agreement on protecting cultural resources at the site.

Assistant county planner Mark Roberts told the commission that Geysers Power Co. – also referred to as Calpine during the meeting – is proposing to construct the new 2,626-foot steam pipeline between its West Ford Flat and Calistoga steamfields.

The 30-inch diameter insulated steel steam pipe will follow an existing trail and require about 24 acres of minor grading – just scraping to remove grass and shrubs.

There will be some excavation for the placement of 100 pipeline footings, which will be drilled in about 10 feet deep like utility poles, according to staff and company comments at the meeting.

Bruce Carlsen of Calpine said the pipeline is meant to increase the efficiency of operations at The Geysers.

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Science & Technology:

What are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? (Phys.org)

Renewable energy is becoming an increasingly important issue in today's world. In addition to the rising cost of fossil fuels and the threat of Climate Change, there has also been positive developments in this field which include improvements in efficiency as well as diminishing prices.

The Krafla geothermal power station located in Iceland. 

Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Ásgeir Eggertsson

Geothermal electricity is another form of alternative energy that is considered to be sustainable and reliable. In this case, heat energy is derived from the Earth – usually from magma conduits, hot springs or hydrothermal circulation – to spin turbines or heat buildings. It is considered reliable because the Earth contains 1031 joules worth of heat energy, which naturally flows to the surface by conduction at a rate of 44.2 terawatts (TW) – more than double humanity's current energy consumption.

One drawback is the fact that this energy is diffuse, and can only be cheaply harnessed in certain locations. However, in certain areas of the world, such as Iceland, Indonesia, and other regions with high levels of geothermal activity, it is an easily accessible and cost-effective way of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and coal to generate electricity. Countries generating more than 15 percent of their electricity from geothermal sources include El Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland and Costa Rica.

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Kenya:

Kenya to Increase Budget for Geothermal Energy Development by 30% (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Kenya National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich is to present this year’s National Budget today. This year’s 2.16 trillion shillings budget is the largest in Kenya’s history and in all East Africa.

On energy, cash for geothermal development has been increased from the previous 10 billion shillings to 13.2 billion shillings.

To enhance electricity connection, the government has allocated 14.9 billion shillings for rural electrification program, up from the 10 billion shillings allocated to REA last year.

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Science & Technology:

GRC Member Leads Pilot Project to Make Geothermal Electricity from Oil Well Waste Water (CanadianManufacturing.com)

GRC Member Will Gosnold

GRC Member Will Gosnold, a researcher at the University of North Dakota who is leading the pilot project, said that during the shale boom in recent years no one was interested in fiddling with extra equipment, but with oil prices low, companies are looking at any way to save money.

“Now things have slowed down due to the price decrease and they’re looking at ways to cut costs, and this is one way they could cut their electrical power cost by generating their own electricity.”

The pilot project in North Dakota, which is being developed with energy company Continental Resources Inc., cost about US$3.5 million and includes several years of research and development. Gosnold said if the pilot project is successful, new geothermal units could be constructed at a cost of US$250,000 each.

The two generators on site have a combined 250 kilowatt hour capacity, which Gosnold estimates could mean about US$150,000 in annual energy cost savings in total. At 250 kwh, the generators would produce enough power to meet the annual needs of about 300 homes.

Gosnold hopes that once the pilot plant starts operating, other companies will see the economic and environmental benefits.

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Ukraine:

Milestone Law Amending Feed-In Tariff for Renewable Energy in Ukraine (jdsupra.com)

Includes a new tariff for geothermal energy

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

On June 4, 2015, the Ukrainian parliament adopted Draft Law on Introduction of Changes to Certain Laws of Ukraine with respect to Securing Competitive Conditions for Production of Electricity from Alternative Energy Sources, No. 2010-d of 19.05.2015 (the “Law”).

The Law, which contains various changes to the current feed-in tariff regime in Ukraine, is a milestone for a sector that has stagnated for last several years due to several legislative barriers, such as a problematic local content requirement, a restrictive definition of biomass, unbalanced tariffs for various types of renewables, etc. The Law tackles many of these barriers including a new tariff for geothermal energy. To see rates of GT and lists of locally produced products, click here.

