Europe: New Organization Helps Small and Medium-sized Deep Geothermal Energy Enterprises

Geo-Energy Europe

Geo-Energy Europe officially started on Jan 1, 2018 for a 2 yrs duration. It involves 8 partners from 7 countries: Pole Avenia (coordinator) & Geodeep / France, EGEC / Belgium, GEOPLAT / Spain, Geoenergy Celle / Germany, CAPES / Hungary, Jesder / Turquey and Geoscience Ireland.

Geo-Energy Europe is a newborn transnational cluster specifically aimed at increasing the performance & competitiveness of European Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in all industries concerned by the use of subsurface for energy, or “geo-energy”, on transnational (EU) and world markets.

The 2 yrs project will target its actions towards the promotion & industrial take-off of the emerging Deep Geothermal energy industry for district and industrial heating and power generation, in line with the European and most national energy transition goals.

More Information..........

East Africa: UN Environment – Africa Geothermal Inventory Database - An Important Resource

ARGEO GIS providing a fantastic overview on geothermal in East Africa (Think GeoEnergy)

UN Environment – Africa Geothermal Inventory Database is an information sharing platform for Geothermal related information in the East African Rift Region. It aims at promoting the exploration, development and utilization of geothermal energy resources by storing, compiling, integrating of geothermal related information in the region and sharing it with end users –  public and private entities.

For more information visit the AGID website.

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United Kingdom: Designs Published for Scottish Deep Geothermal District Heating Network

HALO Kilmarnock Masterplan (e-architect)

A low carbon, renewable deep geothermal district heating network will address fuel costs on the site and have the capability of being extended to service other areas of the community – a first for the UK.

Following the recent approval of Planning Permission in Principle for the HALO masterplan in Kilmarnock, the first phase of this ground-breaking development has now been submitted to East Ayrshire Council for detailed planning permission. The architects, Keppie Design has submitted plans for the initial designs.

The HALO Kilmarnock, located on the site of the former Johnnie Walker bottling plant, is being shaped as a multifaceted brown-field regeneration that will create an innovative, inspirational and imaginative urban park with a dynamic commercial, educational, cultural, leisure and lifestyle quarter. Its low carbon, renewable deep geothermal district heating network will address fuel costs on the site and have the capability of being extended to service other areas of the community – a first for the UK. The development will also include a light manufacturing facility and key worker private rental accommodation.

Read More........

USA: Opportunities for the Geothermal Energy Industry to Produce Hydrogen Fuel?

There Are 39 Publicly Available Hydrogen Fueling Stations in the United States (DOE)

Yesterday we reported on a project to pilot the commercial production of hydrogen using renewable geothermal energy in New Zealand.

I thought it would be interesting to look at opportunities for the geothermal energy industry to help produce this increasingly popular fuel elsewhere. A recent survey from the U.S. Department of Energy listed current Hydrogen Fueling Stations in the USA.

As of January 25, 2018, there are 39 publicly available hydrogen stations for fueling fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the United States—35 in California, 2 in South Carolina, and 2 in the Northeast. Another 29 public stations in California and 5 in the Northeast are planned.

Most of the hydrogen stations are located in the San Francisco and Los Angeles metropolitan areas very close to the important geothermal fields of The Geysers and by the Salton Sea.

Could this be an opportunity for the geothermal energy industry?

Science & Technology: Geothermal Heat from Flooded Coal Mines an Excellent Source for District Heating

Coal mines as energy storage (Utility Week)

As mines are abandoned, pumps switched off and mines flood. Geothermal heat, transmitted from the earth's centre find the mining legacy ideal conduits and warms this mine water to temperatures typically 20-40°C. Calculations suggest that the flooded mine workings are now a source of heat – with an estimated 2.2 million gigawatt hours of harvestable heat being produced per annum. That is enough to heat five times the number of homes in the UK, and with over one quarter of UK homes being in the coalfields the opportunity is enormous.

Mine heat is low grade, which means it is unsuitable for generating electricity as steam, but ideal for cost effectively heating homes, warehouses, leisure centres and offices. With approximately 45 per cent of heat in England and Wales used for heating, and 55 per cent in Scotland, this is a significant proportion of UK energy demand. To harvest the heat requires the use of heat exchangers and pumps. These work the same as the refrigerators we have at home. They use electricity to remove heat and cool the heat source.

