USA, Oregon:

OIT Geothermal Plant Under Construction (Herald and News)

The Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) is on the road to getting off the grid.

Construction has begun on the structure that will house a new geothermal plant. At the site, steel beams rise from a floor of concrete two feet thick, which will support the necessary equipment to turn an aquifer of geothermal water into 1.75 MWe — pushing OIT toward energy autonomy.

The project, along with a nine-acre, two MW solar array also under construction, will make the campus almost completely carbon-neutral.

As part of that goal, the college plans on building an information kiosk around the geothermal pump itself, which plunges 5,300 feet into the ground.

“We want people to look at this and think, ‘Maybe I can do this; maybe this could work for my business or my ranch,’ ”  said Chris Maples, OIT president.

Read More.....

USA:

Intermittent Nature of Green Power Is Challenge for Utilities (New York Times)

The 21 turbines at the Kingdom Community Wind farm in Vermont soar above Lowell Mountain, a testament in steel and fiberglass to the state’s growing use of green energy.

Except when they aren’t allowed to spin at their fastest. That has been the case several times in the farm’s short existence, including during the record July heat wave when it could have produced enough much-needed energy to fuel a small town. Instead, the grid system operator held it at times to just one-third of what it could have produced.

“We were being told to turn on diesel-fired units that are very expensive and dirty and told to ramp down what is renewable, cost-effective energy for our customers,” said Mary Powell, chief executive of Green Mountain Power, the utility that owns and operates the wind plant. “We should go with the sources that can have the highest value, especially during peak times.”

Read More.....

Australia:

Old Oil Wells Serve Perth’s Geothermal Future (Science Network Western Australia)

Decades-old oil wells could hold the key to the expansion of renewable geothermal energy in Perth, according to Curtin University geologists.

They have used old data from petroleum exploration dating back to the 1960s to test the idea that hot water found in porous rocks could be a future energy source.

Until the 1980s, oil companies drilled dozens of exploration wells throughout the Perth Basin—the geological formation beneath the city.

But because they were searching for hydrocarbons, the well data contained precious little information about the other chemicals and conditions under the ground, explains Domenik Wolff-Boenisch, who led the new study.

Read More.....

USA, Idaho:

U.S. Geothermal Inc. Reports First Six Months 2013 Results (Stockhouse)

Recent Achievements:

• Generated fleet wide total 65,303 MWh in the second quarter of 2013 
• Delivered quarterly average availabilities of: Raft River - 89.3%, San Emidio - 91.5%, Neal Hot Springs - 72.2% 
• Continued with final commissioning completion activities at Neal Hot Springs including 15-20 day outages at each plant to make final corrections, and received the certificate of final completion from the EPC contractor on June 27, 2013. 
• Held 6 and 10 day planned outages at San Emidio and Raft River respectively to make normal repairs, upgrade equipment, and conduct warranty modifications.
• Completed drilling resource confirmation well at El Ceibillo project in Guatemala, and began well testing.
• Prepared for start of drilling at San Emidio 2 plant expansion.

Read More.....

Global:

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Energy Expo - Update

• Discounted Room Block at The MGM Grand Expires This Friday, August 16 - Make your reservation now
• Early Bird GRC Annual Meeting Registration Expires August 30 - Register Online now....or download the Registration Form
• Advertising Rates Now Available For The GRC Annual Meeting Program Guide - Artwork Due Date: August 31
• The GRC Annual Photo Contest - Submission Deadline: August 31
• Become a Sponsor of The World's Largest Annual Geothermal Conference!
• Don't Forget To Register For The GRC Charity Golf Tournament!

Read More.....

USA, California:

BLM Approves New Geothermal Development Plan in Imperial Valley (Environment & Energy Publishing)

The Obama administration has formally established a solar and geothermal power development area on a 64,000-acre strip of public and private land in Southern California that if built out to full capacity has the potential to produce enough electricity to power more than 1 million homes.

The Bureau of Land Management announced yesterday that it has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) establishing the West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation Area (REEA) on a strip of the Imperial Valley that's sandwiched between the Salton Sea to the west and the Marine Corps' massive Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range to the east.

Read More.....

Central America:

German Financial Cooperation with Central America - Invitation to Bid

As first stage of an international open bidding procedure for the consulting services required for the elaboration of a Pre-Feasibility Study on the Potential of Geothermal Development in Central America and the establishment of risk mitigation and financing mechanisms, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) hereby invites qualified independent consultants to submit a prequalification document (Expression of Interest).

Funds for the services have been earmarked for this project and will be provided by a special fund held by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank.

The expressions of interest have to be submitted and must be received not later than September 12th, 2013, at 16:00 local time CABEI in Tegucigalpa (one original and one copy) and at KfW Development Bank in Frankfurt (two copies). Only the submission of the set with the original at CABEI is relevant for timely delivery.

