Canada: GRC Members Speak at Two-Day Geothermal Direct Use Workshop

Direct-Heat Use Workshop (Village of Valemount and Valemount Community Forest)

12-13 February, 2016, Valemount, 
British Columbia, Canada

Keynote Speakers (All GRC Members):

• Bernie Karl, Chena Hot Springs Resort Chena, Alaska 
• Tonya “Toni” Boyd, Geo-Heat Center, Klamath Falls, Oregon 
• Alison Thompson, MBA, M. Eng, P. Eng, Chair, Canadian Geothermal Energy Association Calgary, Alberta 
• Craig Dunn, P. Geo Chief Geologist, Borealis Geopower Calgary, Alberta

More information........

Egypt: MOU Signed to Explore for Geothermal Energy

Ganope to Generate Power from Geothermal Energy (Egypt Oil & Gas)

Abu Bakr Ibrahim, Chairman of Ganope, told Egypt Oil & Gas that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by Ganope, as a representative of Petroleum Ministry and New and Renewal Energy Authority (NREA) for the exploitation of the earth’s natural underground temperature for the production of renewable energy.

Currently an economic study is being conducted on Ayoun Moussa near the port of Suez, and Pharoah's Bath/Sulphur Springs to determine the viability of generating electricity from the area.

Ganoub El-Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (Ganope) is one of five main entities of Petroleum Ministry.

Kenya: Employment Offer to Help Build 70 MW Akiira Geothermal Plant

Two Positions Vacant at Akiira Geothermal Project

Akiira Geothermal Limited (AGL) is developing a 70 MWe Geothermal Power Plant south of Lake Naivasha in Kenya. The company is looking to fill two positions:

Company Man/Drilling Supervisor for the production drilling period 2016 – 2017 timeframe. The Company Man will be in charge of the drilling over 10 Geothermal Wells; development of the Power Plant will continue in parallel. The candidate should have at least 10 years of experience as a drilling company man/ supervisor dealing with geothermal wells with high enthalpy.

More details.......

Project Manager (PM) for the construction period 2016 – 2017 timeframe. The PM will be in charge of the construction of 2 time 35 MWe single flash units plant, a steam gathering system and interconnection facilities. Development of the geothermal field will continue in parallel.

More details........

Qualified interested candidates should respond by sending their Cover Letter and CV’s as well as expected monthly salary requirements in USD plus all expected applicable costs to Lena.Ngure@Akiiraone.com with Subject Line: AGL POWER PLANT PM ROLE or AGL COMPANY MAN ROLE by 7th January 2016.

USA: Geothermal Insider Becomes Leader of National Renewable Energy Advocate

American Council On Renewable Energy Names President/CEO (North American Windpower)

Gregory Wetstone

The American Council On Renewable Energy's (ACORE) board of directors has unanimously selected Gregory Wetstone to become the organization's president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.

Most recently, Wetstone oversaw government affairs as vice president for Terra-Gen Power LLC, one of the largest geothermal energy companies in the U.S.

Read More........

Iceland: Video of Construction at Þeistareykir Geothermal Project

Footage from the Construction of Þeistareykir Geothermal Plant



The Theistareykir (Þeistareykir) geothermal power station is being developed by Þeistareykir, a subsidiary of the National Power Company of Iceland (Landsvirkjun), in North East Iceland. Phase one of the two-phased 90 MW (2x45 MW) power project is scheduled to start operations in October 2017.

USA, Colorado: Silver Mine Had "Problem" With Hot Geothermal Water

Golden Years for the Mayflower Mine (Park Record)

In December 1961 the Hecla Mining Company created a joint venture with New Park to operate the Mayflower Mine, two miles east of Silverton, in south-west Colorado. Even today, Hecla remains a mining powerhouse and is the largest producer of silver in the U.S.

Deeper mining (in the 1960's) revealed a progressive challenge: heat. At the 3,000-foot level, water temperatures exceeded 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). This indicates geothermal linkage to other "hot spots" in the Midway hydrogeological system. The Mayflower was the only "hot" mine in Park City.

To tame the heat, Hecla installed a 240-ton air conditioner, a chilled water unit, at the 2,400-foot level. The cold water was directed to fans and radiators in the hot work places.

Hot ground water was recycled to the surface at a rate of 2,500 gallons per minute. This water was "flumed" under the rail infrastructure to prevent freezing during winter.

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Tanzania: Well-head Generation at Lake Ngozi Geothermal Field by 2018

Cashing in on geothermal power generation as better energy source (Daily News)

Tanzania has for a number of periods been facing inadequate power generation due to a number of reasons. The government has taken various remedial actions to avert load shedding, some of which are very costly and have adversely affected the environment.

To avoid these recurrences, the government decided to diversify generation sources to include solar, wind, renewable energies including geothermal. As part of government efforts to end frequent power deficiencies, the ministry of Energy and Minerals established the Tanzania Geothermal Development Company Limited (TGDC) which came to operation early in July 2014.

The establishment of TGDC with the vision of becoming the most leading and competitive regional geothermal development company, aims to have installed well head generation at lake Ngozi-geothermal field in the third year of its existence by 2018 and to have developed steam sufficient to generate 200 MW by 2020.

Read More........