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New Zealand: Project for Commercial Hydrogen Production using Geothermal Energy Announced

Joint Māori and Japanese hydrogen pilot project for Taupō (Stuff)

A project to pilot the commercial production of hydrogen using renewable geothermal energy has been announced.

Taupō-based Tuaropaki Trust and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation, have signed a memorandum of understanding to start producing hydrogen, a fuel which produces no carbon emissions.

Tuaropaki Trust opened the 113 MW Tuaropaki geothermal power station, near Taupō, in 2000, and has other farming and engineering assets in the North Island.

Tuaropaki Chairman, Tumanako Wereta said Tuaropaki has long been committed to renewable energy.

"We are very interested in other 'green energy' alternatives which align with our strategy and core values. We look forward to working with Obayashi Corporation to explore the potential for commercial hydrogen production using renewable geothermal energy to create a CO2-free fuel."

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Canada: Hinton Geothermal Well Pair Could Return Investment in 16 years

Hinton exploring the viability of capturing geothermal heat from re-purposed oil and gas wells (JWN Energy)

(Google Maps)

The Alberta foothills community of Hinton, with a population of 10,000, will become the testing ground for a technology that can convert abandoned oil and gas wells into sources of clean, geothermal energy that could replace natural gas for heating. 

The town and Calgary-based Epoch Energy, specialists in geothermal energy, have already conducted a pre-FEED study that determined that a well pair could recover a significant amount of heat, with the possibility of a 16-year payback and an internal rate of return of five per cent. Epoch will also be involved in the FEED study.

The heat extracted from wells will be used to heat the town’s municipal building, a local high school and several other buildings in Hinton.

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Netherlands: Video of Geothermal Production Test

Geothermie productietest Middenmeer - Geothermal production test at Middenmeer (Bakker Oilfield Supply)

(2:09 Minutes)

Netherlands: Well at Westland Trias Geothermal Greenhouse Heating Project Reaches 4,100 Meter Depth

Triassic drilling almost reached final depth (T&A Survey Group B.V.)

Well reaches 13,451 feet or 4,100 meters depth

The drillings for the Trias Westland geothermal project have reached the Triassic layer. The third section was completed at the end of January. The casings have been placed and the borehole has been firmly cemented. This was the most exciting section of the project and, despite a number of technical challenges, it was completed successfully.

Mid next week we expect to investigate the reservoir section. This is done with special measuring equipment lowered deep into the borehole. Among other things, the permeability of the rock, the chemical properties of the water and the strength of the rock will be measured. With this information we can determine which filters should be used at the plant and at what pressure the cooled water can be injected. The production tests (also called well test) is expected to take place in the third week of February. Based on this information, in March we will decide whether the Triassic layer offers sufficient capacity. 

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, January 16, 2018 - Netherlands: Well Test at Trias Westland Geothermal Project Scheduled for Mid-February
• Friday, December 8, 2017 - Netherlands: Westland Trias Geothermal Greenhouse Heating Project on Track for 4,000 Meter Deep Well
• Wednesday, November 8, 2017 - Netherlands: Drilling Starts for 4,000 Meter Deep Geothermal Well for Greenhouse Warming Project

Canada: Launch of the Pan Canadian Society for Geothermal Research, Innovation, & Collaboration - "Geothermal Canada" for Short

Geothermal Canada is the New Name for Canadian Geothermal Association

On February 1st, 2018, the Canadian Geothermal Association (CGA) was reborn as the Pan Canadian Society for Geothermal Research, Innovation, & Collaboration, colloquially known as Geothermal Canada.

In 2017, a group of like-minded individuals felt the time was ripe to resurrect the original scientifically oriented society with a new name and renewed vigour. As geothermal energy gains prominence in Canada, it was felt that professionals, students, governments and other interested people needed a venue to discuss technical and academic aspects of the industry.

More Information..........                         Website..........

Science & Technology: Video on Producing Geothermal Heat from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

Alison Thompson – Geothermal Heat from Oil and Gas Wells (Borealis GeoPower)

Alison Thompson spoke at the Innovating Alberta’s Energy Future Showcase about a groundbreaking idea - geothermal heat from oil and gas wells.

