Iceland: Video of the Arrival of Parts for the Þeistareykir Geothermal Power Project

Þeistareykir – Fyrri vélin komin; - Geothermal turbine arrives (Landsvirkjun – National Power Company of Iceland)

Hverfillinn vegur um 134 tonn og rafallinn 100 tonn, en annar búnaður sem kom með skipinu, meðal annars varahlutir, vega um 80 tonn. Þrír dráttarbílar voru nýttir við flutninginn, tveir toguðu í flutningsvagninn og einn ýtti á eftir. Flutningsvagninn er tólf hásinga með alls 96 dekk. Heildarþyngd vagnlestar með aðstoðardráttarbílum var sem fyrr segir um 220 tonn en farmurinn sjálfur 197 tonn.

The turbine weighs about 134 tons and the generator 100 tons, and other equipment that came with the ship, including spare parts, weigh about 80 tons. Three trucks were used to transport the loads. 

China: Developing Geothermal Energy is Part of Five Year Plan

China Plans $363 Billion Investment in Renewables Over Five Years (POWER magazine)

China rolled out its latest five-year energy development plan, detailing the country’s aim of investing about 2.5 trillion yuan (more than $363 billion) through 2020 in the development of renewable energy resources.

Yang Li Zhe, deputy director of China’s National Energy Board, explained the country’s vision during a press conference held in Beijing on January 5. The goal of the plan is to displace fossil fuels and transition to clean, low-carbon resources including hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy.

Read More........

USA, Nevada: Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Gigafactory Starts Production

Tesla Flips Switch on Gigafactory to Accelerate World's Transition to Renewable Energy (EcoWatch)

Lithium-ion battery cell factory is located near geothermal power plants and lithium resources in northern Nevada

Elon Musk's Master Plan to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy is becoming reality. Tesla and Panasonic have officially kicked off the mass production of lithium-ion battery cells at the massive Gigafactory outside Sparks, Nevada.

Tesla's highly vaunted Gigafactory is currently being built in phases so that the company and its partners can manufacture products while the building continues to expand. Construction is expected for completion by 2018, at which point the Gigafactory stands to claim the title of world's largest building by footprint.

As EcoWatch reported in July, the enormous building will be powered 100 percent by renewables such as solar, wind and geothermal, and will feature energy-storage technology. The company also plans for the building to achieve net zero energy.

Once it reaches full capacity, the Gigafactory will produce 35 GWh/year of lithium-ion battery cells annually, which is "nearly as much as the rest of the entire world's battery production combined."

Read More........

Kenya: Albert Mugo Gets One Year Contract Extension at KenGen

KenGen Managing Director Re-Appointed for One More Year

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce re-appointment of MD Eng.@AmugoMugo for a further period of 1 year w/ effect from 4/1/2017. pic.twitter.com/ltli9sMkyH

— KenGenKenya (@KenGenKenya) January 4, 2017

USA, California: Yesterday, Geothermal Energy Was Number One in the Golden State

Yesterday, Geothermal Energy Was Number One in California

A series of storms rolled south across California this week from the Gulf of Alaska and tapped into warm wet atmospheric streams coming from the area around Hawaii.  It was cloudy and wet throughout the Golden State.

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

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) measures the output from renewable energy providers to the State grid. As you can see in the graphs above there was enough sun to energize solar panels for just 10 hours and it never got windy for very long. The weather wasn't cooperating for the variable renewables. 

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

In fact, yesterday in California, geothermal energy was the biggest provider of electricity to the CAISO grid, with over 24,009 MWh. Overnight winds produced 23,120 MWh, solar energy (PV and thermal) peaked before midday and only supplied 18,252 MWh.

Geothermal energy was the number one renewable energy provider - and this is not the only day when it supports the economy here in California.

USA, California: Engine Promises Electricity From 190 Degree F Geothermal Resource

CSE Selected for Clean Energy Project (News Release)

Receivable Acquisition & Management Corporation d/b/a Cornerstone Sustainable Energy (CSE), headquartered in New York City, has been contracted by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors to supply its PwrCor™ engine as part of a demonstration project that will convert ultra-low-grade heat into electricity.  The heat will be obtained from a geothermal well or hotspring.

Modoc County, located in northeastern California, is commencing a project to generate constant electrical power from the geothermal water using our new, entirely "green" engine technology. The project is starting immediately and is sited at the Surprise Valley Hot Springs resort.

CSE's PwrCor™ technology efficiently utilizes supply heat of temperatures below 200°F.  The hot spring water in California's Surprise Valley comes to the surface at temperatures of approximately 190°F, which is considered ultra-low-grade heat.  Using just a small fraction of the water flow from the geothermal resource, the PwrCor™ engine is expected to be able to supply 100% of the power used by the resort.

The project will be managed by Warner Mountain Energy Corporation. Warner Mountain Energy specified the PwrCor™ engine, which will be produced and commissioned by CSE.  GRC Board Director Dr. Roy Mink, Chief Executive of Warner Mountain and former manager of the US Department of Energy geothermal program, explained, "The demonstration project will illustrate how low temperature geothermal heat resources, heretofore not considered economically feasible for power generation for the geothermal industry, can be tapped using this breakthrough technology."