USA, Nevada: GRC Member to Help Company Explore for Lithium in Geothermal Brine

Dajin Proceeds with Exploration and Permitting for Teels Marsh, Nevada (News Release)

Dajin Resources Corp. has retained the services of Reno, Nevada-based geothermal and mineral exploration geologist, Dr. Mark Coolbaugh, a GRC Member, to carry out a structural and stratigraphic analysis of Teels Marsh. Using gravity, magnetic and Geoprobe data already collected, a new structural map of the basin is being created. The work is focused on identification of drill targets to test favourable aquifers that might contain lithium-rich brines.

Structural analysis reveals that Teels Marsh is bounded by faults and is tectonically active. Thick accumulations of ash deposits could occur beneath the marsh because the marsh occupies a closed basin and is located east of the nearby Mono Lake, Long Valley Caldera (Bishop Tuff) and other ash producing volcanic centers. These ash layers have proven to be the most productive brine sources in Clayton Valley, where the only North American lithium brine deposit is being mined by Rockwood Lithium Inc.

Read More.......

Kenya: Kengen Looks to Foreign Partners to Develop Olkaria VI Geothermal Project

KenGen of Kenya Seeks Partner to Help Develop Geothermal Plants (Bloomberg)

Kenya Electricity Generating Co. (KenGen) said it may partner with U.S., Chinese or Indian investors to finance and develop geothermal plants, including a $650-million facility that will generate as much as 180 megawatts.

KenGen will probably take a minority stake in Olkaria VI, the plant it expects to begin building in 2018, as it tries to step up generating capacity to meet at least half of the East African nation’s requirements, Finance Director John Mudany said Wednesday in an interview in the capital, Nairobi.

“We could take up 49 percent equity and we hope this will help us attract private investors,” Mudany said. “This is a new instrument we want to pioneer. If it works, we might apply this model on future projects.”

KenGen wants to more than double its generation capacity to 4,270 megawatts by 2025, via plants at geothermal wells Olkaria VII and VIII, Chief Executive Officer Albert Mugo said in a separate interview. KenGen could also partner with the Geothermal Development Co., a state-owned entity that is developing geothermal resources, Mugo said.

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USA: $7,500 in Prize Money for Winning Geothermal Energy Infographics - Enter Now!

Geothermal Design Challenge 2016 (EERE/GTO)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office, in partnership with the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) and Idaho National Lab (INL) is recruiting students in graphic design, communications, science and/or engineering to bolster their portfolio, resume or college applications by entering the 2016 Geothermal Design Challenge.

We are looking for smart and creative student teams to design an infographic that will illustrate how geothermal energy is clean, safe, reliable and sustainable. Winners will share a prize purse of $7500 and present their infographic at the 40th GRC Annual Meeting in Sacramento, California.  Register today to form teams and submit a draft infographic by March 1, 2016. Design the future of clean energy and register today!

Read More........

Global: 38 Countries are Members of Global Geothermal Alliance

Global Alliance Launched to Boost Geothermal in Energy Mix (Renewable Energy World)

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said it has facilitated the development of the Global Geothermal Alliance to increase the share of geothermal energy in the global energy mix.

Launched on Dec. 8 during an event at the 21st Conference of Parties in Paris, the alliance is made up of a coalition of 38 countries and about 20 development and industry partners. The alliance seeks to achieve a 500 percent increase in global installed capacity for geothermal power generation and a 200 percent increase in geothermal heating by 2030.

The alliance will work to overcome high upfront costs of surface geophysical studies and exploratory drilling by mitigating risks, promoting technological cooperation, coordinating regional and national initiatives, and facilitating geothermal energy investments into energy markets.

Member countries listed in the Joint Communication on the Global Geothermal Alliance are: Burundi, Comoros, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.

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Tanzania: 200 MW Geothermal Energy by 2020

Govt to generate 200 MW from geothermal (The Citizen)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Tanzanian government, through its geothermal development company, plans to generate 200 MW from the newly discovered underground source of energy by 2020.

The plan is contained in geothermal development targets and strategies to be implemented by Tanzania Geothermal Development Company Limited (TGDC), which was established in 2013 and became operational in 2014.

TGDC general manager and chief executive officer Boniface Njombe said preparations have already started to ensure the plan is achieved. The projected 200 MW is part of the 5000 MW estimated potentials of electricity that can be generated from geothermal.

Read More.......

USA, Hawaii: Geothermal Provides Over 12% of State's Renewable Energy

Hawaii continues to make progress on its renewable energy goal, report says (Pacific Business News)

Hawaii is a little more than a fifth of the way — 21.1 percent — to its new landmark goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, according to the 2015 Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report.

The state’s previous target of 15 percent was surpassed two years early, in 2013, and in 2014, the figure increased to 21.1 percent.

In terms of resources, wind led the way by supplying 29.1 percent of the total renewable resource pie in 2014, followed by rooftop solar photovoltaics (27.3 percent), biomass (21.7 percent), geothermal (12.3 percent), hydroelectric (4.3 percent), commercial solar (3.4 percent) and biofuels (1.9 percent).

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USA, Idaho: US Geothermal Increases Ownership in Raft River Geothermal Plant

U.S. Geothermal Inc. Acquires Majority of Goldman Sachs Interest in Raft River Power Plant (News Release)

U.S. Geothermal Inc., has announced that it has acquired from Goldman Sachs the majority of their cash flow interest in and ownership of the Raft River geothermal project. U.S. Geothermal will receive 95% of the cash flow from the project on a going forward basis, along with all increased cash flow from any project improvements. The purchase price was $5.1 million for the 95% interest, with an option to purchase the balance of Goldman’s interest for Fair Market Value at the end of 2017.