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Iceland:

The World's Greenest Festival - Thanks to Geothermal Energy (The Guardian)

Bountiful geothermal resources and 24-hour daylight mean visitors to Iceland’s Secret Solstice festival never hear the drone of diesel generators

Photograph: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images

The sun never sets over the three-day music festival, which is held in mid June outside the capital Reykjavik. Because of its close proximity to the Arctic Circle the sun only bounces off the horizon at 3.30am and it never gets dark.

Fred Olafsson, Secret Solstice’s operations director and founder reckons that the 24-hour sunlight helps to make Secret Solstice one of the greenest music festivals in the world because it has minimal lighting needs. Any power it does use comes from Iceland’s vast geothermal energy and hydropower reserves.

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Latin America, Europe:

EU Increases Investment in Geothermal Development Facility Latin America (The FINANCIAL)

The European Commission has announced €118 million of new support for Latin America and the Caribbean including support for renewable energy including €15 million for development of geothermal energy.

The announcement was made at the European Union (EU) - Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) Business Summit, according to European Parliament.

The support includes an investment grant of €15 million for the Geothermal Development Facility Latin America which focuses on the development of geothermal energy in Latin America and a contribution for an energy project for the Eastern Caribbean (€4.25 million of EU grant funding) giving technical assistance and investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

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USA:

State-By-State Plan To Bring US To 100% Renewables By 2050 Unveiled By Researchers (CleanTechnica)

Geothermal would provide 1.25% of power in 2050

Yesterday we reported on Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, and colleagues, including U.C. Berkeley researcher Mark Delucchi, outlining how each of the 50 U.S. states can achieve such a transition by 2050 in a new report.

The new study was published in the online edition of Energy and Environmental Sciences. Those looking for a faster overview than is offered via that article can find one via an interactive map here.

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Indonesia:

Japanese Company Buys into 330 MW Sarulla Geothermal Project (SeeNews Renewables)

Inpex Corporation (INPEX) announced today that it has agreed with a consortium of Japanese, Indonesian and U.S. companies to indirectly participate, by acquiring 49% of an affiliate of PT Medco Power Indonesia (Medco), in the Sarulla Geothermal Independent Power Producer (IPP) Project in Indonesia, the world’s largest single-contract geothermal power project.

The consortium is comprised of ITOCHU Corporation and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. of Japan, Medco and Ormat Technologies of the U.S.

The project involves constructing a geothermal power plant with a maximum capacity of 330 MW in the Sarulla Geothermal Field located in North Sumatra Province, and providing generated power to Perusahaan Listrik Negara, Indonesia’s government-owned electricity company over a period of 30 years. The power plant currently under construction is expected to initiate commercial operations in 2016, and reach an output of 330 MW, equivalent to the annual consumption of 700,000 households in Japan, by 2018.

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Global:

Renewable Energy Targets Quadrupled Globally Since 2005, New IRENA Report Finds (News Release)

164 countries worldwide have now adopted renewable energy targets

Renewable energy targets are now a defining feature of the global energy landscape, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Energy Target Setting, launched on the side lines of IRENA’s ninth Council meeting, finds that 164 countries have adopted at least one type of renewable energy target, up from just 43 countries in 2005. Two more countries, Canada and the United Arab Emirates, have set renewable energy targets at the sub-national level.

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Global:

The Latest News from the Leading Geothermal Energy Magazine (GRC)

A free article from the GRC Bulletin - Volume 44, No. 3 - May/June 2015

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has made available the latest GRC Bulletin, the definitive 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 2 pages from the latest issue for free. However, the full issue is 48 pages!

In this issue, there is a review of the World Geothermal Congress, a preview of the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Expo, 15 pages of geothermal news from around the world and a conclusion to the overview of geothermal potential in Peru by Susan Hodgson.

Join the GRC or subscribe to get the complete issue.

Iceland:

Geothermal Landscapes (Bēhance )

A selection of landscape photos taken in Iceland (Bjarnarflag Power Station, Krafla Power Station, Svartsengi Power Station and Reykjanes Power Station) by Jan Erik Waider.

USA, Hawaii:

Hawaii Governor Signs Landmark RPS Bill (Recharge)

Hawaii has become the first US state to adopt a 100% renewable portfolio standard and aims to reach that goal by 31 December 2045 under a bill signed into law by Governor David Ige on Monday.

Previously, Hawaii had a 40% clean energy mandate by 2030 and was ahead of schedule to meet that goal, generating 22% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2014.

