Indonesia: 1,160 MW of Geothermal Projects to be Tendered This Year

More geothermal power projects up for tender (The Jakarta Post)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Indonesian government will tender eight geothermal power plants countrywide this year as part of efforts to reach a target of 7,156 megawatts (MW) of electricity from geothermal energy.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s geothermal director, Yunus Saefulhak, said on Tuesday that the geothermal power plant projects tendered this year amounted to approximately 1,160 MW and were expected to start operations in 2024.

“The bidding for three of the geothermal power plants has been completed while the remaining five will be offered in stages,” Yunus said on the sidelines of a press conference on the upcoming International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE).

Earlier in the conference, the ministry’s director general of renewable energy and energy conservation, Rida Mulyana, said the government was preparing three regulations in the hope of increasing investment and speeding up the development of geothermal energy sources.

The first government regulation would allow regions to reap economic benefits from geothermal power plant projects, while the second regulation would cover the direct use of geothermal resources for tourism, agriculture and industry.

The third government regulation would allow private companies to conduct surveys and exploration of potential geothermal reserves with a minimum three drill holes. If activity was successful, the company would receive the right to a direct appointment over the area.

The third regulation would stipulate that tenders should prioritize a company’s proposed work program and commitment to exploration over electricity selling prices.

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USA: Celebrate Geothermal Energy on Earth Day

Happy Earth Day 2016 (USGS)

The USGS is joining people across the world to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2016. To help build environmental awareness, the USGS has outlined some of the critical issues facing our planet as well as science projects underway to address these challenges. Starting with science provides a valuable foundation for managers, policymakers, and other decision makers to make the most informed decisions to protect our changing world.

Deep within the Earth’s crust lies an extremely important but underutilized renewable energy resource: geothermal energy. In 2008, the USGS released a national assessment of geothermal power resources, showing more than 550,000 Megawatts–electric power–generating potential. Since then, the USGS has continued to research and assess geothermal power potential all over the country.

“Interest in geothermal energy has rapidly grown. Recent permitting activity has seen dozens of applications for geothermal leases. All of this is based on the fundamental resource assessment efforts of the USGS – without that basic research, the benefits of this renewable energy resource would be achieved much more slowly and at much greater expense.” — William Glassley, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis

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New Zealand: Spudding Begins in May for 20 MW Te Ahi O Maui Geothermal Project

Excitement brewing for geothermal project (News Release)

Excitement is brewing across both the Kawerau township and Whakatāne district as a much anticipated project launches a new phase of development.

The 20 MW Te Ahi O Maui geothermal project at Kawerau is preparing to enter its first production well-drilling phase. Site works are currently underway to prepare the well-pads and later this month a well-drilling rig will be transported on site.

Te Ahi O Maui Project Manager, Ben Gibson says drilling of the production well will commence on 10 May. The first stage of drilling, called ‘spudding’, will culminate in a five-inch-wide-hole into the Kawerau geothermal reservoir.

“Extensive field monitoring and computer-based modelling has shown we can expect the drilling equipment to pass through layers of varying substrates and pockets of incredibly hot geothermal steam and fluid, which could be between 200-350 degrees Celsius. It’s this high-temperature fluid and steam that will ultimately fuel the geothermal power plant.

“Well drilling and testing are critical success factors for the project’s subsequent steps. If we find what we expect, then the project is all go and we can move on to the geothermal power plant construction phase, which we expect will take between two and two-and-a-half-years,” says Mr Gibson.

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Kenya: Kengen Disputes Geothermal Wellheads Tender

Kengen Appeals Over Sh52 Billion Supply Deal (AllAfrica.com)

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Kengen) has appealed against a public procurement appeals agency's decision to award a Sh52 billion tender for supply of geothermal wellheads to a company accused of using forged documents to bag the deal.

KenGen has obtained a court order temporarily stopping the Public Procurement Administrative and Review Board (PPARB) from awarding the lucrative tender to RentCo East Africa, which has been accused of using a false certificate of incorporation to support its bid for the contract.

The board last month quashed KenGen's decision to cancel the tender and ordered that it be awarded to RentCo, which had partnered with Lantech Africa and Toshiba Corporation.

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Mexico: 25.5 MW Unit 3 at Domo de San Pedro Geothermal Power Station to be Connected Next Week

Grupo Dragon to commission 25.5 MW Unit 3 at Domo de San Pedro (Think GeoEnergy)

Grupo Dragon will commission Unit 3 on the Domo de San Pedro Geothermal field next week; a year ahead of schedule thanks to the smart use of 2 back-pressure units to do well testing.

Grupo Dragon has recently announced that a 3rd unit has been completed and will be soon commissioned on the Domo de San Pedro geothermal field, located in San Pedro Lagunillas, Nayarit - the first private geothermal field in Mexico. The condensing unit with an installed capacity of 25.5 MW will be connected to the national grid in the last week of April.

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USA: Geothermal Energy Potential - Arizona State Guide Now Available

Additional State-by-State Guide Show Geothermal Uses for Meeting New EPA Standards (News Release)

Arizona added to collection

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) and Geo-Exchange Organization (GEO) have released guidance for another state on meeting new clean energy standards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The free state-by-state guides walk through the benefits and uses of three major types of geothermal applications: power generation, direct use and heat pumps, and initially cover California, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado and Utah. A guide for Arizona is now available (PDF).

State-by-State Guides on the GRC Website......