Read More.........

El Salvador: More Geothermal Energy Experts in Latin America

Congratulations to 30 New Geothermal Diploma Graduates

Institucional de la Escuela de Posgrados de la Facultad de Ingeniería y Arquitectura de la Universidad de El Salvador congratulates the 30 students from the diploma in geothermal energy for Latin America who graduated 20 December 2016. 

 

USA, Arizona: Great Potential for Geothermal Energy in The Grand Canyon State

How Much Potential Is There For Arizona To Produce Geothermal Energy? (KJZZ)

Download MP3 file (4:55 Minutes)......

Some state leaders have talked about making Arizona the solar-energy capital of the world, and parts of the state have been embracing wind energy, as well.

But Mike Conway’s excited about the potential for another kind of renewable energy – geothermal. That’s energy created by heat inside the earth, often in areas around volcanoes. 

Conway is chief of the Geologic Extension Service of the AZ Geological Survey, and he talks about how much potential there is in Arizona for producing and using geothermal energy.

Geothermal Energy Potential - State of Arizona....... (PDF)

Costa Rica: 12.74% of Energy Needs in 2016 Were Met by Geothermal Power

Costa Rica went 250 days in 2016 without burning any fossil fuels (ScienceAlert)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

A round of applause for Costa Rica: the small Central American country ran solely on renewable energy for 250 days of 2016, and over the whole year used renewables for 98.12 percent of its electricity needs.

The republic uses a mixture of renewable sources to generate its electricity including hydro, geothermal, wind, biomass, and solar energy, which meant it didn't need to touch fossil fuels for two-thirds of the year.

The biggest renewable contributor is hydroelectric plants, which account for 74.35 percent of the country's total electricity needs.

After hydroelectric, 12.74 percent of Costa Rica's energy needs in 2016 were met by geothermal power. Wind accounted for 10.3 percent.

Read More.........

Philippines: DOE Awards Areas for Two New Geothermal Energy Projects

DOE awards new contracts for hydro, geothermal developments (Manila Bulletin)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded 10 new areas of development for hydropower and geothermal projects via its open and competitive selection process (OCSP) scheme of contracting.

Of the ten, two areas were set for geothermal resource developments. The winning bids had been bestowed for Area 2 Southern Leyte undertaking to Repower Energy Development Corporation; and Area 3 for Amacan venture to Energy Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, the DOE indicated that it failed to receive bids for two areas for geothermal in Acupan-Itogon and Balut Island projects.

Read More.........

Science & Technology: Supercritical CO2 Could Increase Heat Yield of Geothermal Reservoir

Boosting geothermal yields (eniday)

A new study published in the journal Geothermal Energy used a numerical simulation to study the effect of CO2 sequestration into an aquifer in Louisiana, USA. 

It found that the introduction of supercritical CO2 into the aquifer, as well as reducing atmospheric levels, might also be able to increase the heat yield produced by the aquifer. This finding further advocates the dual use of CO2 sequestration together with geothermal production. 

The Gulf States of the USA have huge quantities of geothermal energy that are still untapped, and accordingly this study could pave the way for the wide-scale development of geothermal power generation in this region.

Read More......

USA, Nevada: GRC Member is New Director of Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy

Meet the Geothermal Energy Center’s new director (University of Nevada, Reno)

Bridget Ayling took over the director position at the GBCGE last spring. She is also about to join the GRC Board of Directors

The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy got a new director last spring, and she travelled a long road to get to her new post. Bridget Ayling was born in New Zealand. She has worked in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Antarctica.

"I think I've been really lucky to travel to some amazing places just through my job, you know, and get to some pretty rugged places to do science," Ayling said. "Everywhere you go, every country you go to, it's a new landscape."Bridget Ayling

The high desert of the Great Basin is the latest landscape to welcome Ayling, who has been interested in geology from a young age. Early fascination with limestone rocks and the fossils contained therein was met with encouragement by her parents, who fostered it with the gift of numerous books.

Ayling has spent over a decade working in the geothermal energy sector, most of that time for the Australian government. After dabbling briefly in the oil and gas industries, she saw the post at the GBCGE as a unique chance to get back into the geothermal work that she loves.

Read More.......

USA, New Mexico: Valles Caldera Geothermal Resources Could be Put Off Limits

Additional protection needed for Valles Caldera National Preserve (Digital Journal)

A new effort by the National Park Service would give added protection to the geothermal features in New Mexico's Valles Caldera National Preserve. If approved, the site would be the 17th U.S. park unit with designated and protected thermal features.

The National Park Service has started a month-long public comment period that is due to end on January 26, 2017. Located in northern New Mexico's Jemez Mountains, Valles Caldera sits atop a 13.7 mile (22.0 kilometer) wide 1.25-million-year-old dormant volcanic caldera.