“This agreement with Goldman Sachs is a strong positive for our company.” said GRC Member Dennis Gilles, CEO of U.S. Geothermal. “It unlocks the ability to consider capital upgrades that should increase output from the facility and potentially reach its design capacity of 13 megawatts. It strengthens our commitment to becoming the North American leader in geothermal energy.”

The Raft River Geothermal Power Plant is located in Southeast Idaho and has a designed capacity of 13 megawatts net. The project is currently operating at approximately 9.4 megawatts. Power from the facility is sold under a firm price, 25 year contract with Idaho Power Company which allows for the full 13 megawatt output. Reservoir modeling indicates that the geothermal reservoir can support the full 13 megawatt contract. Plans are under consideration to drill for additional production to increase plant output to its full contract limit.

Read More........

Global: Advertise With the Geothermal Energy Leader!

2016 GRC Advertising Rates Are Now Available!!!

Reach the global geothermal energy community by advertising through the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC)

The 2016 advertising rates for the GRC Bulletin and GRC Roster & Registry are now available. These two publications are sent to over 1,300 GRC members, government agencies, and libraries worldwide.

As the trusted source for geothermal information, the GRC can provide advertisers with a large target audience that is looking for geothermal services or products. Make sure your products or services get in front of the world's leading geothermal industry movers, shakers and decision-makers. Don't miss out, advertise with the GRC today!

GRC Bulletin
Jan/Feb Issue Artwork Due Date: January 8th

The GRC Bulletin is the leading worldwide geothermal magazine delivering concise news, views and feature stories on important geothermal issues and developments.

A bi-monthly magazine (6 issues per year), the GRC Bulletin provides an information forum in many fields related to geothermal resources including geology, exploration, development, power generation, and direct-use technologies.

• GRC Bulletin Advertising Rates/Agreement

GRC Membership Roster & Registry of Geothermal Services & Equipment
Artwork & Yellow Page Listings Due Date: March 4th

The GRC Membership Roster & Registry of Geothermal Services & Equipment is the "Phone Book" for the geothermal industry. The GRC Membership Roster provides contact information for more than 1300 individual and corporate members of the GRC in cross-referenced lists for speedy access.

In addition, the "Yellow Pages" provides quick access to individuals and companies searching for geothermal services. The "Yellow Pages" is available for free to download from the GRC website.

• GRC Roster Advertising Rates/Agreement
• GRC Roster Yellow Pages Listing Rates/Agreement

Kenya: Turkana Geothermal Plant Stalls Over Procedure Row

140 MW Turkana geothermal plant at stake over land row (Business Daily Africa)

A tussle between a Turkana county executive and a geothermal electricity generator could stall a 140 MW power project.

The acting executive for Energy, Environment and Natural Resources accuses Olsuswa Energy of seeking to exploit geothermal resources without first signing a memorandum of understanding with the county government.

Olsuswa published a notice on November 16 calling on firms to tender for various services in relation to geothermal exploration in Turkana County.

The energy firm said it planned to construct a geothermal power plant to inject 140 MW into the national power grid. Three weeks after publishing the advertisement, Turkana County has published a series of notices in local dailies stating that the county government and Olsuswa have neither reached an agreements nor signed an MoU regarding terms of engagement.

Read More........

Ecuador: Access Improved for Chachimbiro Geothermal Project

Ecuador Celec contracts Imbavial for road to geothermal project (See News Renewables)

Ecuadorian state-owned construction company Imbavial has signed a contract with Corporacion Electrica del Ecuador (Celec) to improve the road access to the Chachimbiro geothermal exploration field, the electricity ministry said Thursday.

The project is currently at the stage of pre-feasibility studies in the Urcuqui canton, Imbabura province.

According to preliminary estimates, Chachimbiro represents a potential of around 100 MW. Ecuador is in talks with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) about technical cooperation for the advanced stage of pre-feasibility studies, including the first deep geothermal drilling. In July, Celec signed a framework cooperation agreement with El Salvador's LaGeo.

Read More.......               Original Article........

USA, California: Call for Papers for Berkeley Power Conference

21st Annual POWER Conference on Energy Research and Policy

March 18, 2016, University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business

Paper Submissions Due January 4, 2016

The Energy Institute at Haas invites interested researchers to submit papers for the POWER Conference on Energy Research and Policy. Of particular interest are papers that include relevant analytic questions associated with energy market research and policy including Renewable Electricity Generation and Integration.

Draft papers (electronic submissions in pdf format) should be sent by January 4, 2016 to: ei@haas.berkeley.edu with the subject: POWER 2016 Submission

More Information........

Washington DC: Opportunity to Promote Geothermal Energy Partnerships in Africa

Powering Africa: Summit, 27-29th January 2016

The meeting place for African governments and global power investors

The Powering Africa: Summit (PAS) is a platform to showcase power, trade and infrastructure investment opportunities across the African continent, engaging decision makers from the American and African public and private sectors to explore how project bankability can be increased.