Geothermal Energy Potential - Arizona from Geothermal Resources Council

Latin America: Long Article on Different Approaches to Geothermal Development

Will a geothermal experiment in Costa Rica and Mexico overcome the industry’s dark past? (Power Struggle)

Mexico and Costa Rica are both leading Latin America’s drive to develop geothermal energy, expanding on a growing base of existing projects — and taking two very different paths to clean power.

The heat of the Earth delivers a clean, inexhaustible supply of energy from a string of mountains and active volcanoes that trace the Pacific coastline from Alaska to Chile.

Tapping this energy source could be an efficient and affordable way to power the future of Latin America — a group of countries with common language roots including Mexico in North America, Central America (except Belize) and South America.

For decades, Costa Rica and Mexico, the region’s two geothermal leaders, have embraced the technology, which is, as of this writing, nowhere near its potential. The region uses no more than five per cent of the estimated 300 terawatt-hour (TWh) per year of geothermal, according to reports released by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the World Bank. (To put that figure in perspective, 300 TWh is more than the yearly electricity consumption of Mexico and Costa Rica combined.)

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USA: Geothermal Energy Opportunities Act Advances Within Energy Bill

Senate OKs two Wyden renewable energy bills (KTVZ)

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced the Senate on Wednesday passed two bills he wrote to increase domestic production of low-carbon renewable energy from underground hotspots and the power in ocean waves, tides and currents.

Wyden’s  Geothermal Energy Opportunities Act would encourage geothermal production by streamlining government permitting and mapping geothermal resources.

Wyden pushed for his bills to be included in the bipartisan S.2012 Energy Policy Modernization Act, which the Senate passed by a vote of 85 to 12.

Oregon's geothermal resource is ranked third in the nation, with the potential to produce at least 2,200 megawatts of electric power – enough energy to power about 1.5 million homes a year.

Wyden’s Geothermal Energy Opportunities Act included a smaller bill, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act that he introduced in March 2015 along with Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Jim Risch, R-Idaho. The Geothermal Production Expansion Act passed the Senate in 2014.

Wyden is a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

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USA, Nevada: 24 MW Tungsten Mountain Power Plant Gets Tax Incentive

GOE Incentive To Power Construction of New Geothermal Facility (Governor’s Office of Energy)

More of Nevada’s extensive geothermal energy is being tapped after the Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) granted a tax incentive for the construction of a geothermal power plant in Churchill County.

Ormat Technologies, Inc. received the incentive for its Tungsten Mountain geothermal power plant after meeting State and local statutes requiring that the project provide employment for Nevadans, a living wage with comprehensive health benefits, and a major capital investment in the State.

Once completed, the Tungsten Mountain power plant will have a production capacity of 24 megawatts. It will pull heat from five production wells spread across 1,355 acres in Churchill County. The generated power will enter Nevada’s grid through a 16.5 mile, 230 kilovolt transmission line and, utilizing transmission service provided by the ON-Line, supply renewable energy to a CA utility.

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Canada: Alberta Greens Call for Level Playing Field for Geothermal Energy

Greens propose motion to level playing field for geothermal energy production (Green Party of Alberta)

The following motion will be put to an on-line vote of Green Party of Alberta members starting on April 20.

The purpose of the motion is not to give geothermal electricity production preference over other clean, renewables, but to make it possible for geothermal generation to compete fairly with other comparable sources, such as solar and wind.

Motion:  That the Green Party of Alberta supports the introduction of laws and regulations that would create a level playing field for geothermal energy, both for heating and for generation of electricity. In particular, the GPA supports creation of a licensing system for geothermal wells.

Green Party of Alberta members - Vote here on geothermal energy policy starting April 20, 2016

Canada: Ontario Power Producers Boost Geothermal

Geothermal could be Canada’s most overlooked clean energy resource (Association of Power Producers Of Ontario)

If someone stood up in a crowded room and said that Canada has access to thousands of megawatts of reasonably-priced, dependable, carbon-free power generation that remains entirely undeveloped, he or she would likely face a fair bit of skepticism. This must be unproven technology, many would think. It must use a lot of land or water resources. There must be a problem with it or someone would have built it here, skeptics would mutter. However in this case, the doubters may be all wrong. The technology is mature, with operating installations all over the world, using minimal amounts of land and producing virtually zero atmospheric emissions.

In fact, there’s a strong case that geothermal is the most under-developed source of energy in Canada. According to its proponents, the barriers to its development are not economic or technical. The primary reason that geothermal energy remains under-developed is that it has often been overlooked in energy policy processes. While wind, solar, waterpower and bio-energy qualify for a range of renewable energy programs at the provincial level, geothermal has been inexplicably excluded from most. While the same renewable sources enjoy special treatment at the federal level, geothermal is again largely left out. It does not benefit from the full range of policies supporting conventional fossil fuels nor from most of the special programs available for renewables and energy efficiency.

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Science & Technology: Application of Organic Rankine Cycle Technology is Building

The organic rankine cycle revolution (Decentralized Energy)

A quiet revolution is taking place in converting exhaust heat from power-generating engines into 10% additional power using Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology.

The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) uses heat to produce electricity and is the best solution when the temperature of the heat source is relatively low, or where the size of the application is too small for a steam power plant to be the most efficient solution. Large ORC plants have been operating on geothermal heat sources or multi-MW biomass combustion plants for many years.

This technology is supplied by publicly listed companies such as Ormat and Turboden, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi. In addition, the ORC technology is establishing itself as a well-proven application in small, decentralized power plants.