While Valles Caldera doesn't have anything as spectacular as Yellowstone's "Old Faithful" geyser, it does have some boiling and acidic calling cards to show off that highlight its volcanic past. Valles Caldera does have a number of pungent smelling sulfur springs with fanciful names like Stomach Trouble Spring and Laxative Spring,

And then, there are the volcanic domes, with the highest being Redondo Peak, an 11,253-foot (3,430 meters) resurgent lava dome located entirely within the caldera. Other features include mud pots and the 30 hot and cold sulfuric acid fumaroles that dot the Redondo and Alamo canyon areas.

Read More..........

USA, Nevada: Ormat Diversifies Further Into Energy Storage Market

Ormat Enters the Growing Energy Storage and Demand Response Markets by Acquiring the Business of Viridity Energy (News Release)

Ormat Technologies, Inc. yesterday announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the business and assets of Viridity Energy, Inc., a privately held Philadelphia-based company with nearly a decade of expertise and leadership in demand response, energy management and storage.

The acquisition, which is expected to close early 2017, will mark Ormat’s entry into the growing energy storage and demand response markets, with an established North American presence.

Read More.........

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Happy New Year!

A happy and prosperous new year to everybody in the global geothermal community.

Krafla power station under the stars, Iceland - by by Bastien Poux
GRC Photo Contest 2016

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USA, Idaho: Support a Great Geothermal Energy Exhibit

Opportunity to Support Great Geothermal Energy Outreach

The City of Boise posts plaques on the buildings
around town that use geothermal energy.
COURTESY CITY OF BOISE

Boise, Idaho is one of the great geothermal energy communities in the world. The city has been utilizing geothermal heat since 1890 and now boasts four district heating networks of more than 65 downtown buildings. The city and its citizens are rightfully proud of its geothermal heritage. A new museum in Boise is planning a major exhibit on the geothermal energy resources in the Treasure Valley, however they need additional funding to make it happen. This is where the global geothermal community can help.

Boise WaterShed Exhibits (BWE) and the City of Boise are collaborating on the construction of the Boise WaterShed River Campus, a beautiful series of outdoor exhibits modeling the regional watershed. They are upgrading the software of current exhibits and installing new teaching elements focused on a sustainable future for the Treasure Valley including geothermal energy. Ribbon cutting is in April, 2017.

Among planned exhibits is one focused on geothermal - The Heat Beneath Your Feet. Boise’s direct-use geothermal is unique in the nation. What is the geology behind this resource? What is its history and how did it contribute to Boise’s growth? What is geothermal’s potential in Idaho?

An illustration of the proposed "Heat Beneath Your Feet" exhibit at the Boise WaterShed River Campus. COURTESY BOISE WATERSHED EXHIBITS, INC.

According to the campus website, the exhibit will be "a fascinating portrayal of Boise’s direct-use geothermal system, this complex exhibit will include interactive education about the geology and technology that provides our local sustainable energy source; information about Idaho’s expansive geothermal potential; an historic photographic timeline of the geothermal development that led to Boise’s growth; and an anamorphic painting of the earth peeled away to reveal hot depths below. The painting will appear 3-dimensional when viewed from a particular angle. Visitors can take their photos “teetering on the edge” of the hot abyss and share them through social media."

More information on the campus, including the proposed geothermal exhibit can be found at: at www.boisewatershedexhibits.org/boise-watershed-river-campus/

The Heat Beneath Your Feet exhibit will provide a compelling look at a green energy source that is as old as the earth itself. It deserves our support. Donate to Boise WaterShed Exhibits, Inc. through PayPal. If you live in the area please drop in show your support on behalf of the global geothermal community.

USA, California: Deadline to Submit Applications for Geothermal Energy Grants is January 20

Solicitations for Geothermal Energy Programs Geothermal Resource Development Account (GRDA)

Grant Funding Opportunity - GFO-16-505
Geothermal Grant and Loan Program (GRDA)

Date Released: November 14, 2016.
Deadline to submit Applications: January 20, 2017, by 5:00 p.m.

• Applications for this solicitation may be submitted electronically through the Grant Solicitation System
• How to Apply using the Grant Solicitation System (MP4 File)
• Solicitation Files. (MS Word and Excel files)
• Addendum 1 Cover Letter, posted December 13, 2016. (See Solicitation Files). Revises the Solicitation Manual, and Attachment 4, Budget Forms
• Questions and Answers, with Attachment A and Attachment B. Posted December 30, 2016
  

Pre-Application Workshop - November 29, 2016

• Presentation from Pre-Application Workshop.
• Participant List from Pre-Application Workshop.
• Workshop WebEx Video Recording (MP4 File)

Finance: Clean Peak Standard Could Incentivize Use of Baseload Renewable Energy

New Arizona Policy Would Mandate Solar After Dark (CleanTechnica)

A Clean Peak Standard might even be a way to revalue the neglected base load renewables; geothermal, and landfill gas.

A way to incentivize the use of clean energy — instead of gas peakers — to cover peak loads has been proposed in a white paper commissioned by Arizona’s Residential Utility Consumer Office, through a revision of state Renewable Energy Standards (RES).

Co-author Lon Huber, a Director with Strategen Consulting, was tasked with inventing a solution to the duck curve.