(5:47 Minutes)

China: Call for Papers for Deep Geothermal Energy Conference

7th Annual Conference for the Development and Utilization of Geothermal Energy

27-28 March, CUGB International Conference Center, Beijing, China

Registration Fee: $500

Organized by Geothermal Engineering Research Center, China University of Geosciences, Beijing (CUGB), Survey and Research Center of Geothermal Resources, China Geological Survey

Goals:

1. To bring together engineers, scientists, and managers in the geothermal industry.
2. Serve as a public forum for the exchange of ideas on the exploration, development, and use of geothermal resources.
3. Promote research, exploration and development of geothermal energy in ways compatible with the environment in China.
4. Cooperate with national and international academic institutions, industry and government agencies to encourage economically and environmentally sound development and bring the innovative technology to China.

Topics:

• Exploration: geology, geophysics, geochemistry, heat flow studies
• Drilling and well stimulation
• Power generation technologies
• Co-production from oil and gas fields
• Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)
• Reservoir Engineering: injection, numerical simulation, empirical methods, tracers, etc.
• Direct use: heat pumps, space heating, and cooling

Papers:

Papers accepted for presentation and/or publication are produced on a standard template that we supply. The papers will be available as a Proceedings CD. We removed the process of submitting abstracts for simplicity. Instead, papers can be submitted directly to geopowerchina@163.com for consideration.

Sponsorship:

We invite companies and sponsors to offer financial support for the conference. Contributions from sponsors allow us to keep the registration fee low ($500). Sponsors will receive acknowledgement in the opening sessions, literature papers, and the conference proceedings. Please contact Prof. Kewen Li for further details at: geopowerchina@163.com

Call for Papers and Registration Form (PDF)

Denmark: Best Practice Guidelines for Geothermal Projects - Now in English!

Guidelines for Geothermal Projects (Wellperform)

At the end of 2017, WellPerform posted notices on best practices and compensation in relation to geothermal development in Denmark. Subsequently, the company received many inquiries for English translations, especially on best practices.

WellPerform has prepared translation of relevant documents, which can be downloaded using the following links:

• Budgeting and Cost Control
• Content of Standard Contracts
• Organisation and Competences
• Verification Process for Geothermal Projects

The original documents may be found on the webpage of Energistyrelsen.

For more information or comments, please contact Rasmus B. Engler at rbe@wellperform.com.

Read More........

Finance: Find Out How Combined Energy and Capacity Values of Geothermal Energy Significantly Exceeded the Value of Solar Photovoltaic Resources in California

Geothermal 2.0: Superior Value + Operational Flexibility = New Contracts

by Paul Thomsen, (GRC Member) Executive Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Ormat Technologies

The GRC Bulletin - Free to Download

In 2017, for the first time, the combined energy and capacity values of geothermal energy significantly exceeded the value of solar photovoltaic (PV) resources in California.

In the first quarter of 2017, geothermal’s wholesale energy value in southern California was $13.50/MWh greater than solar PV. At the same time, utility estimates of marginal solar PV capacity ratings for the 2018 Resource Adequacy (RA) compliance period were between nearly 0 percent and 20 percent, resulting in a capacity value difference of up to $18.50/MWh between geothermal and solar PV.

Today in California, geothermal has a combined energy and capacity value of $32/MWh higher than solar PV using very conservative assumptions. When you account for geothermal’s ancillary services and operational flexibility, combined values climb to more than $40/MWh higher than solar PV. These calculations demonstrate that geothermal can compete with solar PV on a net cost basis, even as PV costs continue to decline.

Wait…what? How can that be?

Read the rest of the article for free (Pages 34-37) in the current issue of the GRC Bulletin - the voice of the global geothermal energy community - provided by the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC).

Geothermal Event! Update on GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - Call for Sessions

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - Call for Sessions

New this year to the GRC Annual Meeting is a “Call for Sessions.” We are inviting the proposals for sessions at this year’s meeting. Sessions can be organized and led by up to three people, a session chair and two co-chairs. Successful session chairs will be expected to assist the technical chair to recruit papers and organize reviews.