House Bill 623 sets aggressive RPS interim goals for electric utilities operating in the state: 30% by the end of 2020, up from 25%; 40% by 31 December 2030, which is unchanged, and 70% by the end of 2040.

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New Mexico:

Forest Service Extends Santa Fe Geothermal Comment Period (Santa Fe New Mexican)

The public has an additional two weeks to comment on proposed geothermal development in the Santa Fe National Forest.

The Forest Service extended the deadline for comments to June 26 instead of June 12 after people at recent meetings asked for more time to study the proposal.

A company is interested in leasing 46,000 acres of the Santa Fe National Forest for exploration and development of geothermal energy. The land is within 195,000 acres identified by the U.S. Geological Survey as property with “significant geothermal potential.”

The Forest Service is taking public comments as part of a process to evaluate the environmental impacts of geothermal development.

Written comments may be emailed to comments-southwestern-santafe@fs.fed.us, faxed to 438-5390 or mailed to Geothermal EIS Project, Santa Fe National Forest, 11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508.

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Canada:

Magneto-What? Borealis Brings Magnetotellurics to the Classroom (The Rocky Mountain Goat)

The next step in looking for the best place to drill to create electricity with geothermal heat near Valemount – magnetotelluric studies of the Canoe Reach.

Martyn Unsworth, Professor of Geophysics, and some grad students from the University of Alberta have been in the Valemount area this week, doing magnetotelluric (MT) studies of this end of the Kinbasket Reservoir for Borealis Geopower. Borealis has geothermal exploration permits for the area, and plans for a 15-20 megawatt power plant that could look like a small museum for modern art, like the Húsavík Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland.

Craig Dunn, chief geologist for Borealis, stopped by Valemount Secondary to talk about the project to the Grade 9 science class. The students knew that hydro is the biggest source of electricity in BC, but didn’t realize that coal is the biggest source in Alberta. Their guess was oil. And they agreed with Dunn that it is embarrassing that Canada is the only country on the Pacific Rim that is not creating electricity with geothermal.

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United Kingdom:

Durham University Scientists Looking for Hot Water in Butterknowle Fault (BBC News)

Dr Charlotte Adams

Scientists from Durham University are looking at the possibility of using naturally hot water from Teesdale to heat homes.

Geologists believe the Butterknowle Fault, a 50 mile-long seam previously mined for coal, could hold geothermal energy. They hope to find naturally heated water about 1.4 miles (2km) beneath the ground.

Dr Charlotte Adams said it would reduce the use of fossil fuels. She said: "We would be looking for water within rocks, we would bring that to the surface, take the heat out of it and send the water back underground.

"We'd expect temperatures of up to 70C (158F) which is hot enough for domestic use, a third of our energy demand in the UK is used up to make heat."

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Armenia:

World Bank Approves Geothermal Resources Exploration Grant for Armenia (News Release)

The total potential for geothermal power in Armenia is currently estimated at around 150 MW

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a US$8.55 million grant for the Geothermal Exploratory Drilling Project (GEDP) for Armenia.

The new project is to confirm whether the geothermal resource at the Karkar field is suitable for power generation and, if confirmed, to involve the private sector in the development of a geothermal power plant.

The objective of the Government is to construct a geothermal power plant at the Karkar site in Sjunik region upon the confirmation of the availability of the resource. Unlike other renewable energy technologies, such as wind, solar, and hydro, it is not possible to validate the geothermal resource with sufficient confidence for commercial development without performing exploratory drillings at depth to assess specific parameters of the geothermal field.

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USA:

Stanford Engineers Develop State-by-State Plan to Convert U.S. to 100% Clean, Renewable Energy by 2050 (Stanford News)

Report calls for nearly  20 GW of geothermal by 2050

Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, and colleagues, including U.C. Berkeley researcher Mark Delucchi, are the first to outline how each of the 50 U.S. states can achieve such a transition by 2050. The 50 individual state plans call for aggressive changes to both infrastructure and the ways we currently consume energy, but indicate that the conversion is technically and economically possible through the wide-scale implementation of existing technologies.

The roadmaps here propose 19.8 GW of delivered existing plus new electric power from geothermal in 2050, which is less than the sum of identified and undiscovered resources and much less than the enhanced recovery resources. The proposed electric power from geothermal is limited to the 13 states with known resources plus Texas, where recent studies show several potential sites for geothermal.