Huber told Utility Dive this week that his proposed Clean Peak Standard (CPS) should push developers to cover the need for generation at specific — peak — times.

“It adds more renewables, but it adds renewables when the system most needs capacity so it uses renewables to deal with system cost drivers and saves ratepayers money when electricity prices are highest.”

A CPS might even be a way to revalue the neglected base load renewables; geothermal, and landfill gas. Both provide steady base load generation, and back in the day when base load was what the grid was all about, landfill gas and geothermal looked most likely to represent the future of clean energy.

Read More.........

USA, Utah: Cove Fort Hybrid Geothermal/Hydroelectric Power Plant

In Utah, an old geothermal plant gets a new life with hydroelectric additions (arstechnica)

Analysis shows that the hybrid scheme is working.

Renewable energy can be a tricky business. If you’re not dealing with the intermittency of solar or wind power, you might struggle with some of geothermal’s more complex issues. For example, older geothermal plants rely on steam output that can diminish over time or harm the plant’s turbine components. Or, a geothermal plant can damage the subterranean aquifer that it’s taking hot water (called brine) from. Or, if the geothermal plant is air-cooled, a particularly hot day can reduce the plant’s efficiency.

To combat all of these issues, Italian renewable energy company Enel Green Power has been working to make its geothermal resources in Fallon, Nevada, and Cove Fort, Utah, more efficient by combining them with other renewable power sources. In its most recent endeavor in Cove Fort, Enel cleverly combines hydroelectric power with geothermal power for the first time in North America.

Read More.........

USA: Hawaii has Over 7,000 Gigawatt Hours of Geothermal Energy Potential

State’s Clean Energy Progress Outlined In DBEDT Report (Hawaii State Energy Office)

Geothermal energy could satisfy the demand for all power on Maui and the Big Island

Maui and Hawaii (Big Island) has over 7,000 Gigawatt Hours of Geothermal Energy Potential

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) has released its 2016 Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report, which highlights the policies and activities that have advanced the state approximately a quarter of the way toward its target of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

The report details the state’s progress toward meeting its goals of energy self-sufficiency, economic growth and carbon reduction. At the heart of this effort is the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), which brings together stakeholders and provides a framework for realizing the goals through various clean energy programs, regulatory advancements, industry partnerships and policies.

Read More........

Iceland: Deep Drilling Project Reaches 4,600 Meters - 15,177 Feet

Season Greetings – Well depth: 4,626 m. (Iceland Deep Drilling Project)

Kenya: Olkaria Geothermal Spa is Only One of its Kind on the Continent

Did you know: At just 400 bob you can soak in Africa's one-of-a-kind spa at Olkaria, Naivasha (Standard Digital)

Olkaria Geothermal Spa, by Benedict Steingrimsson. Olkaria II 105 MW power plant in the background. Taken 2 March, 2014. GRC Photo Contest 2016.

This spa belongs to KenGen which runs the Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant - Africa's largest geothermal installation, and whose spa is also the only one of its kind on the continent. 

The spa is five feet deep and 3,600 square metres wide. It cost $300,000 (Sh30 million) to put up it's thee cascading blue lagoons, including the kid's pool.

Did you know that this spa's pool has brine water (a solution of sodium chloride, salt and water) which passes through the pipes at 150°C, but cooled twice to 60°C then 30°C by the time it reaches the pool? For health buffs, the sulphur in the water is good for the skin after undergoing hydrotherapy sessions. Indeed, the sulphur and silica minerals in the water that gushes underground can cure psoriasis (silvery skin scales), fibromyalgia (bodily pain) and arthritis.

Read More........

Indonesia, Philippines: Global Law Firm Helped Winning Bid for Chevron's Geothermal Assets

Clifford Chance LLP advises on acquisition of Chevron's geothermal assets in South East Asia (News Release)

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance has advised a consortium comprising Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd., Star Energy Geothermal Pte. Ltd., AC Energy Holdings, Inc. (a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation) and Electricity Generating Public Company on the entry into binding agreements to acquire global energy provider Chevron's geothermal operations in Indonesia and the Philippines.

The assets in both countries include geothermal fields with a combined capacity to generate more than 1,100 MW of electricity and steam.

Read More........

Dominican Republic: IDB Funds Geothermal Survey

French, Dominican scientists seek geothermal energy under rocks (DominicanToday)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

French and Dominican geologists and geochemists conducted water and rock surveys in 20 areas of the Dominican Republic to determine their geothermal potential and assess conditions leading to clean energy production, as part of a study funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The study "Specific Agreement to Evaluate the Geothermal Potential of the Dominican Republic" is carried out by the French Geological and Mining Research Office (BRGM), and the Energy and Mines Ministry (MEM), through the affiliate agency National Geological Service (SGN), which will also determine which areas have the most potential to develop geo-tourism projects.

Read More........

USA: IRS Clarifies Rules for Beginning of Construction for Renewable Energy Projects

IRS Issues New Guidance on the Beginning of Construction Safe Harbor For Renewable Energy Projects (JD Supra)

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2017-4 (the “Notice”) which makes two important changes to its “beginning of construction” rules for taxpayers seeking to take advantage of the section 45 renewable electricity production tax credit (PTC) for wind and other renewable energy facilities including geothermal, biomass, landfill gas and certain hydropower and marine hydrokinetic energy projects.