The Session Proposal process is simple. Please email a Session Title and Description to Anh Lay at alay@geothermal.org by February 18, 2018.

• Call for Sessions.......... Deadline for submission February 18
• Make your hotel room reservation........ Discount ends September 19

USA: GRC Member Recruited by Major Geothermal Project Company

Dewhurst Group is proud to announce that Mr. Bastien Poux has joined the company (News Release)

Bastien Poux

GRC Member company Dewhurst Group has announced that Mr. Bastien Poux - a GRC Member - has joined the company as Senior Geoscientist for Geothermal Exploration and Development. 

Bastien is a French citizen and a graduate of the LaSalle Beauvais Polytechnic Institute with a Master’s degree in geology. He has extensive geothermal experience with well and resource modeling and management. His work background includes efforts at geothermal concessions in Iceland, Montserrat, the Geysers, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Turkey, Mexico and various locations in South America.

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

Indonesia: PGE Looking for Additional Investment to Complete 30 MW Karaha Geothermal Project

Pertamina Geothermal on its toes for PPA changes for 30 MW Karaha geothermal project (Asian Power)

Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) is waiting for a final decision of amendments to a power purchase agreement with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) for its 30 MW Karaha geothermal project. Due to the massive investment required to make the project successful, Pertamina Geothermal is looking to increase the rate to $0.114/kWh.

According to the PGE website the project is located in WKP Karaha Cakrabuana in West Java Province, and is a continuation of development of the Karaha Bodas Project assigned by the Indonesian Government.

According to Pertamina Geothermal's director Khairul Rozaq, an USD 178m investment will be needed in order to produce the 30 MW from the project. These funds will be used for the upstream development of the project and to connect the plant to the 26 km-long transmission lines across 60 transmission towers.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Wednesday, December 27, 2017 - Indonesia: 30 MW Geothermal Power Plant in West Java Starts Operation

New Zealand: Geothermal to Power Milk Processing Plant in Kawerau

Bay of Plenty Maori partner with Japan's Imanaka (News Release)

Kawerau industrial site (Courtesy Ngati Tuwharetoa Geothermal Assets)

A group of Maori organisations has partnered with Japanese food company Imanaka to develop a milk processing plant to make high-value niche products in Kawerau.

Kawerau Dairy is a collaboration between 11 Maori Bay of Plenty entities, which own two thirds of the venture, and Imanaka’s Cedenco Dairy unit, which owns the remaining third. They expect the first stage of the $32 million project to begin operations early next year.

The dairy venture is following the model of the Miraka milk company in Taupo which was set up by Maori interests with an overseas food group as a cornerstone shareholder, with power supplied from Maori geothermal assets and much of the milk supply sourced from local Maori farms.

The plant will be developed on land owned by Putauaki Trust with its principal energy supply sourced from the Ngati Tuwharetoa Geothermal Assets owned geothermal network.

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

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Thursday, April 6, 2017 - New Zealand: Geothermal-Powered Dairy to Open in Kawerau

New Zealand: Interview with New Geothermal Business Development Lead for Bay of Plenty Connections

Geothermal matchmaker steaming ahead with plans to create jobs in Bay of Plenty and beyond (NZ Herald)

Andy Blair describes her role as something of a geothermal matchmaker – it's about connecting those with resource to those who can benefit, creating jobs in the process.

After the official announcement of her appointment as the new geothermal business development lead for Bay of Plenty Connections at the end of last year, the Taupo woman is hitting the ground running.

Strange as it sounds, Blair says her goal isn't about preaching the virtues of geothermal – she knows others don't find it as exciting as she does – but instead helping businesses see where they can add value to their products by using the resource sustainably in systems where the resource is available.

It's when she talks about increased profits, environmental benefits and more jobs that she knows she'll get people on board.

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Kenya: Geothermal Energy to Power Nairobi - Mombasa Railway Line

Kenya SGR electrification contract signed (International Railway Journal)

Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has signed a Shillings 24.2bn ($US 239m) contract with China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Company (CET) for the electrification of the Mombasa - Nairobi section of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

Ketraco says power for the SGR will be provided by geothermal plants, reducing CO2 emissions from train operations to zero.