Invitation for Expression of Interest (PDF)

USA, California:

Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Energy Project Gets Approval (Press Release)

U.S. Secretary of the
Interior Sally Jewell

During a keynote address at the U.S. National Clean Energy Summit, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today that the BLM has approved a new 40 MWe geothermal project in California.

The Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Energy Project, located in Mono County, California, will construct up to 16 new production and injection wells, multiple pipelines and an electric transmission line. Ormat Nevada Inc. will develop the project on public and private land, and the project will generate more than 180 construction and permanent jobs. When completed, this project would produce enough energy to power 36,000 homes.

"These projects are significant steps forward in the President's all-of-the-above energy strategy and marks continued progress on his call for action on climate change," said Secretary Jewell. "Harnessing the vast renewable resources on the public lands will create jobs, increase our energy security and help reduce carbon pollution."

Read More.....

China:

Geothermal Exploration in China (China Daily)

The No 313 geological team recently dug a mesothermal geothermal well reaching temperatures of 66 C in Tongluozhai district of Dabieshan (Liuan) Geopark, Anhui province. It is the hottest geothermal well in the geopark with a daily water yield of over 400 cubic meters.

The geothermal well, located in Doushahe village of Huoshan county, is an important hydrologic geological relic that is valuable for research and medical treatment. Since the 1980s, the No 313 geological team has been searching the area for geothermal water. It has dug several geothermal wells after prospecting operations.

Read More.....

USA, Idaho:

U.S. Geothermal Inc. Announces Distribution of the $33 Million Cash Grant Received for the Neal Hot Springs Project (MarketWatch - Press Release)

U.S. Geothermal Inc., announced today the distribution of the cash grant at the Neal Hot Springs geothermal power project.

As previously announced on April 13, 2013, U.S. Geothermal's subsidiary, USG Oregon LLC, received a cash grant payment of $32,749,541 from the U.S. Department of Treasury for Specified Energy Property under Section 1603, Division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The cash grant funds have been held in a controlled account established by the U.S. Department of Energy as guarantor of the low interest rate loan provided by the U.S. Treasury's Federal Financing Bank under the DOE's Title XVII loan guarantee program, which was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

After the loan prepayment, the remaining final loan balance is $70.4 Million. This loan has 21.5 years remaining with an aggregate fixed interest rate of 2.598%.

Read More.....

El Salvador:

El Salvador's Geothermal Potential (CentralAmericaData)

With an investment of $1.5 billion El Salvador could add 440 MWe to the 204 MWe already produced based on geothermal energy sources.

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The projections were made by Julio Valdivieso, president of the company LaGeo. Furthermore, Toshitaka Takeuchi, energy specialist at the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), said El Salvador could generate up to 644 MWe (440 MWe more than it already has as installed capacity).

According to Valdivieso, "unlike other renewable energy sources, the discovery and exploitation of a geothermal well requires a significant investment, with varying success probabilities," reported Elmundo.com.sv. The cost of maintaining a geothermal well in order for it to produce profits is between about $6 million and $8 million.

According to the Master Plan for the Development of Renewable Energy of the National Energy Council (CNE) the country's capacity could grow to 791 MWe, of which 644 MWe would be related to energy generation in 12 points where there could be geothermal wells.

Kenya:

Kenyan Power Output to Hit 5,000 MW in 3 Years (Standard Digital)

The Kenyan government has announced an ambitious plan to increase power production in the country to 5,000 MWe in the next three years. Geothermal will be a big contributor.

According to the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Energy Davis Chirchir, plans were under way to achieve the target in 40 months.

Speaking after visiting Olkaria geothermal power plant in Naivasha, Mr Chirchir said geothermal as one area that was yet to be fully exploited.

“In fact our tour here at Olkaria is to assess how much of the 5,000 MWe will come from geothermal,” he said.

Read More.....

Tanzania:

Japan Pledges to Train 1000 Tanzania Geothermal Experts (AllAfrica.com)

Japan has promised to train 1000 Tanzanians on Geothermal Power issues to enable the country to have its own experts in thermal generation.

The Japanese Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr Toshimitsu Motegi said in Dar es Salaam that the training will start in January, next year. He was speaking during a one-day Tanzania-Japan Business Forum held in the city.

In another development, Mr Motegi said the Japanese government will make more contribution to creation of employment and capacity building in Africa.

On Monday, September 30, 2013 at the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Energy Expo, the sixth annual International Luncheon will bring together experts from around the world with U.S. private and public sector stakeholders to discuss the latest developments in harnessing East Africa’s considerable geothermal energy resources. Attendees will be able to meet and greet these experts, and explore partnership opportunities. Free with GRC Annual Meeting Registration.

Read More.....

Nigeria:

Geothermal Energy Recommended in Nigeria (THISDAY Live)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

A Nigerian tourism and hospitality management expert, Mr. Timothy Oladimeji, has advocated the use of geothermal reservoir as an alternative energy source to combat the frequent power outages in the country, stressing that Nigeria’s development is tied to an effective and sustainable energy stability.