President Obama’s Power Africa initiative has helped map the way for project investment, giving a platform to global investment funds and showcasing the role they can play in driving forward the development of Africa’s power sector. PAS 2016 will build on this progress in Washington, D.C. next January.

Read More........

Europe: Geosciences Union Meeting to Include Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy Topics at EGU General Assembly

According to GRC member Marcelo Lippmann there might be several (up to four ?) sessions at the EGU General Assembly dealing with geothermal topics.

One of the sessions being proposed is on "Uncertainties in Geothermal Systems”. It would provide a platform for discussions on recent developments and applications of suitable methods from the areas of model calibration, inversion, stochastic modeling, optimization and subsequent analyses of uncertainty quantification with applications to the broad range of geothermal systems.

The deadline for abstract submission is 13th of January 2016.

Global: GRC Announces Result of Board Election

Geothermal Resources Council Announces New Board of Directors (News Release)

Six members 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 November, and the result was that six new members of the Board were elected: Dave Boden, Marcelo DeCamargo, Kevin Kitz, Danielle Matthews Seperas, Kevin Wallace and Patrick Walsh.

They join eight other members who have been re-elected to the Board of Directors: Patrick Hanson, Stuart Johnson, Dennis Kaspereit, Bill Rickard, Andrew Sabin, Elaine Sison-Lebrilla, Gene Suemnicht and Karl Urbank.

At the end of 2015, the GRC membership stands at over 1,350 from 47 different countries.

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

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Team Exploring for Geothermal Resources is On St Kitts

Geothermal Energy, A Possible Solution to High Electricity Costs in The Federation (SKNVibes.com)

The Government of National Unity is of the view that geothermal energy can be the solution to the high cost of electricity generated from fossil fuel in the Federation

Speaking on the Government’s weekly radio and television program, “Working for You” on Wednesday, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, the Honorable Ian Patches Liburd, said that “energy security is important as well because if we are going to continue development and if we are going to have growth we must have energy security,” adding that issues of the climate must also be considered.

The minister said that St. Kitts and Nevis is blessed with sunshine, wind and two volcanoes and that renewable energy is the way forward. He added that “the government believes that geothermal is the way to go.”

He also said that there is an exploration team on St. Kitts which arrived about three to four weeks ago. There is a geophysicist, geochemist and geologist and he indicated that by March of 2016, “we will be able to establish, having done the assessments, if there is a geothermal resource on St. Kitts.”

Read More........

Japan: New 6 MW ORC Geothermal Plant Starts Up

Turboden opens 6 MW in Japan (renews)

Turboden has started operations at a 6 MW geothermal power plant in Japan. The plant has been built in cooperation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and is the first in Japan fed by a two-phase geothermal resource.

The company said that after separation the steam phase condenses in the evaporator while the preheater receives only a liquid phase. Turboden supplied its ORC turbine and process engineering for the plant, and carried out commissioning and plant start-up.

Read More......

Japan: Binary Geothermal Plant Production Do Not Affect Onsens

Popular Hot Springs in Japan Co-exist with Binary Geothermal Power Plants (Renewable Energy World)

Over 126 million people visit Onsens annually, spending considerable amount of money at spas, hotels, restaurants, and shops at hot springs. Because of the significant economic activities related to tourism, local communities didn’t think that Onsen business and geothermal power plants could co-exist.

They were concerned that deployment of geothermal power plants would change the quality and compositions of spring water, which contains a lot of organic matter that is known to provide health and beauty benefits. Most importantly, the community feared that geothermal power plants would dry up their precious spring water wells.

Their concerns were eliminated when binary geothermal power plants were introduced.

Read More........

USA, California: NREL Estimates Up to 1,800 MW Geothermal Potential at Salton Sea

The Potential for Renewable Energy Development to Benefit Restoration of the Salton Sea: Analysis of Technical and Market Potential (NREL)

Geothermal development by 2030 is estimated at 1.05 GW to 1.81 GW of generation capacity.

The Salton Sea and the surrounding region face a wide range of environmental concerns from reduced inflows and other environmental factors, including exposed, potentially emissive lake beds; rising salinity; and impacts to aquatic and migratory avian species. A restoration program is urgently needed to address these concerns. Funded through a grant from the State of California Natural Resources Agency, under Agreement No. 0540-SSA 1, the Salton Sea Authority (SSA) is preparing the Salton Sea Funding and Feasibility Action Plan to address this need.

Of the commercially available renewable energy technologies, geothermal, solar photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) have the greatest technical potential for development. The resource potential, costs, and estimated revenue streams from these technologies are summarized in the table above.

Full Report (PDF)

Climate Change: COP21 Solution Includes More Renewable Energy in Africa

COP21 climate change summit reaches deal in Paris (BBC News)

Acknowledges the need to promote universal access to sustainable energy in developing countries, in particular in Africa, through the enhanced deployment of renewable energy

A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of intense negotiations.

The pact is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions. The agreement is partly legally binding and partly voluntary. Earlier, key blocs, including the G77 group of developing countries, and nations such as China and India said they supported the proposals.

The measures in the agreement included:

• To peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and achieve a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century
• To keep global temperature increase "well below" 2C (3.6F) and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5C
• To review progress every five years
• $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2020, with a commitment to further finance in the future.