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

USA, Nevada: Drilling Begins at Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) Site

FORGE Nevada Update

Core rig up at the #FallonFORGE site up and drilling! Photos by Bridget Ayling at #UNR #geothermal #lovegeothermal #EGS @GRC2001 @thinkgeoenergy @lovegeothermal @WING_geothermal pic.twitter.com/4RNqVGLZ7w

— Kelly Ruth (@KRuth28) February 6, 2018

Publications: New Scientific Journal for Geothermal Energy Studies

International Journal of Terrestrial Heat Flow and Applied Geothermics (IJTHFA)

The purpose of the International Journal of Terrestrial Heat Flow and Applied Geothermics (IJTHFA) is to provide a forum for publication of results of high-quality research work dealing with recent advances in field measurement of terrestrial heat flow, regional and global geothermal data analysis, model studies of heat transfer in the Earth's interior and practical applications of geothermal studies.

Read More.........

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

Science & Technology: Latest Issue Offers Articles on Theory, Exploration Techniques and all Aspects of Utilizing Geothermal Resources

Geothermics’ Volume 72 (March 2018)

The latest issue of Geothermics’ Volume 72 (March 2018) has closed.

Table of Contents........

Through affiliation with the International Geothermal Association (IGA) the GRC offers a discount to the professional journal Geothermics, which publishes articles on the theory, exploration techniques and all aspects of utilizing geothermal resources.

Current, past as well as upcoming articles in Geothermics can be found by going to: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/geothermics

Members can contact the publisher Elsevier at JournalsCustomerServiceEMEA@elsevier.com in order to subscribe to the journal. Upon request Elsevier will send a proforma invoice to the member e-mail ID.

Members can make their payment via bank transfer, fax their card details or call Elsevier with the information provided in their invoice.

The discounted price details for IGA/GRC members is $285.

Canada: $1.2 Million Investment in Hinton Geothermal Heat Project

Investing in geothermal clean tech opportunities (Western Economic Diversification Canada)

Exploring the viability of capturing geothermal heat from re-purposed oil and gas wells

Supporting technologies that advance environmental objectives, create jobs and stimulate growth in the clean technology sector is a priority for the Government of Canada.

Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), announced $400,000 for an engineering and design initiative to determine the viability of a Geothermal District Energy System in the Town of Hinton. The Government of Alberta and Alberta Innovates will provide a total of $800,000, bringing the investment amount for the Town of Hinton’s project to $1.2 million. The proposed system would produce renewable geothermal heat from marginally producing oil and gas wells to heat the town’s public buildings.

Canada's Innovation Agenda promotes clean growth, good jobs and higher living standards for the middle class. The investment announced today is an example of this vision in action.

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Science & Technology: Combining Geothermal Energy Production and Thermal Enhanced Heavy Oil Recovery

Synergy potential for oil and geothermal energy exploitation (Applied Energy)

A new solution for harvesting energy simultaneously from two different sources of energy by combining geothermal energy production and thermal enhanced heavy oil recovery is introduced. 

Numerical simulations are employed to evaluate the feasibility of generating energy from geothermal resources, both for thermally enhanced oil recovery from a heavy oil reservoir and for direct heating purposes. 

The analyses suggest that the extra amount of oil produced by utilising the geothermal energy could make the geothermal business case independent and may be a viable option to reduce the overall project cost. Furthermore, the results display that the enhance oil productions are able to reduce the required subsidy for a single doublet geothermal project up to 50%.

Synergy potential for oil and geothermal energy exploitation, by Zaman Ziabakhsh-Ganjia, Hamidreza M. Nicka, Marinus E. Donselaara, David F. Bruhna. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.113. Applied Energy

Volume 212, 15 February 2018, Pages 1433–1447.

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Germany: Study Concludes Increased Renewable Energy Production will Take Shares Only from Coal

New German Government Adopts Coal Phase-Out in All But Name (The Energy Collective)

As a consequence, we estimate that increased renewable energy production will take shares only from coal. In our 65 percent RES scenario, coal produces 100 TWh of electricity in 2030; down from current levels at 250 TWh and down from 200 TWh in our 50 percent RES scenario.

Both the 50 percent and the 65 percent RES scenarios will be bad for coal. From a current level of 250 TWh per year, we expect coal power generation to drop to respectively 200 TWh and 100 TWh in the two scenarios.