Oladimeji, also a Lecturer at the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Bauchi campus, in a seminar paper titled ‘Exploitation of Geothermal reservoirs for tourism and sustainable energy development’ presented to staff members and students of the institute as well as stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sector, emphasized that geothermal energy is an economically viable replacement for petroleum products in the country.

Read More......

Philippines:

EDC to dismantle Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant (Sun.Star)

After it failed to generate the targeted capacity, the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) informed the Provincial Council about its plan to dismantle its 49 MWe Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant (NNGPP) in Barangay Mailum, Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Board Member Patrick Lacson, chairman of the Provincial Council Committee on Environment, said EDC will retain only the facilities and equipment appropriate to the six to 8 MWe capacity currently being generated from the NNGPP.

The billions worth power plant will be transferred to the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant of EDC in Negros Oriental, Lacson said.

Read More.....

Global:

Hotel Room Discount Deadline for Major Geothermal Event Is This Week

Register by August 16 to save over $60 on room rates for the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Expo. 

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) reminds attendees that the offer of discounted hotel rooms at the world’s largest annual geothermal conference at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sept. 29-Oct.2, will end this week.

The weekday room rate for the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo at the MGM Grand Resort at present is $89. After August 16 the rates will increase by over $60. Rooms in the three towers of the Signature at MGM Grand are sold out.  Hotel room reservations can be made by following a link from the GRC website at www.geothermal.org.

The GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo is the industry’s largest annual gathering of leading geothermal energy scientists, producers, renewable energy industry stakeholders, regulators, utilities, and key associated business leaders. The four-day event will offer technical, policy, and market conference sessions, educational seminars, tours of local geothermal and renewable energy projects, and numerous networking opportunities.

Early birds who register before August 31 pay only $695 as GRC members or $795 if non-members. The non-member registration includes GRC membership through 2014. Students with a current identification card from an accredited institution pay just $5 which includes GRC membership through 2014. Registration to the GRC Annual Meeting also includes entry to the GEA Energy Expo. 

Registration is available from the GRC website at www.geothermal.org. A Preliminary Program complete with a Registration Form is available to view and download. However, the GRC recommends online registration through a secured connection. The link is also available on the front page of the GRC website at www.geothermal.org.

For more information about the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA,  visit www.geothermal.org/meet-new.html or call (530) 758-2360.

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

USA:

State Geological Survey Contributions to the National Geothermal Data System (Arizona Geological Survey)

Accomplishments for Federal Fiscal Year 2012

All 50 states are represented in the National Geothermal Data System (NGDS) project and subcontractors, including the Geothermal Resources Council, been actively participating in data digitization, collection, and distribution.

For the second year in a row, the project has received “good” or “outstanding” review comments during the annual sponsor peer review. Each reviewer scored the project as “outstanding” the highest possible mark for relevance and impact of research. Comments include “the project is collecting a treasure trove of data assets from all of the state geological surveys” and “state level data discovery, access, and cataloging/tagging are crucial to the larger NGDS goals.”

The Arizona Geological Survey will be at booth #334 in the GEA Energy Expo, run concurrently with the GRC Annual Meeting at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Sept. 29- Oct. 2. They will also be giving presentations in the Technical Session.

Read More.....

New Zealand, Indonesia:

Head of Steam Building for Kiwi Businesses in Indonesia (Stuff.co.nz)

A new partnership may hold the key to a suite of New Zealand companies cracking the potentially lucrative Indonesian geothermal energy market.

Auckland-based construction company Hawkins is jointly bidding with French electricity giant Alstom to build the multimillion-dollar Karaha Bodas power plant, in West Java, for state-owned Pertamina Geothermal Energy.

If the bid is successful, Hawkins energy manager Bernard Hill said it will bring in a consortium of New Zealand firms covering engineering, subcontracting, legal, banking and insurance sectors.

Read More.....

Hungary:

Geothermal Mining Tender Announced (Budapest Business Journal)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

In keeping with its previously stated goals to diversify energy resources and securing local supply, the National Development Ministry of Hungary today announced tenders for geothermal energy and hydrocarbon mining concessions.

The 35-year geothermal energy concessions up for bid are for located in Jászberény, Ferencszállás and Kecskemét. Deadline for the applications in November 15, with awarding of the tenders to be announced by mid-February 2014.

Read More.....

Kenya, Tanzania:

Kenya, Tanzania to Partner on Geothermal Project (The Star)

Kenya has entered into a partnership with Tanzania to develop geothermal exploration. Tanzania’s Energy Com- missioner Hosea Mbise has said the country is exploring alternative sources of renewable energy to shift its over- reliance on hydro-electric power.

The partnership was agreed on following a week- long tour to Kenya by 32 members of the Tanzanian Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Mining. During the tour of the Menengai Geothermal Station, that started on Sunday and ends tomorrow, Mbise said the deal will see Kenya set up modalities to explore geothermal power.