Under prior IRS guidance, including Notice 2016-31 discussed in our blog post here, taxpayers have two ways to establish that they started construction. They can either show that they began physical construction of a significant nature (the “Physical Work Test”), or incurred at least 5% of the total cost of the eligible facility (the “5% Safe Harbor”). However, once construction has begun or cost have been paid or incurred, the IRS requires taxpayers to make continuous progress towards completion to satisfy both the Physical Work Test and the 5% Safe Harbor (“Continuous Construction Requirement”). 

Taxpayers are deemed to satisfy the Continuous Construction Test provided they began construction on the facility prior to January 1, 2015, and place it in service prior to January 1, 2017 (the “Continuity Safe Harbor”).

Read More.......

USA, California: Golden State Leads the World with 2,716 MW of Geothermal Power

Update on Renewable Energy in the Golden State (CEC)

The California Energy Commission's Tracking Progress webpage provides sector-specific summaries of California's progress toward a cleaner energy future. An update on Renewable Energy is now available which includes current data for geothermal energy in the Golden State.

There are 44 geothermal power plants in California for a total of 2,716 MW capacity.

In the near future, 7 geothermal projects of 360 MW capacity have received environmental permits but have not started construction.

Read More........

Italy: Enel Green Power Wins Tender for 19.8 MW Geothermal Power Plant in Tuscany

Italy unveils 870 MW wins in green tender, 1st offshore wind farm is there (SeeNews Renewables)

Italy’s energy agency Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) last week released the list of projects, 869.8 MW of capacity, that won the right to sign off-take contracts in a renewable energy auction.

The auction, launched in June, includes a 19.8 MW geothermal power plant to be developed by Enel Green Power at Monterotondo Marittimo, a comune in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany.

Read More........

Indonesia: President Joko Widodo Inaugurates 95 MW of Geothermal Power Plants in North Sulawesi

Lahendong, Ulubelu geothermal power plant absorb thousands of workers: President Jokowi (Antara)

President Joko Widodo/Jokowi (front row, fourth from left) pictured with a number of ministers, officials and employees of geothermal electricity Units 5 & 6 PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Lahendong in  Tompaso, Minahasa, North Sulawesi, which was unveiled Tuesday (Dec. 27, 2016). (ANTARA/Puspa Perwitasari/P003)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that Indonesia has abundant potential in geothermal energy, and so far, only five percent, or 29 thousand MW, of this potential has been used.

"Therefore, the remaining potential, of 95 percent, needs to be exploited," Jokowi stated in Tampaso, here, Tuesday, while inaugurating the fifth and sixth units of the Lehendong geothermal power plant and the third unit of the Ulubelu geothermal plant.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated the geothermal power plants in Minahasa, North Sulawesi on Tuesday. 

Lahendongs Units 5 and 6 can generate 20 MW each, while, Ulubelus Unit 3 has a total capacity of 55 MW, with an investment of $250 million.

Read More........

USA, Hawaii: Islands Energy Plan Suggests 208 MW of New Geothermal by 2045

Hawaiian Electric Companies submit updated energy plans (News Release)

Companies will reach 48% renewable electricity by 2020, including 100% renewable on Molokai

The Hawaiian Electric Companies have outlined a detailed plan charting the near-term actions that will lead to the use of renewable resources to meet 100 percent of Hawaii’s power generation needs by 2045.

The Power Supply Improvement Plan Update filed with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission describes the work that will form the foundation to meet or exceed the state’s renewable energy milestones, which are the most ambitious in the country.

The updated plan describes greater and faster expansion of the companies’ renewable energy portfolio than in the plan filed in April 2016 and emphasizes work that is in progress or planned over the next five years on each of the five islands the Hawaiian Electric Companies serve.

The companies forecast that they will exceed the state’s renewable energy milestones in 2020 and can exceed the milestones in 2030 and 2040 by attaining a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of at least 100 percent by the end of 2040; the mandated goal is 70 percent. This would be five years ahead of the 2045 deadline to reach the goal of 100 percent renewable energy.

One of the more realistic models forecasts 37 MW of new geothermal by 2040, probably on Maui. A more unrealistic model calls for 208 MW of new geothermal energy by 2045.

Read More........

Chile: 200 Truckloads of Supplies Delivered to Cerro Pabellón Geothermal Project

Volcanic move for ILS (Heavy Lift)

ILS Chile has delivered a consignment of project cargo to the 48 MW Cerro Pabellón geothermal plant, which is located at an altitude of 5,000 m in one of the South American country's volcanic areas.

The consignment of equipment included transformers, as well as pipes and accessories for the plant.

ILS Chile coordinated the transport of 120 containers from the ports of Iquique and Antofagasta to the volcanic site in a total of 200 truckloads.

The cargo was delivered across the Atacama Desert, which was subject to temperatures as low as -15°C and as high as 39°C, alongside winds of up to 80 km/hr.