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USA: Energy Bill that Boosts Geothermal Approved by Senate

Senate OKs bill to promote wide variety of energy sources (The Seattle Times)

The U.S. Senate approved a wide-ranging energy bill l - S. 2012 - The Energy Policy Modernization Act (EPMA) - Wednesday that would promote a variety of energy sources and speed federal approval of projects to export liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia.

Senators backed the measure, 85 to 12, the first ambitious energy bill approved by the Senate in nearly a decade.

The bill would boost renewables such as solar and wind power, as well as natural gas, hydropower and geothermal energy. It also would encourage so-called clean coal technology, including projects to capture carbon dioxide generated by coal-fired power plants.

Murkowski and Cantwell said they were confident that Senate and House negotiators would agree on a compromise bill this year.

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New Zealand: Mighty River Power has Highest-Ever Quarter of Geothermal Generation

Mighty River Power Quarterly Operational Update (News Release)

98% geothermal availability led to the highest geothermal generation for a quarter in the Company’s history

The quarter to 31 December 2015 reflected strong geothermal performance as Mighty River Power had its highest-ever quarter of geothermal generation, up 12% on the prior comparable period (pcp), to 728 GWh.

This high geothermal generation reflected 98% availability of the Company’s geothermal plants during the quarter.

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USA, Nevada: Geothermal, Hydropower and Biomass Join Forces to Promote Baseload Energy

Baseload Renewable Energy Summit (BRESx3) (GEA)

June 7-8, 2016 at the Grand Sierra in Reno, Nevada

USA: Legislation Supporting Geothermal Energy Could Pass Senate This Week

Murkowski’s energy bill revived in Senate, passage expected this week (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday revived a wide-ranging bill - S. 2012 - The Energy Policy Modernization Act (EPMA) - that would promote a variety of energy sources, from renewables such as solar and wind power to natural gas, hydropower and geothermal energy.

The bill also would speed federal approval of projects to export liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia, update building codes to increase efficiency and strengthen electric-grid safety standards among dozens of provisions.

Senate passage is expected this week. The measure must be reconciled with a House-passed bill that boosts oil and natural gas and speeds completion of environmental reviews for a proposed coal export terminal in Washington state. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the House measure.

If approved by both chambers and signed by Obama, the bill would be first far-reaching energy law in nearly a decade.

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Kenya: African Development Bank Helps Development of 150 MW Menengai Geothermal Project

The Menengai Geothermal Energy Project in Kenya (African Development Fund)

To address Africa's current and future energy needs, the African Development Bank (AfDB), in a "New Deal on Energy for Africa," wants to help the continent get its hands on all its energy resources, including the 15 gigawatts of geothermal energy under the surface.

The Menengai geothermal development project, for example, is located in the Rift Valley, about 180 KM northwest of Nairobi. Through the development, the AfDB seeks to harness the potential of the Menengai geothermal steam field in generating 150 MW of clean, reliable and affordable electricity annually so as to meet the growing energy needs of Kenyan households, businesses and industries.

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USA: Geothermal Energy Consumption up 11 Percent

Americans use less energy in 2015, analysis shows (Phys.org)

Americans used less energy overall in 2015 than the previous year, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Each year, the Laboratory releases energy flow charts that illustrate the nation's consumption and use of energy. Overall, Americans used 0.8 quadrillion BTU, or quads, less in 2015 than in 2014. (A BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit of measurement for energy; 3,400 BTU is equivalent to about 1 kilowatt-hour).

Renewable energy continues to grow, with use of wind energy up 5 percent, geothermal energy up 11 percent, and residential solar energy up 11 percent. Utility scale solar energy, which saw the completion of several major projects in recent years, was up 25 percent. Prices for photovoltaic panels have fallen dramatically over the past decade, contributing to solar energy's rapid growth.

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Indonesia: Another Suitor for Chevron's Geothermal Assets

Pertamina Joins Medco Power in Pursuits for Chevron's Geothermal Assets (The Jakarta Globe)

State energy company Pertamina has stated its interest in taking over geothermal assets on the pipeline to be sold by multinational oil giant Chevron.

Two Chevron subsidiaries now own and operate geothermal projects in Salak and Darajat fields — two geothermal working areas in West Java in which Pertamina also has a minority interest — with a capacity to generate 647 megawatts of power.

"We are interested in the projects. But, we still need to discuss it further," said Syamsu Alam, the upstream director at Pertamina on Monday.

Pertamina would compete with Medco Power Indonesia — controlled by Saratoga Capital and Medco Energi Indonesia, the country largest listed oil company — that is also is eager to buy the assets.

Chevron, like other global oil firms, are selling assets, cutting jobs and slashing capital spending globally to maintain profitability.

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Global: Aid Agencies Commit to Continue Funding of Renewable Energy Projects

ADFD, Irena sign agreement on renewable energy projects (Trade Arabia)

Agencies have funded two geothermal energy projects

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed an agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) to ensure the effective allocation of $350 million of funds pledged by ADFD for renewable energy projects in developing countries.

The Project Facility has already allocated $144 million worth of funds over three cycles for renewable energy, which will see 15 projects supported from the Pacific to Africa and from the Caribbean to the Middle East.

A 10 to 15 megawatt geothermal project in St. Vincent and the Grenadines received a loan of 15 million dollars. The project will connect to the energy grid to provide a consistent power source for the entire country and will influence the deployment of additional geothermal projects in the Caribbean. The entire population of 104,000 people will benefit from the project.