He said Tanzania will rely on Kenya’s geothermal expertise, experience and equipment to diversify sources of electric power. Key areas of the partnership deal unveiled yesterday will include training for Ministry of Energy staff in Tanzania.

On Monday, September 30, 2013 at the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Energy Expo, the sixth annual International Luncheon will bring together experts from around the world with U.S. private and public sector stakeholders to discuss the latest developments in harnessing East Africa’s considerable geothermal energy resources. Attendees will be able to meet and greet these experts, and explore partnership opportunities. Free with GRC Annual Meeting Registration.

Read More.....

Philippines:

San Miguel to Bid for Leyte Plants' Output (Rappler)

SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., the power arm of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), will join the bidding for the rights over Unified Leyte geothermal power plants' output slated in October.

"Yes, we will bid," said Ramon Ang, president and chief operating officer of SMC, when asked for a comment.

SMC Global is the Philippines' largest power trader, currently administering the capacities of the Sual coal plant, San Roque hydropower plant and the Ilijan natural gas power facility.

The company has a total of 2,545 MWe installed capacity, making it one of the largest independent power generation companies in the country.

Technology:

How it Works: Geothermal Electricity (Al Jazeera English)

A very good video explaining geothermal energy including a call for oil/geothermal co-production. 



The deeper you go into the earth's core, the hotter it becomes. Some of this vast energy is already harnessed by geothermal power plants which use steam from heated water deep underground to drive turbines and generate electricity.

(VIDEO 2:16 Minutes)

Technology:

Report Quantifies Solar Power Plant Land Use - Geothermal Has Smaller Footprint (IEEE Spectrum)

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released a report [PDF] last week that aimed to quantify exactly how much room solar power requires. Land use and space issues have long been a point of contention when it comes to renewables, with opponents complaining that the huge spaces required for solar and wind aren't worth the effort.

The report found that the total area requirements for a small photovoltaic (PV) plant is 8.3 acres per MW. For larger PV plants, the total area needed is 7.9 acres per MW, while concentrating solar power plants (CSP) need 10 acres per MW.

Perhaps more relevant is the question of how these land use requirements measure up to other forms of energy. When it comes to renewables, there's no doubt that solar power is far more area-efficient than wind power; an NREL report from several years ago found a total requirement of about 84 acres per MW, a far cry from the 10 or so acres that solar seems to max out at. Geothermal energy might be the best of the bunch, though, in the low single digits. Previous studies cite 1-8 acres per MW.

Read More.....

USA:

Energy Technology Leadership Group (ETLG) Launches (Press Release)

New Washington-Based Advocacy Group to Promote Smarter, Safer Energy Through Educating Legislators and Regulators on the Latest Innovative Technologies 

The Energy Technology Leadership Group (ETLG) officially launched today to promote smarter, safer energy through the use of the most innovative technologies across the energy spectrum including fossil, solar, hydro, wind, biofuels, and geothermal.

An increasing number of public/private partnerships and individual companies are developing groundbreaking technologies to assist in the safe provision of reliable and cleaner energy. ETLG and its member companies will help educate members of Congress and various federal agencies and regulators about these timely technological advances, to assist them in drafting more accurate legislation and regulations.

The new leadership group is actively seeking members interested in promoting the importance of energy technology development and implementation. Organizations interested in joining can find further information on the group’s website, www.energytechleaders.com.

Read More.....

USA, Nevada:

Ram Power Announces 2013 Second Quarter Results (Press Release)

Ram Power, Corp. has announced its operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013.

The achievement of commercial operation of the Phase II expansion at San Jacinto in December 2012 continued to generate strong year-over-year revenue growth for the company of $13.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013, compared to $7 million for the same period in 2012, an 88% increase.

Significant accomplishments during the quarter and to date include:

• Ram Power reached an agreement on July 31, 2013, with its project lenders syndicate, led by the International Finance Corporation, to convert its Phase II Credit Facility construction loan for the San Jacinto-Tizate Project to a term loan amortizing over 11 years through 2024. 
• Ram Power, together with Sinclair Knight Merz, finalized its resource remediation plan for the San Jacinto-Tizate Project entered into a drilling contract with ThermaSource Inc. to carry out the remediation program drilling, and commenced drilling on July 18, 2013. 
• Ram Power has identified a buyer and is currently in discussions to finalize sale of the Geysers project by the end of 2013. Proceeds of the sale, net of selling costs, are expected to be approximately $6.4 million. Ram Power recognized an impairment loss of $16.5 million during the second quarter 2013 to reflect the current expected purchase price net of selling costs.

Read More......

USA, California:

Geothermal Interest Heats Up in Modoc County (Herald and News)

Modoc County’s geothermal potential has been known for centuries but, aside from some commercial applications in Canby and Surprise Valley, little realized.

Researchers with the University of California Davis’ California Geothermal Energy Collaborative and geology department want to learn more about how the county’s nascent geothermal energy can be used.