Read More.......

Publications: New Textbook on Geothermal Energy from GRC Member

Geothermal Power Generation, 1st Edition - Developments and Innovation

Edited by Ron DiPippo, Chancellor Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and the former Associate Dean of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD), Massachusetts, USA

Geothermal Power Generation: Developments and Innovation provides an update to the advanced energy technologies that are urgently required to meet the challenges of economic development, climate change mitigation, and energy security.

As geothermal resources are considered renewable and can be used to generate baseload electricity while producing very low levels of greenhouse gas emissions, they can play a key role in future energy needs.

This book, edited by a highly respected expert, provides a comprehensive overview of the major aspects of geothermal power production. The chapters, contributed by specialists in their respective areas, cover resource discovery, resource characterization, energy conversion systems, and design and economic considerations.

The final section provides a range of fascinating case studies from across the world, ranging from Larderello to Indonesia. Users will find this to be an essential text for research and development professionals and engineers in the geothermal energy industry, as well as postgraduate researchers in academia who are working on geothermal energy.

Published 20 June, 2016 by Woodhead Publishing. 854 Pages. ISBN: 9780081003374. More information........

Vacancy: Land Law Examiner for BLM in Nevada

Land Law Examiner - Bureau Of Land Management

Vacancy in Reno, Nevada, USA
Salary Range: $32,374.00 to $63,654.00 / Per Year

Deadline for applications is Thursday, 5 January

Job Announcement Numbers NV Merit-2017-0143, NV Merit-2017-0142 or NV-DEU-2017-0059

The incumbent will collect data on a variety of assigned cases related to oil and gas and geothermal mineral cases. The incumbent will determine the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims and the qualifications of applicants for legal rights as requested. The selectee will adjudicate a wide variety of routine mineral leasing applications.

The incumbent will also prepare routine correspondence, including leases, permits, decisions, and drafts to more complex adjudication cases (concerning lands, mining, oil and gas, or mining leasing cases). The incumbent will independently gather and research information and data necessary to complete and adjudicate a legal document.

The selectee will utilize data systems and applications to collect, enter and manipulate, update and maintain data according to prescribed Bureau and program standards. They will also ensure data quality and integrity by adherence to quality control standards and procedures.

China: New Geothermal Energy Resource Discovered in Shandong Province

Geothermal energy could help cut emissions (Ecns.cn)

A source of geothermal energy that has the potential to supply millions of people with heating and electricity for decades has been detected in Shandong province.

The province's No 1 Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources has detected rock temperatures as high as 110°C at a depth of 1,240 meters beneath the earth's surface. Jing Xiaodong, from the institute, said temperatures could reach 150°C to 200°C at the drill hole maximum depth of 4,000 meters.

"This hot dry rock resource can be used to produce power in a very environmentally friendly way, and the cost of generating power from hot dry rock is much lower than with coal," Jing said.

The institute has located two regions of hot rock under the cities of Weihai and Yantai. If just 2 percent of the geothermal energy contained in those two regions was utilized, it could supply Shandong with heat and electricity for 38 years, Jing said.

Read More........

Canada: Borealis Geopower Uses Tax Credits to Raise Funds for Valemount Geothermal Project

Borealis offering tax credits (Rocky Mountain Goat)

Kinbasket Lake near Valemount (Courtesy Borealis Geopower)

Tax season is fast approaching, and Borealis is trying a new approach to garner investment, and just in time to develop hot springs near Valemount.

Borealis Geopower is the first geothermal company in B.C. to qualify for the Eligible Business Tax Credit, according to Chief Geologist, Craig Dunn, who says the organization can now give investors a 30 per cent tax credit.

In acquiring the ability to give tax credits, Dunn says Borealis hopes to increase fundraising efforts and investment in order to fund phase one of the Canoe Reach Energy Project, which includes a hot spring and greenhouse development, as Borealis is pairing with a organic food company called Grown Here Farms, for the development of the greenhouse facility, according to Dunn.

Read More........

Global: Season Greetings to the Geothermal Energy Community

Merry Christmas!

(Picture by Karl Urbank, The Geysers, U.S.A)

Wishing you joy, laughter, and a prosperous new year!

-Steve, Estela, Ian, Anh, Brian, and Chi-Meng

(Geothermal Resources Council, GRC)

USA, New York: Focus on GRC Member's Geothermal Energy Research

Beneath Our Feet: Geothermal Energy (Cornell Research.)

Trapped within Earth’s layers of impermeable rock is an energy source, waiting to be efficiently tapped.

Adam Hawkins

Few researchers are equally adept in both the field and the lab. Adam Hawkins (a GRC member), a graduate student in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences is one of those researchers, and rightly so. His work on enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) bridges the gap between lab-based experiments and widespread field commercialization.

As a research team member in the Jefferson W. Tester lab, Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Hawkins uses a combination of experimental field tracer tests, lab experiments, and computational models to predict the performance of geothermal reservoirs—hot water and steam trapped under impermeable rock within the Earth.

Read More.......