Read More.......                COP21 Agreement (PDF)

Canada: GRC Member Updates on 5 MW Estevan Geothermal Power Project

Deep Earth Energy Corp. moves closer to its objective (Estevan Mercury)

GRC member Kirsten Marcia

GRC member Kirsten Marcia looks forward to the day when the Deep Earth Energy Corp. will open a geothermal demonstration project in Estevan, which would be the first geothermal power producing facility of its kind in Canada.

Marcia, speaking with the Mercury last week, said they are currently raising capital so they can move into the next phase, which is their bankable feasibility study. It’s an $8 million component of the project that requires a strategic partner.

“It includes the drilling of a very deep 3,000-meter production well and approximately a 1,000-meter injection well,” she said. “It takes it to the stage where, for this first plant, it shouldn’t require any more equity to get the plant up and running.

“The idea is once we’re bankable, then continued federal funding can support this project, along with conventional bank debt. So this next phase is so important as far as proving this project works, getting it to the finish line, generating revenue and producing power.”

Marcia, who is a former Estevan resident, revealed plans several years ago to have a five-megawatt geothermal demonstration project constructed south of Estevan near the Boundary Dam Power Station. It would be the first project of its kind in the country.

While it would generate about five megawatts, the size of each plant can be ramped up based on the number of wells drilled.

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Iceland: Theistareykir Geothermal Power Plant Turbines Bought with Loans

Landsvirkjun secures ECA financing from Japan for Theistareykir Geothermal Power Plant (News Release)

Icelandic power company Landsvirkjun has signed an ECA (Export Credit Agency) loan agreement in relation to a supply contract for two 45 MW geothermal turbines from Fuji Electric for the Theistareykir Geothermal Power Plant, scheduled to commence operation in 2017

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) provided buyer's credit totaling up to USD 34 million (JBIC's portion) at a fixed interest rate. Citibank Japan Ltd. (lead arranger), Bank of Yokohama and Commerzbank AG, Tokyo Branch, co-financed up to USD 34 million at a floating rate, with Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) providing insurance, bringing the total financing amount to up to USD 68 million.

JBIC/NEXI-backed financing has achieved a 20 year tenor without a guarantee of collection. This is the first JBIC- NEXI buyer’s credit facility for a renewable energy project within High Income OECD Countries.

The JBIC/NEXI-backed financing was supported by Takanawa Japan KK, as an Advisor, and Citigroup, as a Coordinator.

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Japan: Positive Outlook for Geothermal Energy

Japan: Land of the rising sun? Part 2 (Renewable Energy Focus)

Geothermal power, which experts believe could satisfy a third of Japan’s energy needs, has stalled at 500 MW of cumulative installed capacity. The FIT level for geothermal is comparable to the solar FIT in generosity, set at JPY 27.3/kWh ($0.22/kWh) for installations above 15 MW and JPY 42/kW ($0.34/kWh) for installations below that level.

Again, siting restrictions are the main barrier as 80% of Japan’s geothermal resource is located in national parks, subject to strict rules on borehole drilling. However, these rules were relaxed significantly in August, and  developers are now allowed to drill in certain areas on the condition that they use diagonal drilling techniques.

Despite on-going cuts to the FIT, the IEA rates Japan’s policy environment for renewables as “strong” and the current FIT regime as “generous”. In addition, the need for new, home-grown generation capacity is likely to remain strong, especially if the nuclear re-start does not go as planned.

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Netherlands: Low Carbon Emissions From Geothermal Energy Helps Greenhouses Meet Target

Geothermal energy helps Dutch growers hit CO2 target five years early (Horticulture Week)

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the Dutch glasshouse sector have already fallen below its 2020 target, according to the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), part of Wageningen University & Research Centre.

CO2 emissions fell 30 per cent between 2010 and 2014, due to lower use of natural gas. Factors contributing to the fall include smaller production area, lower energy consumption per square meter, lower sales of electricity to the grid, and greater use of renewable energy, up 80 per cent over the period due mainly to geothermal energy sources coming on stream.

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USA: Department of State Gets Behind Global Geothermal Energy

U.S. Partnership With IRENA: Harnessing the Potential of Geothermal Energy (US Department of State)

Amos Hochstein, Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at the U.S. Department of State

The United States’ new partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is one way we and our partners in the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) are working to demonstrate our commitment to the global clean energy economy. The launch of this new partnership complements the efforts underway in Paris by forging action to increase the share of geothermal energy in the global energy mix through both geothermal power generation and direct use of geothermal heat.

Geothermal energy is a proven clean energy technology that provides stable and affordable electricity. Geothermal resources can also provide direct heating for domestic, commercial, and the industrial sectors. With geothermal resources now identified in nearly 90 countries, this resource has great potential to contribute to a cleaner energy future. We have only barely begun to harness this potential— to date, only 24 countries, including the United States, are producing geothermal electricity, leaving 94 percent of the estimated global geothermal power potential untapped.

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Climate Change: California Leads the World in Geothermal Energy

@CalEnergy @California_ISO Yesterday #Geothermal was the #1 #renewable #energy in #California https://t.co/3ggTJYKwUB #COP21

— Geothermal Resources (@GRC2001) December 10, 2015

Mexico: Construction Contract for 25 MW Los Azufres III, Phase II Project Awarded

CFE adjudica central geotérmica Los Azufres - CFE awards Los Azufres geothermal power contract (azteca noticias)

The Mexican Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) has awarded the 25 MW Los Azufres III, Phase II project to Spanish company TSK Electronica y Electricidad SA. It will have an average annual generation of 186.15 gigawatt-hours per year.