A five megawatt, first-of-its-kind, small-scale geothermal project in Ardebil, northern Iran is received a loan of six million dollars. The geothermal power plant will produce electricity and thermal energy for rural Ardebil to provide local heating, greenhouse agriculture and fish farming. Governmental organizations such as the electricity, gas and environment departments, and the local population of 150,000 people will benefit from the project.

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Science & Technology: Offline Mobile App for Geoscience Outreach

How A Geologist Designed The Perfect App For The Window Seat (Fast Co.Design)

I was on a flight from Chicago to Phoenix, peering out the window as the sun rose over the snow-dusted alien topography of the southwest, when I saw it, what could only be describes as a volcano-like formation rising out of the ultra-flat landscape around it. I nudged my seatmate to check it out, wondering out loud what it was. (He gave me the side-eye.)

If I’d had the new app Flyover Country, I would have been able to pull up the exact coordinates of our flight using my iPhone (or android snartphone)’s GPS signal, which works even when in airplane mode. It would have explained that the formation below was a nine-mile-wide extinct volcano called Sierra Grande. It’s part of a line of faults, the Raton hotspot trail, stretching from Colorado into Arizona, roughly the route our flight was taking that morning.

Flyover Country is a National Science Foundation funded offline mobile app for geoscience outreach and data discovery. The app exposes interactive geologic maps from Macrostrat.org, fossil localities from Neotomadb.org and Paleobiodb.org, core sample localities from LacCore.org, Wikipedia articles, offline base maps, and the user’s current GPS determined location, altitude, speed, and heading. The app analyzes a given flight path and caches relevant map data and points of interest (POI), and displays these data during the flight, without in flight wi-fi. By downloading only the data relevant to a particular flightpath, cache sizes remain reasonable, allowing for a robust experience without an internet connection.

Flyover Country's usefulness is not limited to airplanes. It is also ideal for road trips, hiking, and other outdoor activities such as field trips and geology field work.

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France: 172°F Geothermal Waters to Heat Disney Project

Geothermally Heated Villages Nature Paris Project on Track for 2017 Opening (Hotel News Resource)

100% of the site's heating requirement will be supplied by geothermal energy

Next spring, 14 years after being conceived by Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs and Euro Disney, Villages Nature Paris will open 20 miles east of Paris. The resort was one of the first projects to embrace the One Planet Living principles and to embed them into its concept, design and vision. Villages Nature Paris partners are aiming for net zero carbon impact from all energy use by 2020.

Upon opening, 100 percent of the heat demand (heating, hot water and the water for the Aqualagoon and outdoor lagoon) will be covered by geothermal energy. Compared to a natural gas solution, 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided each year. Two wells were bored to a depth of 1,800 meters into the Dogger aquifer with water extracted from one well at 172°F, used to provide hot water centrally and then pumped back into the aquifer through the second well. The water will be distributed around the site in insulated pipes to provide heating and hot water for all of the houses and recreational facilities, including the Aqualagoon, as well as the neighboring Disneyland Paris theme parks and the Disneyland Hotel.

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USA, Wyoming: An All-Around View of Geothermal Features

Watch Old Faithful's epic eruption in 360 degrees at Yellowstone National Park (vrfocus.com)

Watch 360 degree videos of Dragon's Mouth Spring and then Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA.

When you click on play, look to the upper left corner and click on one of the arrows. You will be able to rotate the view to see the looks on the faces on rapt spectators!

USA, Nevada: "Entering the Energy Storage Market is a Key Component of our Long-Term Growth Plan" - Ormat CEO

Alevo batteries from Concord plant headed to Texas (Charlotte Business Journal)

(Courtesy Alevo Energy)

Concord-based Alevo Energy and Nevada-based Ormat Technologies will install a 10-megawatt battery storage system by year end to provide grid services to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

Alevo and Ormat will install three GridBank battery systems and six power-conversion systems, manufactured by Parker Hannifin’s Grid Tie unit in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ormat is contracted to do the construction work, and Alevo will be responsible for operation and maintenance of the system.

Alevo President Chris Christiansen says the partnership with Ormat, already a leader in geothermal energy development, is attractive. Alevo and Ormat “look forward to building a long lasting relationship as we move towards a more efficient energy market,” Christiansen says.

Ormat CEO Isaac Angel says the move is important to his company as well.

“Entering the energy storage market is a key component of our long-term growth plan, helping us to further diversify revenues,” he says. “We anticipate that collaborating with Alevo, with its innovative technology and global presence, will allow us to make significant progress towards our expansion in this field.”

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Australia: Report Calls for 10 GW Geothermal by 2050

New report shows 100% renewable by 2030 can save Australia money (RenewEconomy)

A new report from the Institute for Sustainable Futures in Sydney says a rapid transition to a 100 per cent renewable energy system can save Australia money – with avoided fuel costs to quickly offset the extra capital expenditure of building wind, solar and other renewable energy installations.

“The transition to a 100 per cent renewable energy system by 2050 is both technically possible and economically viable in the long term,” the report says. And by 100 per cent renewable, it means all energy use, including transport and heating.

The report canvasses two renewable energy scenarios, one based on a high level of renewable energy in the electricity grid, but with transport largely reliant on fossil fuels. The second is the Advanced Renewables scenario, which canvasses a totally renewable electricity system by 2030 and a fully renewable energy system by 2050.