In terms of GHG emissions, the effect will be significant. The German coal power plants let out around 250 Mt of CO2e in 2016. In our scenario, the remaining coal plants in 2030 are expected to emit 165 Mt.  This means that Germany will overshoot its abatement target by 85 Mt in 2030, reaching a 62 percent reduction instead of the 55 percent that is decided politically.

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Canada: Sale of Geothermal Energy Company Alterra Power Corp. Completed

Innergex completes $1.1 billion acquisition of Alterra Power Corp. (News Release)

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. of Québec, Canada, has announced the completion of the previously disclosed acquisition of Alterra Power Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by way of an arrangement agreement pursuant to which Innergex acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Alterra for an aggregate consideration of $1.1 billion, including the assumption of Alterra’s debt.

Innergex’s acquisition of Alterrra, its largest and most significant to date, immediately adds 485 MW (gross 1,049 MW) of high quality renewable energy assets, in operation and under construction, to Innergex’s portfolio, bringing the Corporation’s total capacity to 1,609 MW (gross 2,896 MW). By 2020, Innergex’s net installed capacity is expected to reach over 2,000 MW from a well-diversified resource mix of hydro, wind, solar and geothermal projects in Canada, the U.S., France and Iceland. The acquisition also brings Innergex an extensive pipeline of prospective projects in preliminary stages or in progress, with an estimated net capacity of more than 5,000 MW.

Alterra Power has a 54% stake in the 54 MW (Net Installed Capacity) Reykjanes (1&2) geothermal power plant and a 54% stake in the 49 MW (Net Installed Capacity) Svartsengi geothermal power plant which includes a  a 30% stake in the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa and Resort.

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

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Monday, October 30, 2017 - Canada: Geothermal Energy Company Alterra Power Corp. Sold

Germany: Video of Bavarian Geothermal Power Project

Tiefe Geothermie Bohrung Geretsried - Geretsried Deep Geothermal Drilling Project

 (3:24 Minutes)

Iceland: Successful Defence of MSc Geothermal Energy Thesis

MSc Thesis: Study on Lumped Parameter Models for a Two-Phase Geothermal Reservoir with Their Multi-Objective Optimization (Reykjavik University)

Zhen Qin successfully defends his master's thesis
Master's candidate of Sustainable Energy Engineering and dual-degree student from Tianjin University, Zhen Qin has just successfully delivered his master's thesis project on lumped parameter models for a two-phase geothermal reservoir with their multi-objective optimization at the Iceland School of Energy at Reykjavik University. 

In the past few years, the usage of lumped parameter models (LPM) or tank models in geothermal reservoir analysis and production planning has been rapidly increasing. In his project, Zhen Qin studied the responses of fluid in high-temperature geothermal reservoir using a generalized, two-phase lumped parameter model. These responses include parameters such as porosity, permeability, volume of rock system and initial conditions. In other words, Zhen Qin's models can be used to predict the properties of a high-temperature geothermal reservoir with considerable accuracy and less time as compared to numerical models. Specifically, he used the MATLAB software to build these models.

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Employment: Consultants Needed to Identify Best Practices in Geothermal Exploration Data Management

World Bank seeks consultants to identify best practices in geothermal exploration data management (IGA)

The selected consultant shall carry out analytical work to identify best practices in geothermal exploration data management in mature geothermal markets. This includes:

• defining the types of data collected by developers during geothermal exploration, including surface exploration and drilling and testing of exploration wells different geothermal applications (power and direct use);
• describing the methodology of data collection and approaches to ensure data quality;
• assessing what data is shared with public regulator entities and what subset of this data is made available to the public and describe the processes used to disseminate data;
• defining the software and hardware needs for secure storage of the different types of data and efficient data use, and
• defining the skill sets needed to manage, maintain and use an industry standard geothermal exploration data management system.

Interested consulting firms can submit Expressions of Interest through the World Banks Econsultant2 system (https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org) before February 14. The selection number is #1254957.

For further information please contact Joeri de Wit (jdewit@worldbank.org) or Thrainn Fridriksson (tfridriksson@worldbank.org)

Read More.........

Download the GRC Bulletin - Geothermal News!