Indonesia: PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy to Add 85 MW Capacity in 2017

Pertamina’s geothermal power capacity to rise to 1,037 MW in 2021 (Rambu Energy)

Indonesia state owned energy company PT Pertamina said its subsidiary PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) installed capacity is expected to increase by 14% per annum in between 2017 to 2021, a company official said.

Director for Upstream of Pertamina Syamsu Alam was quoted by Investor Daily as saying that the installed capacity of PGE will gradually increase to 1,037 MW in 2021 from 532 MW at present.

Syamsu said in 2017, Pertamina targets to operate two new geothermal power plants, namely PLTP Ulubelu Unit 4 with capacity of 55 MW and PLTP Karaha Unit 1 with capacity of 30 MW. This will raise PGE’s geothermal energy installed capacity to 617 MW by the end of 2017.

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United Kingdom: Project On Using Geothermal Waters from Mines to Heat Buildings

Exciting Renewable Energy Project for Spennymoor (Durham University)

Dr Charlotte Adams,
Lecturer in the Department of Geography,
Durham University

In a recently announced round of grant funding, Dr Charlotte Adams from Durham University’s Geography Department will take the lead role in an exciting study to look at the mine workings in and around Spennymoor with a public presentation in spring 2017 on the viability and sustainability of using ground water sources within the mines to heat public and private buildings. 

In setting out the scope for the study, Dr Adams submitted that Spennymoor has investigated some low carbon energy options including solar power but the challenges faced include identifying alternatives to conventional fuels and educating decision makers to be innovative in embracing solutions that benefit the community longer than the 4 year political cycle. 

This project will ascertain whether flooded abandoned mines beneath the town are suitable as a source of heat when used in conjunction with heat pumps either individually or as part of a heat network for areas of the town. This project will, gather mine plans and map areas of flooded abandoned mine workings, look for correlation between resource and demand and estimate the resource available.

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USA, California: Weather Does Not Cooperate for Solar and Wind Energy

Yesterday, Geothermal Energy Was Number One in California

A cold front slid across California yesterday bringing rain to the valleys and snow to the Sierra Nevada. It was cloudy and wet throughout the Golden State.

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

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) measures the output from renewable energy providers to the State grid. As you can see in the graph on the left it never got windy in California yesterday. There was enough sun to energize solar panels for just 9 hours. The weather wasn't cooperating. 

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

In fact, yesterday in California, geothermal energy was the biggest provider of electricity to the CAISO grid, with over 24,000 MWh. Solar energy (PV and thermal) peaked at midday and only supplied 21,700 MWh.

Geothermal energy was the number one renewable energy provider - and this is not the only day when it supports the economy here in California.

Iceland: Merry Geothermal Christmas from HS Orka

Við óskum ykkur gleðilegra jóla og farsældar á komandi ári. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. (HS Orka)

Indonesia, Philippines: Chevron Sells Geothermal Assets

Chevron Announces Sale of Geothermal Operations (News Release)

Transaction Includes Assets in Indonesia and the Philippines

Chevron Corporation announced that its wholly-owned subsidiaries have entered into a sales and purchase agreement with Star Energy Consortium to sell Chevron’s Indonesian and Philippines Geothermal assets.

In Indonesia, Chevron subsidiaries operate the Darajat and Salak geothermal fields in West Java. In the Philippines, company subsidiaries have a 40 percent equity interest in the Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc., which operates the Tiwi and Mak-Ban geothermal power plants in Southern Luzon.

The Indonesia consortium consists of AC Energy -- with a 19.8% economic stake -- Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd., Star Energy Geothermal Pte. Ltd., and Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. The acquisition will be made through their joint venture company, Star Energy Geothermal (Salak-Darajat) B.V.

In the Philippines, the consortium consists of AC Energy and Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd. The acquisition will be made through their joint venture company, ACEHI-STAR Holdings, Inc.

Read More.......

USA, California: Workshop on Exploring Geothermal and Oil and Gas Synergies in Corrosion and Scaling

SPE/GRC Workshop: High-Temperature and Corrosion in Drilling and Production - Exploring Geothermal and Oil and Gas Synergies

21-22 March, 2017, Courtyard Marriott Mission Valley San Diego, California, USA

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) have teamed up to develop a joint workshop bringing together researchers, engineers, and field technicians concerned with Upstream E&P, Corrosion and Scaling, and Geothermal Energy.

Exploring themes common to these related fields through case studies and applications, this event hopes to improve the ability to develop downhole resources safely and efficiently.

Early-bird Deadline: 10 February. Register Now........

Topics for discussion include:

• High temperature drilling techniques,
• Well completion technologies,
• Cements and casing materials for extreme conditions,
• Borehole measurement and reservoir characterization tools,
• Corrosion and scaling challenges - innovative chemical application,
• Optimized production equipment and conditions,
• Power generation options; processes and materials,
• Downstream scale control and mineral extraction techniques,
• Advances in H2S abatement,
• Reinjection well technologies.

More Information........