The project includes engineering, civil engineering, assembly and supply of main equipment and materials for the comprehensive construction of a geothermal power plant in Michoacan, whose estimated execution time is 30 months. TSK Electronica y Electricidad will use Fuji turbines.

The 50 MW Los Azufres III, Phase I was inaugurated in September.

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Germany, USA: Partnership Formed To Build Drilling Rigs

Schlumberger and Bauer Agree on Manufacturing Joint Venture (The Wall Street Transcript)

Joint venture to develop land drilling rigs and rig equipment including for geothermal industry

German company BAUER Maschinen GmbH, an affiliated company of BAUER AG, and Schlumberger today announced the signing of a joint venture agreement to manufacture land drilling rigs and associated products.

Bauer and Schlumberger have 51/49 ownership of the joint venture, respectively. Bauer is an industry leader in specialist foundation drilling equipment manufacturing and provides access to global rig manufacturing capabilities with facilities in Germany, US, China, Far East and Russia. Schlumberger is the world's leading provider of drilling technology, integrated project management and information solutions for customers in the oil and gas industry.

Through the joint venture, land drilling rigs and associated rig equipment for use in the oil, gas and geothermal sectors will be developed and manufactured for Schlumberger and other third parties.

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Iceland: Geothermal Energy is Promoted by Government Minister

The 'Little' Icelandic Example: Pursuing a Clean-Energy Agenda (Huffington Post)

 

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir,
Minister of Industry and Commerce, Iceland

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Iceland

How can a small nation of just 330,000 people, located in the middle of the North Atlantic, be fully self-sufficient when it comes to energy for house heating? And not just independent -- but with 99% of it's energy production renewable.

Iceland is a volcanic island where volcanic eruptions occur on average about every four years. Our country is rich in glaciers and glacier rivers, which have, for more than 50 years, been harnessed for clean, sustainable electricity production. Iceland is alsorich in geothermal energy, which has for decades been utilized for house heating, as well as for electricity production. Utilizing these two resources provides for the impressive statistic outlined here above.

Geothermal energy is a domestic renewable-energy source and as such plays an important role in our energy security by reducing the need for us to import non-renewable energy.

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Kenya: Geothermal Supplies Over Half of all Energy

Kenya geothermal generation surges to 402 million KWh a month (Coastweek)

Geothermal's contribution to the national energy mix now stands at 51 percent

"Man Made Rainbow" by Sam Abraham.
Well flow test a Menengai, Kenya

Kenya’s geothermal power production has peaked at 402 million kilowatts per hour (KWh) a month.

The country produced 402.2 million KWh in October, up from 389 million KWh in September and 378 million KWh in August, latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

It is the first time that the East African nation’s geothermal power production has crossed the 400 million KWh mark ever since it started to surge in December 2014 after the injection of additional 280 megawatts (MW) to the national grid.

Geothermal contribution to the national energy mix now stands at 51 percent, with hydro-power coming in second.

With the rise in geothermal power production, consumers are enjoying uninterrupted power supply and bidding goodbye to blackouts that characterized use of electricity years ago. Boosted by increased geothermal power generation, electricity supplier Kenya Power made its first tariff cut in June.

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USA, California: Geothermal Energy Will Benefit from Salton Sea Restoration

At Salton Sea, political pressure finally spurs progress (The Desert Sun)

The Imperial Irrigation District's Controversial Strategy Appears To Be Working

After decades of false starts and warnings of disaster, hope is on the horizon at the Salton Sea.

No, there's still no plan to return California's largest lake to its former glory. There's still little chance of keeping the lake from shrinking, or from polluting Southern California's air with toxic dust as vast swaths of bone-dry lakebed are exposed.

But a flurry of recent activity — arguably spurred by the Imperial Irrigation District's political brinkmanship — has convinced many Salton Sea advocates that California will finally make good on its promise to revitalize the dying lake.

Local officials, meanwhile, have coalesced around two concrete proposals: the Salton Sea Restoration and Renewable Energy Initiative, developed by the Imperial Irrigation District and Imperial County, and the Salton Sea Authority's so-called SSWIFT plan. Wilcox hopes to submit some combination of those plans to the governor's office by March 31, in response to a bill written by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, which Brown signed into law earlier this year.

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USA, Nevada: The Stillwater Geothermal Solar Hybrid Energy Plant

Three Clean Technologies Used At One Energy Plant (Zayed Future Energy Prize)

Located in Fallon, Nevada, the Stillwater geothermal solar hybrid energy plant uses 33 MW of geothermal power and 26.4 MW of solar power. Ambient air is used for cooling, instead of water.

Steamed water was used in a separate process but it was not as efficient as was needed, so solar power was installed. In 2012, the 26 megawatts of PV solar power was added, followed by 2 more megawatts of concentrating solar power, not photovoltaics, in 2012.

The solar power portion of the plant complements the geothermal power element. The CSP part of the solar power is used to heat geothermal brine. The Stillwater plant is the only one in the world of its kind. Enel Green Power built the plant, which generates enough clean energy for about 15,000 homes.