As part of the learning process, the UC Davis Geology Department and California Geothermal Energy Collaborative will conduct a public meeting from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Alturas City Hall. During the session, Glassley said he and others will discuss what is known about Modoc County’s geothermal resource, provide information on recent research, discuss ways potential resources might be developed and answer audience questions.

Read More.....

Italy:

‘Clean’ Geothermal Energy Plant Sparks Protest in Italy (SmartPlanet.com)

Enel Green Power's Bagnore 3 plant

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere crossed 400 parts per million earlier that month, a threshold that signified the relentlessness of the march toward climate change. So why was the crowd protesting a plant, called Bagnore 4, that proposes to provide clean, renewable energy?

Geothermal plants in Larderello now power two million households. In 1998, Enel Green Power, which also operates plants in Nevada and is a subsidiary of Italy’s largest power company, built the Bagnore 3 plant at Mount Amiata; the facility provides 20 MWe of power, enough to power 62,000 homes.

The 40 MWe Bagnore 4 plant under construction here promises to save 70,000 metric tonnes (77 tons) of oil equivalent annually, but opponents say that it will pollute the air, produce carbon emissions and increase the concentration of arsenic in the local drinking water.

Read More......

Chile:

Chile Looks to Launch Geothermal Insurance, Funding in 2014 (BNamericas)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Chile next year aims to launch a failed drilling insurance program alongside geothermal funding in 2014, the energy ministry's renewable energy head Carlos Barría told BNamericas on the sidelines of the 3rd BNamericas Hydro Power & Renewable Energy Summit in Santiago Wednesday.

"Any geothermal project in the world runs the risk of not being successful - of not finding the quantities of vapor that were expected. But in Chile it's even harder because we are just starting out and don't have much reserve information," Barría said.

The Chilean government is working with IDB and the World Bank to create failed drilling insurance to help alleviate some of the risk of exploratory drilling. The government is also asking US$30mn-35mn from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help with costs.

If Chile is successful in launching drilling insurance and securing CTF funding, Barría has high expectations.

"By 2025-30 we hope to have 1,000-1,500MW of geothermal in Chile," he said. "In the next decade we expect to enter the world's top 10 in terms of geothermal."

Read More......

Global:

GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo

The Special Room Rate Offer For Weekday Nights Has Been Extended to August 16

MGM Grand Resort & Casino - $89 - Reserve your room today and save over $60 a Night!  (Rooms at the Signature at MGM Grand are sold out)                  

More information..........

Climate Change:

2012: The Warmest Year on Record in the U.S. (kcet.org)

(Courtesy NOAA Climate.gov)

Another reminder of why getting off fossil fuels is so important: The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has released an annual report on the world's changing climate, and the news is just about as bad as you might expect. 2012 was one of the ten warmest years on record worldwide, and the warmest year on record in the United States.

The report, published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on it's climate.gov website, has been produced annually for the last 23 years, each year's news seemingly more ominous than the year previous.

Read More.....

Global:

Ormat Technologies Reports 2013 Second Quarter Results (Press Release)

Operational highlights and recent developments:

• Increased electricity generation by 12.9% to 1.1 million MWh, driven by new capacity coming on line at Olkaria III Plant 2 in Kenya and McGinness Hills in Nevada.
• Exceeded the expected capacity in both McGinness Hills and Olkaria III complex which are contributing additional 6 MW, bringing the total generating capacity to 595 MW.
• Accelerated the handover of the 22 MW Momotombo power plant in Nicaragua that was scheduled for mid- 2014.
• Signed the Sarulla project agreements and secured our role as a supplier for approximately $254 million of equipment;
• Signed a 20-year PPA with Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) for our 16 MW Wild Rose project in Nevada

Commenting on the results, Dita Bronicki, Chief Executive Officer of Ormat, stated: "In the electricity segment, our focus on prudently expanding generation capacity is paying off as reflected in the results. The addition of Olkaria combined with the impact of McGinness Hills, which commenced operations in July 2012, drove a 12.9% year-over-year increase in generation capacity in the quarter. As we increase capacity, we are also improving operational efficiencies at our plants attaining a gross margin of 33.1%.”

GRC Company member Ormat Technologies will be at booth #301 at the GEA Expo run in conjunction with the GRC Annual Meeting, Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Read More.....

India:

India's Underground Power Potential - Vision or Reality? (Business Green)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Geothermal energy has a long history in Asia, with the first drill holes being dug in Java in 1926, but until recently it has been under-exploited. Recent developments aim to change this.

In particular, India, a country with vast and expanding energy needs, is looking at the possibilities that geothermal energy can unlock. For India, geothermal is an ideal energy source - low carbon, reliable and proven technology. Many Indian companies have experience with geothermal installations in other countries, such as Tata's recent work at Sorik Marapi in Indonesia.

The country also has significant geothermal resource. Estimates range up to 10 GW, which is significantly more than the current combined installed capacity of the three largest geothermal users, the US, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Read More......