100% clean and renewable wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) all-sector energy roadmaps for the 50 United States (PDF)

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Rwanda:

Rwanda Applies for Geothermal Financing (East African Business Week)

The Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL) has applied to the Geothermal Risk Mitigation Fund (GRMF) for exploration drilling in Kinigi, northern Rwanda.

Emmanuel Kamanzi, the EDCL Managing Director said, “Geothermal is at the exploration stage and the existence of the resources is yet to be proven. Four prospect areas were identified that is, Gisenyi, Bugarama, Kinigi and Karisimbi.

“Two exploratory wells were drilled in 2013 and 2014 at Karisimbi prospect, but no resource was proven. More detailed surface investigations are planned to start this year for two prospects in the Northern and Western provinces namely Kinigi and Gisenyi respectively for possible exploration drilling,” he said.

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GRC Annual Meeting:

Deadline Nears for Global Geothermal Awards (News Release)

Nominations for the 34th annual GRC Awards to be submitted by June 19

Last years GRC Award winners

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) would like to remind the global geothermal community to make their nominations for this year’s GRC Awards. The awards recognize distinguished colleagues in the geothermal community from around the world and have been a highlight of the geothermal calendar since the late 1970’s. The deadline for nominations is June 19.

The winners will be honored at the GRC Awards Luncheon at the GRC Annual Meeting being held at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno, Nevada, USA from September 20-23. The theme for this year’s meeting is Geothermal: Always On.

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Science & Technology:

Only Geothermal Offers Renewable Energy Economies (Real Clear Energy)

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has developed a standard for predicting how economical every technology will be when added to the grid. There are two standards: 1) levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and 2) levelized avoided costs (LACE). Levelized costs measure the cost per kilowatt over the life of the plant. Levelized avoided costs indicate the costs that are avoided by not building another form of generation. If LACE exceeds LCOE, then the technology is judged economical.

Under this standard, only two forms of generation are deemed economical – combined cycle natural gas plants and, first among renewable energy, geothermal. Because geothermal is limited to a few special sites, however, it cannot be widely employed. Nuclear doesn’t do badly, better than coal and much better than coal with carbon capture and storage. Wind is just within the margin of profitability as is hydroelectric. But solar is still far more expensive than any other technology.

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Canada:

Canadian Company Recognized as Innovator in High Temperature & Geothermal Completions (The Street)

E&P magazine has presented the winners of the prestigious 2015 Special Meritorious Awards for Engineering Innovation. Packers Plus Energy Services Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada was recognized for its Inferno system - an extreme high temperature completion solution, as the 2015 recipient of the E&P Special Meritorious Award for Engineering Innovation.

From their website, Packers Plus explained the innovation: "A leading Australian geothermal company needed extreme high temperature completion tools to repair one of their injection wells in the deep granite formations of the Cooper Basin. These formations are some of the hottest anywhere in the world making them ideal for development of a large-scale geothermal electricity project. The challenge they brought to Packers Plus was to design completion tools capable of withstanding 600°F and 10,000 psi.

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Kenya:

Plans for Clean Energy are Right on Course (Daily Nation)

Albert Mugo, Managing Director & CEO, KenGen

Since the inauguration of Olkaria I power station in 1981, the first geothermal power plant in Africa, Kenya has forged a path to leadership in geothermal exploration on the continent.

The country now shares its geothermal expertise with countries such as Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Comoros, which plan to exploit their geothermal resources.

With the implementation of the 280 MW now behind us, our eyes are set on our next phase of development. In the next three to five years, KenGen hopes to bring in an additional 560 MW, all from geothermal.

We have identified a potential 1,000 MW in the Olkaria area. Only 440 MW has been developed. By 2018, KenGen plans to develop a further 460 MW of geothermal power towards the final target of 560 MW to reach the full potential of the Olkaria field.

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Philippines:

PetroEnergy Raises Financing for Geothermal Expansion Project (BusinessWorld Online Edition)

Filipino listed firm PetroEnergy Resources Corporation (PERC) has successfully raised P600 million via stock rights offering (SRO), proceeds of which will be used to fund the company’s ongoing projects including the Maibarara geothermal power plant.

The financing would help towards the expansion of the 20 MW Maibarara geothermal power plant in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. In the pipeline is a 10 MW expansion of the geothermal plant.

The company -- through PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) -- has a 65% interest in Maibarara Geothermal, Inc., the owner and operator of the 20 MW geothermal plant.