Interestingly, the ‘advanced renewables” scenario includes a significant share of ocean energy and geothermal energy, which have yet to make their mark in Australia, along with solar thermal and storage and biomass, which will add to the “flexible” generation capacity that will fill the gaps between wind and solar.

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USA: Harry Reid Says He Will Work Toward an Extension of Tax Incentives for Geothermal

Nevada’s future depends upon renewable energy (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

by Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, is minority leader of the U.S. Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(Courtesy Wikipedia Commons)

Clean energy development has invested $6 billion in Nevada — creating tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in tax revenue. And imagine the additional billions in clean energy development if Nevada were not held captive by a utility that will stop progress in order to protect its monopoly.

None of these projects happened by accident or in a vacuum. They are a result of smart federal and state policies that encouraged development. These policies include the very tax incentives that the Review-Journal derides. It is a fantasy to say the federal government should not play any role in creating jobs. By scoffing at programs that promote clean energy, this newspaper is literally cheering against Nevada’s future.

Nevada has a choice. We can either take advantage of these new economics and technologies or we can rely on the dirty, outdated energies of the past. I will always choose the former.

That’s why in December, Congress approved a five-year extension of job-creating wind and solar tax credits. That’s why this year I will continue to work toward an extension of tax incentives for geothermal and other smaller energy technologies.

This is not a charade. Nevada’s hard-earned reputation as a clean energy hub is at stake.

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GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo: Golf Tourney Registration Opens

Registration Opens for Annual Charity Golf Tournament at Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting (News Release)

Popular networking event for the geothermal energy industry in Sacramento, California. 

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has announced more details of events at the world’s largest annual geothermal conference, held this year in Sacramento, California, USA, October 23-26, 2016. 

Just before the start of the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo, the GRC Annual Charity Golf Tournament will take place October 23 at the William Land Golf Course just three miles from the conference site. Registration for the tournament is now open.

This year the proceeds from the tournament will go to the GRC Scholarship Fund. 

The William Land Golf Course is Sacramento’s oldest golf treasure. In 1911 William Land left $250,000 “to purchase a public park within a suitable distance of Sacramento to be used as a recreation spot for children and a pleasure ground for the poor.” William Land Park was established on its present site in the 1920’s and the golf course was built in 1924.

More details of the tournament can be found on the GRC website at www.geothermal.org. Download the GRC Annual Charity Golf Tournament Flyer and fill out a registration form which can be mailed or faxed to the GRC office. Online registration will open in the coming months.

The Latest News in Audio from the Geothermal News Report

Geothermal News Report

The Geothermal News Report (GNR) is a weekly podcast wrapping up the top stories in the geothermal industry.



(AUDIO 3:43 Minutes)

Japan: Next-Generation Geothermal Power Generation is Part of Strategy for Green Technology Innovation

Japan announces long-term strategy for green technology innovations (Japan Today)

Japan’s Cabinet Office has announced a draft of the “Energy/Environment Innovation Strategy” at the fourth meeting of the Working Group for Formulating Energy/Environment Innovation Strategy.

In regard to next-generation power generation, it set a goal of doubling conversion efficiency and lowering power generation cost to ¥7/kWh or lower.

The strategy was aimed at creating innovations for drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a long-term perspective (by about 2050) after the long-term goal of keeping the average temperature rise in the world at much less than 2°C was mentioned at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21), which took place at the end of 2015.

For the strategy, technologies are classified into seven categories: (1) innovative production process, (2) ultra-lightweight, heat-resistant material, (3) next-generation storage battery, (4) production, storage and usage of hydrogen, etc, (5) next-generation solar power generation, (6) next-generation geothermal power generation and (7) immobilization/effective use of CO2.

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Kenya: More Investment in Transmission Lines to Distribute Geothermal Energy

Kenya construct power lines to increase renewable energy output (Coastweek)

Kenya plans to prioritize the construction of electricity transmission lines that will help in scaling up generation of renewable energy.

Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) Managing Director Fernandes Barasa told Xinhua in Nairobi on Sunday that additional transmission lines will be constructed to produce 1646 MW of geothermal and 630 MW of wind power in the next five years.

Barasa said Kenya has a geothermal potential of over 7,000 MW. "Geothermal represents a clean, affordable and reliable source of power," he said.

KETRACO is set to receive 25 million U.S. dollars from the government in the 2015/2016 financial year. Under its five-year strategic plan, it requires 3 billion dollars to construct 7,000 Kilometers of new electricity lines.

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Kenya: Electricity Costs are Lowered as Geothermal Energy Comes to Mombasa

ERC to reduce cost of electricity in Mombasa (Hivisasa.com)

The cost of electricity in Mombasa County is set to go down following the Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) plans to introduce geothermal energy in the county.

ERC Renewable Energy Director Pavel Omieke, said the commission is in the process of bringing geothermal energy to the county in a move aimed at decreasing the cost of electricity.

Mr Omieke said Mombasa relies heavily on thermal energy being produced by the thermal plants in Kipevu, which is costly.

Speaking during a sensitization workshop in Mombasa on Wednesday, Omieke said the move will lower the amount of power injected into the grid from costly thermal plants, and ultimately lower fuel cost which will also reduce the power bills.

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Philippines: More Funding for Biliran Geothermal Power Project

Nickel Asia raises stake in power unit (The Standard)

Nickel Asia Corp. said Monday its board approved an additional equity contribution of P660 million to its 66-percent-owned renewable energy subsidiary Emerging Power Inc. 