Slovakia, Peru:

Eurasian Minerals Sells Geothermal Energy Assets in Slovakia and Peru (Stockhouse)

Eurasian Minerals Inc. announced the sale of its geothermal energy assets in Slovakia and Peru to privately-held Starlight Geothermal Ltd. (SGL).

In Slovakia the assets include the Ziar Basin of west-central Slovakia and the Pannonian Basin in the southeastern corner of the country. The company's geothermal portfolio in Slovakia totaled five licenses covering approximately 320 square kilometers.

Eurasian Minerals also assessed opportunities in Latin America that led to the acquisition of four geothermal licenses totaling 328 square kilometers in Peru, including the Tambochaca, Pumahuiri, Sengata, and Coropuna projects. These licenses occur in prospective regions of Peru's Western and Eastern Cordillera that include geologically recent volcanism and occurrences of thermal springs and fumaroles.

Read More......

Global:

Global Geothermal News Receives Another Award

This website has won an award for the second consecutive year in a prestigious communications competition.

Global Geothermal News won an Award of Excellence in the Green Electronic Media section of the APEX 2013 awards.

APEX 2013, is the Twenty-fifth annual awards program recognizing excellence in publications work by professional communicators. APEX Awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. APEX Grand Awards honor the outstanding works in each main category, while APEX Awards of Excellence recognize exceptional entries in each of the individual categories.

Subscribe now to get your daily geothermal news from a trusted source.......

USA:

EPA Screens More Than 66,000 Contaminated Sites for Renewable Energy Potential (Directions Magazine)

Portion of the RE-Mapper Tool for Potential Hydrothermal Sites in the South West USA

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its RE-Powering Mapping and Screening Tool, which will now provide preliminary screening results for renewable energy potential at 66,000, up from 24,000, contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites across the country. The RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, started by EPA in 2008, encourages development of renewable energy on potentially contaminated land, landfills and mine sites when it is aligned with the community’s vision for the site. 

The updated screening provides insight into the significant potential for renewable energy generation on contaminated lands and landfills nationwide. For geothermal energy alone, EPA identified over 355 Hydrothermal sites (including 6 in the Las Vegas area where the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Expo is taking place Sept. 29-Oct.2), 1,616 Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) sites and 57,202 Geothermal heat pump contaminated sites.

RE-Powering Mapper Fact Sheets: Geothermal (PDF)

The total geothermal technical potential for EPA tracked sites is more than 7,000 MW.                     Read More......

Uganda:

AAE Rejects Mutimba’s Claims for $60m Slice of Ugandan Geothermal Project (NewNet)

U.S. infrastructure firm AAE Systems has rejected allegations made by Ahmed Mutimba and his company Apex Petroleum Uganda following claims that Apex was owed $60m for services relating to a $1.2bn geothermal project.

In a statement, AAE rejected Mutimba’s claims and denied he was responsible for the procurement of the project or entitled to a fee.

Read More.....

Kenya:

GDC Calls Investors for 90 MWe Geothermal Plants (businessdailyafrica.com)

Kenyan government-owned Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has invited investors to bid for contracts to develop three wells with a combined production capacity of 90 MWe, marking a major milestone for the corporation which was founded to exploit Kenya’s geothermal power potential.

The plants are to be set up at the Menengai field within the Rift Valley basin and estimated to have naturally occurring steam with the potential to produce about 10,000 MWe of geothermal power. Tender Document (PDF) - Deadline September 16, 2013.

Read More.....

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands:

Saipan Agency Supports Protest Appeal in Geothermal Energy Project (Saipan Tribune)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Office of the Public Auditor in Saipan has granted one of two procurement appeals that Australian-based KUTh Energy Ltd. filed related to a request for proposal for geothermal energy on Saipan.

KUTh won a Commonwealth Utilities Corp. (CUC) bid to develop geothermal energy on Saipan, only for that same request for proposal to be cancelled months later.

A revised RFP was issued later, but by the Capital Improvement Project Office, for geothermal consulting services.

However, OPA denied KUTh’s other appeal, which alleged that CUC had dealt with KUTh in bad faith when it cancelled the first RFP for geothermal energy development.

Read More.....

Switzerland:

Geothermal Energy Stuck in a Hole in Switzerland (Independent European Daily Express)

An accident in a flagship project threatens the future of geothermal energy in Switzerland. The mishap that was followed by earthquakes has come as a warning that geothermal deep drilling still has a long way to go.

It occurred in a project in the eastern Swiss city St. Gallen earlier in July brings a new setback, after earlier accidents.

In 2010, 83 percent of St. Gallen's voters approved a 160 million Swiss francs (172 million dollars) credit for a flagship geothermal project. A geothermal power station was expected to cover the electricity needs of 3,000 to 5,000 households eventually and provide heat for half of the city's buildings. In early July, drilling was concluded up to 4,450 metres depth, and extraction tests prepared.

On Jul. 19 around noon, the engineers' nightmare happened: they unexpectedly encountered gas in the drilling hole, which raised the pressure. The leak was closed and water was pumped into the hole to reduce the pressure. Next morning, St. Gallen was shaken by an earthquake that measured 3.6 on the Richter scale, followed by dozens of micro-earthquakes.