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USA:

Proposed Clean Power Plan Would Accelerate Renewable Additions and Coal Plant Retirements (EIA)

EIA's analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Clean Power Plan (CPP) shows that renewables play a critical role under a range of different market conditions and policy assumptions. The key difference across the various scenarios analyzed involves the timing and the extent that wind and solar electric generating capacity additions occur, as well as retirements of some generation capacity, mainly coal-fired units and relatively inefficient power plants that use natural gas or oil-fired boilers to run steam turbines.

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Climate Change:

G7 Leaders Agree to Phase out Fossil Fuel Use by End of Century (The Guardian)

German chancellor Angela Merkel announces commitment to ‘decarbonise global economy’ and end extreme poverty and hunger

Photograph: Sven Hoppe/dpa/Corbis

The G7 leading industrial nations have agreed to cut greenhouse gases by phasing out the use of fossil fuels by the end of the century, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has announced.

On the final day of talks in a Bavarian castle, Merkel said the Group of Seven leaders had committed themselves to the need to “decarbonise the global economy in the course of this century”.

Environmental lobbyists described the announcement as a hopeful sign that plans for complete decarbonisation could be ruled on in Paris climate talks later this year.

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Science & Technology:

Geothermal Energy: The Overlooked Renewable (Design Engine)

Geothermal remains to this day one of the most overlooked and least understood of all clean renewable energy sources. In the U.S. wind power and solar are both very visible and noticeable, and wind in particular seems likely to cross 10 percent threshold in electrical generation by the beginning of the next decade; while geothermal is contributing a fraction of 1 percent to the U.S energy grid. Despite this seemingly low amount in percentage terms, this is a significant enough amount of electrical production to make the U.S. the global leader in geothermal generating 3500 MW as of 2015.

The untapped potential here becomes even more pronounced when one realizes geothermal is a baseload form of energy meaning it’s able to contributes a constant and steady flow of energy unlike the more intermittent wind and solar power which would have a greater dependence on smart grid and energy storage technologies.

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USA:

Award-Winning Research Takes a Fresh Look at Geothermal Energy (EERE/GTO)

At this year’s U.S. National Geothermal Summit this week, the Geothermal Energy Association honored GRC Member Tom Edmunds and Pedro Sotorrio of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for innovative research that contributes to the geothermal industry’s understanding of future energy markets and showcases the benefits of geothermal within the broader context of renewable energy sources. The Energy Department’s Geothermal Technologies Office commissioned the study to explore economic incentives that would motivate geothermal plant operators to consider a more flexible geothermal energy supply.

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Nicaragua:

Nicaragua Extends Incentives for Renewables to 2018 (SeeNews)

Geothermal provides 15% of the country's electricity

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Nicaragua's parliament on Tuesday approved an extension of current fiscal incentives for investments in renewable energy until January 1, 2018.

The extension is valid for companies which already have investments in the segment. By 2018, the government will define new regulations for those willing to invest or continue investing in renewable energy, according to the approved bill.

The extension is a reform of the law promoting renewable sources, approved in 2005 and implemented since 2007.

The country plans to increase the share of renewable energy to 90% in 2020 from nearly 53% now. In 2014, wind energy represented 20.72% of power generation, followed by geothermal, hydroelectric and biomass plants with 15.25%, 9.66% and 6.81%, respectively, versus a combined 51% the previous year.

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Science & Technology:

Geothermal Energy Plant Rebuilds and Protects Acid Containment Area (ENECON Corporation)

This high pressure acid pump containment area and its pump bases, located at a western U.S. geothermal energy plant, were crumbling and falling apart. These pumps are pumping 3% hydrochloric acid.

After a combination of hydroblasting and manual preparation, 600 sq. ft. of concrete was repaired and rebuilt with ENECRETE DuraFill mixed with locally sourced aggregate.

CHEMCLAD P4C was used to prime all the areas since the DuraFill was not applied to the entire concrete surface. 2 coats of CHEMCLAD XC were then applied to provide maximum chemical protection to this critical containment area.

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Africa:

Boost Investment in Africa’s Energy For a Triple Win For People, Power and Planet, Annan Report Urges (Africa Progress Panel)

The Report urges African governments to harness vast untapped renewable energy potential

African governments, investors, and international financial institutions must significantly scale up investment in energy to unlock Africa’s potential as a global low-carbon superpower.