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USA: Geothermal Energy in U.S. Grew 3.1% a Year in Last Decade

2014 Data Book Shows Increased Use Of Renewable Electricity (EIN News)

The 2014 Renewable Energy Data Book shows that U.S. renewable electricity grew to 15.5 percent of total installed capacity and 13.5 percent of total electricity generation. Published annually by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on behalf of the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Data Book illustrates United States and global energy statistics, including renewable electricity generation, renewable energy development, clean energy investments, and technology-specific data and trends.

The 2014 Renewable Energy Data Book compiles recently available statistics for the 2014 calendar year. Key insights include:

• In 2014, U.S. renewable electricity grew to 15.5% of total installed capacity and 13.5% of total electricity generation. Installed renewable electricity capacity exceeded 179 gigawatts (GW) in 2014, generating 554 terawatt-hours (TWh). 
• In 2014, U.S. hydropower produced nearly half of total renewable electricity generation, wind produced 33%, biomass produced 12%, solar photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) produced 6%, and geothermal produced 3%.
• Installed global renewable electricity capacity continued to increase and represents 28.5% of total electricity capacity globally in 2014.
• At the end of 2014 Geothermal energy in the U.S. provided 3,789 MW of capacity and supplied 16,628 GWh.
• From 2004 to 2014 geothermal energy in the U.S. grew by a compound annual growth rate of 3.1% compared to 3.7% globally.

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France: Partnership Formed to Develop Deep Geothermal Energy Projects

Omnes Capital and Fonroche Géothermie sign a partnership agreement (News Release)

Paris based Omnes Capital and Fonroche Géothermie of Roquefort in southern France, have signed a partnership agreement concerning the development, construction and operation of deep geothermal energy generation projects in France.

Since 2010, Fonroche Géothermie has developed a fully integrated approach and ambitious industrial plans for developing geothermal energy projects in France. This strategy is supported by a team of specialists in geoscience, drilling and surface mining.

Having obtained seven exclusive operation permits in France, Fonroche Géothermie is planning to invest more than €400 million in the geothermal energy market between now and 2025, resulting in the creation of over 500 jobs.

Capenergie 3, Omnes Capital’s most recent renewable energy fund, is the first fund to benefit from the support of the “Juncker” European investment plan via the participation of the European Investment Bank. Its strategy consists of developing green energy generation capacity based on mature technologies in France and Europe in partnership with SMEs.

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Climate Change: Calpine Promoting Geothermal at COP21

Calpine's Thad Miller speaking @UNESCO #EarthToParis at #COP21 on The Geysers #geothermal water recharge project pic.twitter.com/zJm5vg6yc1

— Calpine COP21 (@CalpineCOP21) December 8, 2015

Tanzania: Toshiba to Help Develop Geothermal Energy

Toshiba Concludes Memorandum of Understanding with TGDC for Geothermal Power Generation Business in Tanzania (News Release)

Mr. Boniface S. Njombe and Mr.Fujita Toyoaki signed the MOU

Toshiba Corporation today announced that the company has concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tanzania Geothermal Development Company Limited (TGDC) for comprehensive collaboration in the geothermal power generation business. This is TGDC’s first MOU with a Japanese company. TGDC and Toshiba will collaborate to promote a geothermal power generation business and human resource development in Tanzania.

Tanzania has a plan to rapidly increase its total power generation capacity from the current 1,577 MW to 10,000 MW by 2025, raising expectations for geothermal generation.

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Africa: Brits and Yanks Team Up to Develop Geothermal Energy

Britain and US unite to power up Africa (StarAfrica.com)

MOU calls for developing regional geothermal energy

A landmark partnership between the UK and US will help millions of people across Africa get access to clean energy, UK International Development (DFID) Minister Nick Hurd and Associate Administrator of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Eric Postel have announced.

The new partnership between the UK's Energy Africa campaign and the US's Power Africa initiative will leverage much-needed private investment, develop networks to share power across borders and harness geothermal resources to boost access to electricity across the continent.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries was signed at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and New Climate Economy event “Climate change in Africa: Financing low-carbon pathways for Development” at the COP21 UN climate change conference in Paris.

The new deal will harness the skills, expertise and investment power of the private sector to help improve energy access, boost economic growth and reduce poverty.

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USA: GEA Puts On International Geothermal Event in Washington DC

GEA Announces 2016 U.S. and International Geothermal Showcase (News Release)

17 March, 2016, Washington, DC, USA

The U.S. Geothermal Energy Association has announced the third U.S. and International Geothermal Showcase on March 17, 2016 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The 2016 International Geothermal Showcase will feature industry and governmental leaders from across the geothermal marketplace.

The 2016 U.S. and International Geothermal Showcase is presented with support from leading companies and organizations. Co-sponsors of the event include Power Engineers, the East African Geothermal Partnership, Dewhurst Group and the Geothermal Resource Group. Supporting organizations include the Geothermal Resource Council, US Trade and Development Agency, US Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office, US Energy Association, The World Bank, US Department of State, International Development Bank, US Agency for International Development, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

More information.......

For questions regarding the program or opportunities for sponsorships, please contact Rani Chatrath at Rani@geo-energy.org.

New Zealand: Global Geothermal Group Continues to Grow

New Zealand joins Global Geothermal Alliance (Scoop)

New Zealand is the newest member of the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA), Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges announced overnight in Paris.