The board also approved a separate P1.5-billion three-year term loan to be provided by the listed firm.

Nickel Asia said part of the funds would also be used for the development of the first geothermal power plant with a capacity of 5 MW under 60-percent-owned subsidiary Biliran Geothermal Inc. The total project cost is estimated at P800 million.

It said seven holes were drilled in the Biliran geothermal field by 40-percent partner Orka Energy of Iceland, all of which exhibited the required temperatures for the production of geothermal power.

The development of additional plants and required infrastructure and further drilling of the potentially large geothermal field is currently under study.

Read More.......      Other stories on Biliran Geothermal.......

Science & Technology: Map Shows Locations of Geothermal ORC Power Plants

An overview of all Organic Rankine Cycle units installed in the world

The ORC World Map aims to monitor the progress of the Organic Rankine Cycle technology over the world.

The objective is to provide an overview of the ORC market, at the industrial level. This means that small ORC plants at the lab scale or that are not connected to the grid have been ignored. An exception has been made for demo plants that are not connected to the grid but have a significant power output of several hundreds kilowatts / several megawatts.

Similarly, ORC plants with a total installed capacity lower than 50 kWe are not referenced.

Some manufacturers do not publish their list of references and declined to take part to that survey. Therefore, this database is not 100% exhaustive. As of January 2016, we can consider that the remaining references do not represent more than 30 MW of installed capacity.

More information........

Russia: Geothermal Power Plant Workers Relax After Work!

On the Scene: Plunging into Snow at the Foot of a Volcano (Atlas Obscura)

A photographer documents life at a geothermal plant amid 29 active volcanoes.

Elena Chernyshova traveled to Russia's Far East Kamchatka Peninsula to photograph workers at the 50 MW Mutnovskaya Geothermal Power Plant.

“My story was about energy from hot springs and about workers who are maintaining the plant in mountains in 200 km [124 miles] away from the city,” she says. “I was looking for different kind of scenes that represents people daily life.” Chernyshova photographed the workers watching TV, playing checkers—and enjoying the freezing temperatures.

“After work some men go to relax in the pool of hot water,” says Chernyshova. The temperature in the tub is about 104°F (40°C), compared to the air temperature of 1°F (-17°C). “After staying in the hot water they jumped in the snow to refresh themselves. That was logical, it is what people are used to do, but quite spontaneous at the same time.”

Read More.........                          Other photos in the series.......

Canada: Geothermal Beers Night!

Socialize with Geothermalists! - A Sustainable Future: What's YOUR Role? (Craig Dunn)

7pm, Thursday, April 21, 2016, Fergus & Bix: Marda Loop, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

David Milia, Chair of Corporate Sustainability (Haskayne School of Business), will be with us to speak about the “Great Debate” rages on – what role does/should oil and gas play in our future?

What is the ‘energy’ discussion really about?  And, what can you, as an individual, really do?  After all, we are all consumers – and in that role – must inevitably play a part in the equation.

More Information........

Science & Technology: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Turbine Could Generate 33 MW

Desk-Size Turbine Could Power a Town (MIT Technology Review)

Doug Hofer, a GE engineer in charge of the project,
shows off a model of the turbine.

GE Global Research is testing a desk-size turbine that could power a small town of about 10,000 homes. The unit is driven by “supercritical carbon dioxide,” which is in a state that at very high pressure and up to 700 °C exists as neither a liquid nor a gas. After the carbon dioxide passes through the turbine, it's cooled and then repressurized before returning for another pass.

The unit’s compact size and ability to turn on and off rapidly could make it useful in grid storage. It’s about one-tenth the size of a steam turbine of comparable output, and has the potential to be 50 percent efficient at turning heat into electricity. Steam-based systems are typically in the mid-40 percent range; the improvement is achieved because of the better heat-transfer properties and reduced need for compression in a system that uses supercritical carbon dioxide compared to one that uses steam. The GE prototype is 10 megawatts, but the company hopes to scale it to 33 megawatts.

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USA: Possible New Buyer for Geothermal Services Assets

Halliburton & Baker Hughes Reportedly In $7 Billion Asset Sale Talks With Carlyle Group (Oil Pro)

Carlyle Group, a Washington-based private equity firm, is reportedly in serious talks to acquire several oilfield services businesses from Halliburton and Baker Hughes that could be valued at more than $7 billion, Dow Jones Business News is reporting.

The discussions are occurring as the two oilfield services companies mount an attempt to overcome the recent Justice Department challenge to the planned merger.

Halliburton and Baker Hughes had initially said they would sell their directional drilling and drill bits businesses per the merger deal. Then, last September, they added more businesses to the "divestiture" list, including Baker Hughes' core completions business, Halliburton's expandable line hangers business, Baker Hughes' GOM sand control business, and Baker Hughes' offshore cementing business in Brazil, Australia, the GOM, the UK and Norway.

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USA, California: NREL Researcher Develops Geothermal Energy Model that Could Help Save the Salton Sea

Colorado Researcher Models Cost-Effective, Clean Energy (Walton Family Foundation)

Jennie Jorgenson develops geothermal energy model that could help save the Salton Sea

Jennie Jorgenson, NREL

To Jennie Jorgenson, conserving money is as important as conserving any other resource. That’s why she takes the bus to from Boulder, Colorado, to her job at the National Renewable Environmental Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, where she’s part of a team that models clean energy development across the United States and the world.