That is the main message of a new report from Kofi Annan’s Africa Progress Panel, Power, People, Planet: Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate Opportunities.

The report calls for a ten-fold increase in power generation to provide all Africans with access to electricity by 2030. This would reduce poverty and inequality, boost growth, and provide the climate leadership that is sorely missing at the international level.

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USA, Nevada:

Geothermal Production Taxes Boost County Coffers (Nevada Appeal)

Thirteen of Nevada’s 17 counties reported increases in total taxable sales in March with Churchill County showing the top performance, a 30.9 percent jump to $31.96 million in taxable sales, due in part because of geothermal activity, said Churchill County comptroller Alan Kalt.

According to Kalt, the Utilities category increased from $92,663 a year ago to $8.75 million in March due to tax abatements.

“Year-to-year taxable sales were up 17 percent from the prior year on a month-to-month basis for March,” Kalt said in written comments prepared for the county commissioners. “The DFA (Dairy Farmers of America) and Patua Geothermal Plant tax abatements that significantly impacted the actual level of increase from the prior year corrected the amount.

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USA:

Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act Introduced in House of Representatives (News Release)

Aims to streamline the permitting process for wind, solar and geothermal development on public lands

Congressmen
Joe Heck

Today, U.S. Congressmen Joe Heck (NV-03), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Mike Thompson (D-CA) Trent Franks (R-AZ), Jared Polis (D-CO) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation, companion bill to S.1407 - the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2015, which aims to streamline the permitting process for wind, solar and geothermal development on public lands and establishes a revenue sharing mechanism that ensures a fair return for relevant stakeholders.

“Nevada is poised to be a world leader in renewable energy development,” said Congressman Heck. “And with more than 80% of our land owned by the federal government, Nevada has ample opportunities to develop renewable energy projects, especially projects utilizing solar and geothermal technology. That is why this bill is so important; it streamlines the permitting process for renewable energy projects and ensures that revenue generated for the federal government by these projects stays in Nevada. Public lands should benefit the public and this bill helps move us in that direction.”

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Employment:

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Engineering Science at The University of Auckland

Closing date: 3rd July 2015

The University of Auckland is seeking to make two appointments.

• The first of the new appointees will join the geothermal reservoir engineering group. It is envisaged that this staff member will develop new reservoir engineering modelling approaches and will apply them to modelling geothermal fields. 
• The second appointment is to be made within the wider area of computational mechanics, ideally with a solid mechanics or geomechanics focus.

The successful applicant for both roles will have strong computational modelling skills, and a focus on using mathematics to understand the fundamental physical processes involved in the topics they address. The successful applicant will be expected to build and lead a program of international quality research and undertake PhD research supervision in the geothermal energy or computational mechanics; to develop and deliver curricula and courses in these fields; and to perform service roles in the Department of Engineering Science.

For enquiries about this role, please contact Professor Rosalind Archer at r.archer@auckland.ac.nz

More information........

Indonesia:

Indonesia Geothermal International Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) 2015

Supported by the Geothermal Resources Council

United Kingdom:

Welsh Capital Looks Into District Geothermal Heating System (Wales Online)

A “first of its kind” project for a city-wide underwater heating system could be coming to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

The project is to discover if Cardiff could be sitting on top of a potential underground heating system and has received a funding award from Innovate UK of over £250,000 to do this. Such technology is new to Britain but has been successfully used in Norway, where water from fjords is used as a heat source.

This new partnership project between Cardiff council, Cardiff-based WDS Green Energy and the British Geological Survey aims to show how heat within shallow groundwater under the capital could be used to provide a renewable low carbon heating source for homes and businesses in the city.

The project will take the temperature of the water stored underneath the city, monitor heat lost from underground structures and then design and build a prototype portable testing module which is based on ground source heat pump technology.

It will then investigate whether the technology could be built up to support the design and delivery of district scale heat networks in the future.

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Kenya:

KenGen Strikes 33 MW from New Geothermal Wells at Olkaria (News Release)

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has successfully drilled another set of geothermal wells. The three Olkaria wells, OW-923 Trio, located within one pad have a total capacity of 33 megawatts, making it one of Africa’s most productive well-pads.

The wells will be connected to the proposed 140 MW Olkaria V project- which is set to break ground before the end of this year.

KenGen struck 30 MW from a single geothermal well OW-921 in the same field last year. The well was connected to the 140 MW Olkaria IV project.

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