Since then, all eyes are on the city in Switzerland's east. Engineers have managed to stabilize the drilling hole. Further test drilling has been cancelled. Decisions on the project's future will be taken after thorough review. Damage to earthquake-affected buildings and infrastructure was negligible, but the reputation of geothermal energy has suffered considerably.

Read More......

Global:

International Leaders to Explore Geothermal Markets, Developments at GRC-GEA Event (BusinessWire - Press Release)

Members of the international geothermal community plan to discuss their successes and emerging market opportunities at the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo in Las Vegas from Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

This is the premier gathering to learn about the latest developments in geothermal energy, and brings together geothermal companies, academics, financiers, policy leaders, students, and other individuals. Last year, the Expo & Meeting hosted more than 2,300 representatives from more than 39 countries and participants from six continents. In 2013, an even broader attendance is anticipated.

The Annual Meeting & Expo will offer three special International Market Events:

• Monday, September 30th (12:00-1:30 pm): International Luncheon: A ticketed lunch focusing on geothermal development in Kenya. Tickets may be purchased through GRC at www.geothermal.org. Tickets may also be purchased at registration.
• Monday, September 30th (1:30-4:45 pm): International Session: A series of speakers summarizing geothermal developments in international regions. Open to participants in the GRC Annual Meeting or GEA Expo.
• Tuesday, October 1st (First Program: 10:00 am; Second Program: 2:00 pm): International Visitors Presentations: Informal presentations by international participants on business developments and opportunities around the world. Open to participants in the GRC Annual Meeting or GEA Expo. To sign up for a speaking slot with GEA, contact Becky Little at becky@geo-energy.org or 202-454-5256.

Registration for the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA Geothermal Energy Expo is now open. A Preliminary Program along with information on registering can be found on the GRC website at www.geothermal.org. To register for the Expo only, visit www.geothermalenergy2013.org/. Registration for the GRC Annual Meeting includes free entry to the GEA Expo.

Read More.....

Global:

3D Geological Modelling - Leapfrog Geothermal Training (GNS Science)

3rd–5th October 2013
GRC Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, USA
US$2,000/person

• 10 people maximum
• Training licences provided
• Materials provided in English: electronic and hard copy
• Lunch and refreshments included

Visit: www.gns.cri.nz/geothermal
Call: +67-7-376 1781
Email: geothermalworkshop@gns.cri.nz

This course provides an introduction to 3D modelling using Leapfrog Geothermal. This software was developed for the geothermal industry, and includes an interface for visualization of geological, geophysical and reservoir datasets, and tools to create comprehensive 3D models.

USA, Wyoming:

Geothermal Yellowstone (Travel Channel)

Earth Wonders: The land in Yellowstone National Park is alive with geothermal activity.

USA, Wyoming:

Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser Sees Rare Eruption (Phys.org)

Steamboat Geyser, in Yellowstone National Park 

erupts on Wednesday, July 31, 2013.

(AP Photo/Robb Long)

Yellowstone National Park's Steamboat Geyser—the world's tallest—has erupted for the first time in more than eight years.

Park geologist Hank Heasler says Wednesday night's nine-minute blast sent steaming hot water an estimated 200 to 300 feet in the air.

Unlike Old Faithful, which spews water like clockwork every hour-and-a-half, no one knows when Steamboat will erupt next.

In the past, it's gone as long as 50 years without a major event. In 1964, it erupted a record 29 times.

Read More.....

USA, Oregon:

U.S. Geothermal Inc. Announces Final Completion of Neal Hot Springs Power Plant (Marketwatch - Press Release)

U.S. Geothermal Inc., announced today that Final Completion of the 22 MW (net) Neal Hot Springs Project has been achieved. Yesterday, the project also received the final advance under the DOE loan guarantee.

The Neal Hot Springs Project, located in eastern Oregon; approximately 90 miles northwest of Boise, was the first geothermal project to obtain a loan guarantee under the DOE's Title XVII loan guarantee program, which was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support the deployment of innovative clean energy technologies. The DOE loan guarantee, guarantees a loan from the U.S. Treasury's Federal Financing Bank. The project was authorized for a loan guarantee of up to $96.8 million.

The Neal Hot Springs project deployed a first of its kind binary cycle process, utilizing a supercritical cycle that uses R134a refrigerant as the working fluid, as well as pre-fabricated modular construction of major plant components.

Read More.....

Nicaragua:

Ram Power, Corp. Announces Conversion of San Jacinto-Tizate Phase II Construction Loan to Term Loan (PR Inside - Press Release)

Ram Power, Corp. has announced that the company has reached an agreement with its project lenders syndicate, led by the International Finance Corporation, to convert its Phase II Credit Facility for the San Jacinto-Tizate Project located in the northwest of Nicaragua, to a term loan.