The GGA is an initiative led by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to increase geothermal electricity generation and the direct use of geothermal heat. The announcement of New Zealand’s membership of the GGA took place in Paris as part of the COP21 Climate Change Conference.

“Joining the Alliance will position New Zealand firms to benefit from geothermal projects and partnerships around the world,” Mr Bridges says.

Other members of the GGA include: Bolivia, Burundi, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Honduras, Iceland, Nicaragua, Kenya, the Philippines, the United States, Turkey, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.

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Mexico: French and Icelandic Companies to Jointly Develop Geothermal Projects

ENGIE and Reykjavik Geothermal cooperate in the field of geothermal energy in Mexico (News Release)

ENGIE, the French utility, through its wholly owned subsidiary Storengy and Reykjavik Geothermal, the Icelandic geothermal development company, will jointly study the development of geothermal projects in Mexico.

Following cooperation agreement between Iceland and French geothermal clusters signature in the presence of Ségolène Royal, French Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Minister and Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Icelandic Industry and Trade Minister, ENGIE and Reykjavik Geothermal have initiated cooperation to apply and develop geothermal exploration permits and concession in Mexico. Geothermal carbon-free energy is indeed Reykjavik Geothermal core business and an essential component of the energy transition in which ENGIE intends to be a key player.

The new Energy Reform initiated by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto offers the possibility for the private sector to enter the power generation market. Today, geothermal energy represents 823 MW, or 1.3% of the country’s installed electrical capacity, but only 6.5% of total estimated geothermal potential (13.4 GW). The country projects it could utilize its high temperature resource potential to reach 4.5 GW in 2030.

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Climate Change: CO2 Emissions Could be Falling

COP21: Carbon emissions 'to stall or even decline' this year (BBC News)

Global emissions of carbon dioxide are likely to stall and even decline slightly this year, new data suggests. Researchers say it is the first time this has happened while the global economy has continued to grow.

The fall-off is due to reduced coal use in China, as well as faster uptake of renewables, the scientists involved in the assessment add. But they expect the stall to be temporary and for emissions to grow again as emerging economies develop.

According to the study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change and presented here at COP21 in Paris, emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and industry are likely to have fallen 0.6% in 2015.

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USA, California: Geothermal is #1 Renewable

Yesterday, Geothermal Energy Was the Number One Renewable in California

Geothermal energy in California supplies a steady 1,036 MW, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

The weather here in northern California has been turning increasingly cloudy the last few weeks as winter nears. The days are getting shorter. A large high pressure system remains in place bringing calm conditions.

This affects electricity generation especially wind and solar. When the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine these renewable energy providers suffer.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) measures the output from renewable energy providers to the State grid. As you can see in the graph above it never got very windy in California yesterday. There was enough sun to energize solar panels for 10 hours. The weather isn't cooperating.

However, geothermal energy was still plugging away, supplying a constant supply of clean, dependable, renewable energy 24/7, 365 days a year.

In fact, yesterday in California, geothermal energy was the biggest provider of electricity to the CAISO grid, with almost 25,000 MWh. Solar energy (PV and thermal) peaked at noon and only supplied 24,200 MWh. Wind provided just 8,144 MWh.

Yesterday, geothermal energy was the number one renewable energy provider in the Golden State. This will continue to be the case if the weather continues to not cooperate. El Niño is coming........

USA, California: Imperial Irrigation District is Fighting for More Renewable Energy

On Salton Sea and energy, it's IID versus the world

The Imperial Irrigation District has a habit of picking big fights.

Imperial Irrigation District general manager Kevin Kelley
(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

For a dozen years, the Imperial Valley water agency waited for lawmakers in faraway Sacramento to live up to their promise to fix the Salton Sea, which threatened public health and the impoverished region's economy as its shoreline retreated. But with no solution in sight, the district threatened last year to cut off water supplies to the Coachella Valley and San Diego County if the state didn't act.

Then this summer, the district sued the nonprofit corporation that manages most of California's electric grid, claiming the quasi-governmental agency had stifled clean energy development in the Imperial Valley and tried to "crush IID out of existence." If it succeeded, district officials warned, higher electricity prices would ensue for valley residents.

In both cases, district officials felt they had their backs against the wall. In both cases, they said, they had no choice but to take on powerful interests in the name of protecting the Imperial Valley.

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France: Ormat Tales Over 14.75 MW Geothermal Power Plant on Guadeloupe

Ormat to Acquire Geothermal Power Plant in the Island of Guadeloupe (News Release)

Adds 14.75 MW, with potential expansion to up to 45 MW of capacity Transaction to be immediately accretive to Ormat’s EPS

Ormat Technologies, Inc. announced today it has signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to acquire, gradually, 85% of Geothermie Bouillante SA (GB) at a total company enterprise value of up to around €52 million (approximately $56 million USD, based on current foreign currency exchange rates). GB owns and operates a 14.75 MW geothermal power plant and owns two exploration licenses with a total additional potential capacity of up to 30 MW, all located in Guadeloupe Island, a French territory in the Caribbean.

The MOU was signed with the owner of GB, Sageos holding (Sageos), a fully owned subsidiary of Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), the French geological survey. Upon closing, Ormat will hold approximately 80% of GB which will be increased to 85% within two years by capital investment agreed upon in the MOU.

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