New Zealand: Success for Geothermal Wellhead Equipment Repair Tool

First Wellhead Repair using GWERT in New Zealand (News Release)

On December 20, 2016 – TNG Enterprises Inc. (TNG) with our New Zealand partner Century Drilling & Energy Services (NZ) Ltd (MB Century), completed the first wellhead repair using TNG’s proprietary rigless wellhead repair solution, the Geothermal Wellhead Equipment Repair Tool (GWERT) in the country.

TNG’s GWERT has completed nearly 400 valve changes and/or wellhead repairs across the US and Asia Pacific over the past 18 years. Our new partnership enabled MB Century to expeditiously service a wellhead issue on a well near Kawerau, New Zealand for a major operator.

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Philippines: New Majority Owner of Iriga Geothermal Project

Basic Energy: Energy dept grants farm-in of DESCO in Iriga geothermal project (Philippines News Agency)

The Philippines Department of Energy granted the farm-in agreement between DESCO Inc. and Basic Energy Corp., which allows the former to take an 80 percent stake in the Iriga geothermal project located in Camarines Sur.

Basic Energy said in a disclosure with the Philippine Stock Exchange Thursday that DESCO will finance the drilling operations at the Iriga geothermal project.

According to Basic Energy, DESCO will fund the drilling of the first well, while the succeeding wells will be financed by Basic at 20 percent and DESCO at 80 percent. The farm-in agreement was signed last January 18.

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Kenya: KenGen Acquires Three More Geothermal Drilling Rigs

KenGen rigs to cut cost of geothermal drilling (The Star, Kenya)

Electricity producer KenGen expects to cut the cost of drilling for geothermal steam by 41.67 per cent after acquiring three more rigs, raising hopes of a drop in power bills in coming years.

The new equipment, geothermal resources development manager Peketsa Mangi said, will save the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm millions of shillings it has been spending to hire rigs.

He said the cost of drilling wells is likely to fall to $3.5 million (Sh358.05 million) from $6 million (Sh613.80 million).

“We currently have 287 geothermal wells in Olkaria, and with the acquisition of the rigs we expect we will be doing at least five wells every year,” Mangi said in Naivasha.

Two of the rigs have the capacity to drill wells that are between five and seven kilometres deep.

Read More........

Canada: Geothermal Heat Could be the Solution to Orphan Oil & Gas Well Problem

Can This Idea Save the Orphaned Wells? (Oil and Gas Investments Bulletin)

In Part 1 of this series on geothermal energy, I outlined the potential of it for both the oil and gas industry and consumers. It’s a feel-good story, that can get a lot of leverage with only a little co-operation.

But there’s also a more direct angle for the industry–geothermal heat could be marketed as a solution to the orphan well problem in Alberta.

Wells owned by defunct companies often become orphaned because there’s no cash leftover for the abandonments. According to the Redwater ruling from earlier in 2016, the bank will get paid first when an oil and gas company goes bankrupt. And that means that a bankrupt company’s well abandonment liabilities may end up with no owner – meaning they are “orphaned”.

With a current total of 1360 orphaned wells to be abandoned as of this week, there’s a growing fear that the increasing number of orphan wells could one day overwhelm the industry-funded orphan well fund.

Read More........

USA, Nevada: GTO Announces Successful Seismic Data Acquisition at San Emidio and Crescent Valley Geothermal Fields

EERE Success Story—GTO Funding Supports Push to Identify New Geothermal Plays (EERE/GTO)

Seismic sensors ready to deploy in northern Nevada,
to help identify new geothermal plays.
(Photo Courtesy Optim Software)

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office reported completion last week of seismic data acquisition at two key geothermal sites in northern Nevada.

Supported as part of a $1.5 million federal share project launched via last summer’s Subsurface Science, Technology, and Engineering Research, Development, and Demonstration (SubTER) funding opportunity announcement, the data was acquired by U.S. Geothermal in the vicinity of existing geothermal operations at San Emidio and Crescent Valley. San Emidio has been engaged in previous DOE-funded efforts, and Crescent Valley is a key region in the ongoing Nevada Play Fairway Analysis, which seeks to expand geothermal operations in the state.

The resulting imagery, produced using MicroSeismic passive seismic emission tomography, should indicate the presence of permeability fairways that will aid in targeting new geothermal wells for production. Optim Software (Reno, NV) and Berkeley Lab (Berkeley, CA) will provide support during the data interpretation stages.

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United Kingdom: Stoke District Geothermal Heating Project will Help Poorer Population

Hundreds of council tenants in Hanley and Stoke in line for cheaper heating bills (Stoke Sentinel)

Almost 1,000 council tenants in 13 blocks of flats are in line for cheaper heating bills thanks to geothermal energy.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has identified the high-rise buildings – in Stoke and Hanley – as suitable for connection to its forthcoming £52 million district heat network (DHN).

The DHN, which is due to be operational by 2019, will involve geothermal energy being extracted from deep underground and distributed to homes and businesses via water pipes.

The city council secured £19.75 million from the Government for the DHN project through its City Deal. And private company GT Energy is set to invest millions of pounds into a geothermal plant to power the network on the former Greenhouse 2000 site in Etruria.

Read More........               More GGN stories on this subject..........