With support from the Walton Family Foundation, Jennie and the rest of her research team at NREL recently developed the model for California’s 2030 Low Carbon Grid Study. The model compared options for drastic carbon emissions reductions in the state, including the status quo and a scenario with higher geothermal development. While geothermal energy is costly, it provides an always-on power source with less wasted energy than sources such as solar, which can generate lost energy when the sun is shining but demand is low.

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Philippines: Basic Energy to Fund Further Geothermal Exploration

Basic Energy earmarks P22M for geothermal exploration (BusinessWorld Online)

Basic Energy Corp. has earmarked P200 million for its geothermal energy exploration business in 2016, which it said “will be adequately funded by its cash and short-term investments.”

Basic Energy said it would continue discussions with other companies “for the formation of a consortium to jointly undertake exploration and development activities for the geothermal areas awarded” to it.

Earlier this week, the company said it had obtained approval from the Department of Energy for its notice of intent to drill in Mabani, Batangas under geothermal service contract (GSC) No. 8 for which it has secured the required permits, leases and licenses.

Aside from GSC No. 8, the energy department awarded Basic Energy with four other service contracts for the exploration and development of geothermal energy, two of which are in the Bicol region: GSC No. 2013-02-043 in Camarines Sur and Albay; and GSC No. 2013 -11-048 in Sorsogon. The others are GSC No. 2013-02-042 in Bataan; and GSC No. 2013-02-041 in Mountain Province and Ifugao.

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USA, California: Salton Sea Geothermal is Cheaper than Solar - Report

The Value of Salton Sea Geothermal Development in California’s Carbon Constrained Future (New Energy News)

by James H. Caldwell and Dr. Liz Anthony, March 2016 (Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies)

The purpose of this study is to quantify the value of additional geothermal energy in helping California comply with recently enacted legislation establishing a 50% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by the year 2030 and achieving the long term goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. The study finds that development of an additional 1,250 megawatts (MW) of geothermal resources at the Salton Sea is cost effective as part of a diverse renewable portfolio.

This study is the first to quantify the economic value that adding additional geothermal resources can provide to California’s electric system. It compares a base portfolio that represents how California might achieve its 2030 targets under a continuation of current policies with a geothermal portfolio that replaces 3,800 MW of solar generation with 1,250 MW of new geothermal generation from the Salton Sea. It finds that incorporating the additional geothermal generation reduces CO2 emissions compared to the base case and saves the electricity system up to $75 in operational costs for every MWH of added geothermal generation. The potential savings could be as much as 2% of total system costs by 2030.

Although this dollar figure is specific to a future system operated much like today, the general conclusion that new geothermal is cost effective is robust across a range of scenarios that contemplate other innovative solutions for dealing with high penetrations of variable renewable energy resources in a carbon constrained world.

California will need a diverse portfolio of renewable resources and system flexibilities to meet the state’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas goals. This study indicates that adding new geothermal resources would be a cost effective step and one of the lowest-hanging fruit available to California as it journeys down the pathway to a low carbon future.

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Japan: Stronger Earthquake Near Kyushu Geothermal Power Plants

Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan

Epicenter is near Geothermal Power Plants in Kyushu

Another strong earthquake struck the southern Japanese island of Kyushu today.

The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.0. 

The epicenter is close to geothermal power plants at Haccobaru, Ohtake and Takenoyu. There is no news as yet of any damage.

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Canada: Combined Potential of Geothermal and Oil and Gas

Geothermal Offers Combined Climate Change And Jobs Solution To Troubled Oilpatch (Daily Oil Bulletin )

Alison Thompson at Crater Lake in Oregon, USA on a GRC Fieldtrip

Given her background as co-founder and managing director of the Calgary-based Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA), Alison Thompson was perhaps the perfect candidate to promote the combined potential of geothermal and oil and gas.

In Alberta, the greatest potential lies in that combination, through the use of either the plethora of existing oil and gas wells or the province’s extensive knowledge base of its subsurface—gained through decades of oil and gas exploration—to drill fit-for-purpose geothermal wells into the highest potential reservoirs of hot fluids.

That opportunity is vast, she insists, and could be tapped right now, putting laid-off oilfield workers back to work.

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Science & Technology: Video Explaining the Geothermal Heat Gradient

Why is it Hot Underground? (MinuteEarth)



(Video 2:36 Minutes)

USA, California: Geothermal Energy Could Save the Salton Sea

Salton Sea geothermal: Cheaper than solar farms? (The Desert Sun)

Building more geothermal power plants by the Salton Sea could eventually save Californians hundreds of millions of dollars per year, according to a new report.

The lake is home to one of the world's most potent geothermal reservoirs, thanks to underground heat that brings salty water to temperatures greater than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. But while 11 geothermal plants already generate electricity along the Salton Sea's southern shore, energy development has ground to a halt in recent years, due to the high cost of building geothermal facilities. Only one of those 11 plants opened after 2000.

But in the long run, building new geothermal plants would be a smart investment for California, according the new analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and a clean energy trade group, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies. The groups found that using Salton Sea geothermal to help meet the state's 50 percent clean energy mandate could save energy consumers $735 million per year by 2030.

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USA, Nevada: Baseload Technologies Band Together for Renewable Energy Summit

Baseload Summit to Focus on Future Prospects for Geothermal, Biomass and Hydropower (News Release)

June 7-8 in Reno

The futures of renewable power and climate progress are tied to the prospects for baseload renewable technologies.  During this critical time, the Geothermal, Hydropower and Biomass Associations are excited to launch the first Baseload Renewable Energy Summit, to be held June 7-8 in Reno, Nevada.