Under the terms of the agreement, the lenders agreed to waive the minimum steam requirement set forth in the original agreement and permit Ram Power to complete its resource remediation program over the next five months. While Ram Power will not be permitted to receive distributions until the completion of the resource remediation program, they will receive administrative fee payments from project revenues of $0.5 million per month effective July 31, 2013, August 15, 2013, September 15, 2013 and October 15, 2013.

Read More.....

USA, Texas:

GeoTek Advances With DOE Research Award (watchlistnews.com)

GeoTek of Midland,Texas, has announced approval by the U.S. Department of Energy for reimbursement of up to $1.08 Million for the fabrication and initial testing of its Gravity Head Energy System (GHES). Dave Marshall, CEO, explained that “GeoTek completed last year the first of three phases in the DOE program, under budget.” The third phase of this $2.85Million DOE research award is expected to commence next year with an additional $1.32Million in potential funding for GHES field tests. GeoTek is required to supplement these DOE cost-share research funds with private capital which GeoTek is currently raising.

The Gravity Head Energy System (GHES), uses gravity instead of pumps to capture energy from hot underground water in a binary system. The hot underground water still will flow to the surface in separate tubing from the heated working liquid. The water will then be reinjected in a well some distance away from the source well. The working liquid will be used to generate power, then recycled into the downhole heat exchanger.

GeoTek Energy, LLC will be exhibiting at Booth #502 in the GEA Energy Expo, run in conjunction with the GRC Annual Meeting, Sept. 29- Oct. 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Read More........

Mexico:

Mexican Watchdog Grants Geothermal Import Permits (Business News Americas)

Mexico's power regulator Comisión Reguladora de Energía (CRE) has granted Mexxus RG, a consortium between Mexican and Icelandic geothermal firms, a small producer permit for a 30 MWe geothermal plant in Nayarit state in the Ceboruco volcanic zone. All power will be sold to national utility CFE.

The group expects to begin construction in October 2014 and has an estimated startup in 3Q16.

Opinion:

Drill for Energy? Yes, for More Geothermal (Sacramento Bee)

Why aren't we doing more drilling for another of California's golden resources, geothermal energy – which doesn't require fracking and doesn't have the myriad environmental consequences that come with natural gas.

The age of natural gas fracking is upon us, and the debate about how hydraulic fracturing will be done in California has begun. Even assuming conservative estimates of natural gas reserves in the lower 48 states, the United States could easily move from a coal-based electrical portfolio to one that is based on natural gas. So why invest in renewable energies when natural gas is so cheap and for the time being, plentiful? The answer is multifaceted, but we will focus on two reasons: cost and greenhouse gas emissions.

Read More......

Technology:

Graph of the Day: Why the World Needs Low Carbon Electricity (reneweconomy.com.au)

If the world used just geothermal, global electricity generation emissions of CO2e would be 1/10 of Natural Gas, 1/18 of Oil, and 1/21 of Coal emissions.

Low carbon electricity is a wonderful thing, and will be a central part of tackling climate change.

In 2010 electricity generation was responsible for about 13 Gt of greenhouse gas emissions, or a little bit more than a quarter of all emissions. The rest came from industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, forestry and waste.

The thing that is exciting about electricity from a climate standpoint is that we actually have technology which can slash its emissions. To help provide some clarity and context as to the relative importance of low carbon electricity this post tests a simple idea.

What would global electricity generation emissions look like if the world used just one generation technology?

In 2010 the world generated 21,400 TWh of electricity which resulted in emissions of 13 Gt CO2e (the beige balloon) given the current fuel mix. Using the central estimates from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s excellent meta-study of electricity generation lifecyle assessments we can estimate what these emissions would look like using just one technology.

The results are stark. Using Coal 21,400 TWh would result in 21 Gt CO2e, for Oil it is 18 Gt and for Natural Gas it is 10 Gt.  In contrast Geothermal and Solar PV are 1Gt, Solar CSP is 0.5, Biopower and Nuclear 0.4, Wind 0.3, Ocean 0.2 and Hydro 0.1 Gt.

The gap between fossil fuels and the rest is a chasm.

Read More.....

Opinion:

Creating African Lions with Renewable Geothermal Energy (Renewable Energy World.com)

There has been much made of the idea of African ‘lion’ countries, mimicking Asia’s famous ‘tigers’. An aptly impressive piece of imagery for the economical roaring into life Africa has been long overdue. If you ask me, there is no reason Africa shouldn't start behaving like Asia, and why hordes of international businessmen shouldn't be getting on planes to go to air-conditioned offices and lavishly appointed bars in cities like Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam well within my lifetime.

The thorns that need to be removed from the paws of these lions are several, however, and too intricate an issue to squeeze into my introductory paragraph. But I do propose that renewable energy, in particular geothermal energy with its formidable baseload potential, can help provide the electrification (two meanings intended) that sub-Saharan Africa needs, bringing international partnerships and healthy and competitive economies with it; and that there is both the potential and the market for it.

Read More......