The Summit will bring together industry leaders, policy makers, public representatives and other experts to engage in a dialogue about the issues and opportunities facing these industries.  Nearly two-thirds of U.S. renewable electricity comes from baseload sources - hydropower, biomass and geothermal.  And, as renewable production grows, these baseload technologies are projected by EIA to continue to produce a majority of renewable power through at least 2040.

This year's Baseload Renewable Energy Summit will feature the combined voices of three major U.S. baseload renewables organizations: The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), the National Hydropower Association (NHA), and the Biomass Power Association (BPA).

More information, or to register........

USA: 100 Minutes of Briefing on the State of the Geothermal Energy Industry

Geothermal Energy: Heating Up (EESI)

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and U.S. Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) held a briefing  March 16 in Washington D.C. highlighting the state of the geothermal energy industry and its near-term prospects in the United States and in more than 80 other countries working to expand its use.

With demand for clean energy accelerating around the globe, geothermal energy has major potential as a renewable resource that can provide power around-the-clock, complementing intermittent renewable power technologies.


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Japan: Geothermal Heat and Power Generated at Oita Onsen

ElectraTherm Power+ Generator Commissioned in Japan on Geothermal District Heating System (News Release)

ElectraTherm of Reno, Nevada, USA has commissioned the Power+ Generator™ 4400 in Beppu, Japan. This is the first Power+ Generator in the country and it utilizes geothermal heat to generate fuel-free, emission-free electricity at the site. Commissioned in March, the Power+ runs off low temperature geothermal steam from a small district heating system. The power is sold to the local utility at an attractive feed-in-tariff rate for renewables. The existing geothermal well requires the temperature of the geothermal resource to be cooled before it can be used for heating. As the Power+ generates power, it also provides the necessary cooling with zero environmental impact or imposition on the onsen’s primary function as a community resource.

“The Power+ Generator not only generates power and profit it also solves a problem – cooling onsen water that is otherwise too hot for human use” said Kazunori Ueda, Project Lead and Director of Sales & Marketing, Sankou Denki. “With Japan’s feed-in-tariff rate for geothermal at 40 Yen/kW (~$.33/kW), we see a strong opportunity for profit at this site and approximately 40 + similar sites in the prefecture of Oita alone – and hundreds more at other districting heating systems and onsens (hot springs) throughout Japan. The minimal impact to the property with a small footprint and quiet sound profile make this a hidden gem for the local community, serving as a resource and providing a fixed profit at a district heating system that has been in operation for many years, and will continue for many more.”

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Japan: Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Strikes Near Kyushu Geothermal Plants

Strong Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan; Buildings Collapse (WSJ)

Epicenter is near Geothermal Power Plants in Kyushu

A strong earthquake struck the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, injuring at least 12 people and causing houses to collapse in a town close to the epicenter.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the top government spokesman, said the injuries occurred in the town of Mashiki near the epicenter. He added that at least 19 buildings, some homes, collapsed.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake struck at 9:26 p.m. local time (12:26 p.m. GMT, 8:26 a.m. EDT) and had a magnitude of 6.5. The epicenter was 7 miles underground, a relatively shallow quake. The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 6.2. It is common for initial measurements to differ slightly. The Japanese agency earlier said the magnitude was 6.4.

The epicenter is close to geothermal power plants at Haccobaru, Ohtake and Takenoyu. There is no news as yet of any damage.

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Caribbean: Development Agencies Help Finance Geothermal Energy Projects

Region gets US $3B in aid of renewable energy efforts (The Daily Herald)

Japan and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are partnering to invest US $3 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to support renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects, as well as quality infrastructure projects related to energy savings.

The agreement between the IDB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) expands on the Co-financing for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency CORE program, which was created in 2012 to support energy investments to mitigate climate change impacts in Central America and the Caribbean.

It will increase the target amount of JICA’s highly concessional loan window from US $1 billion to US $3 billion, and will extend the term of the program until April 2021. This will also broaden CORE’s geographical reach, enabling partners to fund projects in all low-and middle-income IDB borrowing member countries, as well as more vulnerable Caribbean economies not previously covered by the program.

The first co-financing loans under CORE have been approved by the partners to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in Nicaragua and Honduras, as well as efforts to develop geothermal energy in Costa Rica. Co-financing programs for the Eastern Caribbean for development of geothermal energy are currently in the advanced stage of preparation.

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United Kingdom: Plan to Heat Penzance Pool With Geothermal Energy

Plans revealed to heat part of Jubilee Pool with geothermal energy (The Cornishman)

Exciting plans to heat part of the distinctive Jubilee Pool in the south-western English town of Penzance with geothermal energy have been unveiled.

Geothermal Engineering Ltd has submitted a pre-application to Cornwall Council with a proposal to "drill a geothermal well to a depth of between 1 and 2km next to the Jubilee Pool lido and supply heat to a section of the pool".

Councillor Dwelly added that he was delighted that the proposal was now moving forward.

"Having a spa-type heated pool area could provide a big boost to Penzance tourism and help us continue to regenerate the seafront," he said.

"Geothermal does not involve fossil fuels. Testing this zero carbon technology in Penzance helps Cornwall make more of its unique 'hot rocks' energy and doubling this with an £1.8 million investment in Penzance is a win-win."

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