The GRC Bulletin - from the Geothermal Resources Council - Download your copy today!

Geothermal energy news from around the world - since 1972

After 45 years of printed publication the voice of the Geothermal Resources Council - the GRC Bulletin - has transitioned to the newest technology.

As of the January/February 2018 issue, the magazine is only available as a PDF file online.

In the future the new digital GRC Bulletin will only be available online - for members only - on the GRC Geothermal Library website.

However, the GRC is allowing access to the first all digital issue for free! Click on the link below.

• GRC Bulletin, Vol. 47, No. 1 - January/February 2018

Navigate through the issue by clicking on an extensive array of links. All the ads link to the advertisers' websites - please pay them a visit! Remember, this is a GRC Member benefit. In the future the GRC Bulletin will only be available to GRC Members only. Join the GRC today to make sure you get your copy of the GRC Bulletin.

New Zealand: Maori and Maasai Share Geothermal Knowledge

Helping indigenous communities with sustainable ‘power’ (News Release)

Ngati Tahu, a Bay of Plenty iwi, and Contact Energy have teamed up to share their experience in engaging indigenous communities in geothermal energy projects as part of an exchange programme to Kenya funded by Power Africa.

Recognising the parallels between New Zealand and Kenyan indigenous cultural beliefs in geothermal activity, Power Africa and its partners, the United States Energy Association (USEA) and the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), facilitated a year-long exchange programme to share best-practice strategies with Kenyan power company, KenGen, to implement with local Maasai populations.

Representatives of Ngati Tahu and Contact recently returned from their second exchange to Kenya (and fourth exchange in total), where the team have been working with Maasai communities and KenGen, to support both parties in growing their relationships around the geothermal resource in Olkaria.

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

Germany: Daldrup & Söhne AG Gains Majority Share in Landau Geothermal Power Plant

Daldrup & Söhne AG increases share in Landau geothermal power plant to 67 percent (News Release)

Daldrup & Söhne AG, drilling technology and geothermal specialist, and it's 75.01% subsidiary, Geysir Europe GmbH, have concluded a comprehensive settlement agreement with Pfalzwerke AG, Ludwigshafen.

Geysir Europe now holds 90% of the shares in the power plant and operator company geox GmbH (previously: 40%). In the group financial statements of Daldrup & Söhne AG, the power plant will be fully consolidated for the financial year 2017. The remaining 10% of the shares in EnergieSüdwest AG, Landau, remain unchanged. At group level, Daldrup & Söhne AG now holds 67.51% (previously: 30.0%) of the shares in the geothermal power plant in Landau.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - Germany: Updates on Taufkirchen and Landau Geothermal Power Plants
• Wednesday, December 11, 2013 - Germany: Daldrup & Söhne AG Acquires Majority Stake in Landau Power Plant

United Kingdom: Drilling Starts for Geothermal Resource for Cornish Open Air Pool

Jubilee Pool in Penzance takes a step towards geothermal future as first stage of drilling work begins (Cornwall Live)

The first stage of construction work that will help to turn Penzance into a spa resort has not failed to catch people's attention.

Should all go to plan the development will eventually see a section of Jubilee Pool heated by geothermal energy - becoming the first facility of its kind in Britain to make use of hot rocks below the ground.

Those connected with the pool and the wider community have been excited to witness the first stages of drilling that will create a 1.5km deep geothermal well and will allow future bathers to enjoy a section of water heated at around 35°C in spring 2019.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - United Kingdom: Tender Re-Issued for Geothermal Drilling Project at Cornwall Lido
• Friday, June 2, 2017 - United Kingdom: Work on Cornish Geothermal Pool to Begin in September
• Monday, November 28, 2016 - United Kingdom: Geothermal Heated Outdoor Pool Gets Go Ahead

USA, California: 43rd Stanford Geothermal Workshop - Program Now Available

Stanford Geothermal Workshop

February 12-14, 2018, Stanford, California

The goals of the conference are to bring together engineers, scientists and managers involved in geothermal reservoir studies and developments; provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on the exploration, development and use of geothermal resources; and to enable prompt and open reporting of progress. 

We strongly encourage all scientists and engineers involved in geothermal reservoir technology to attend the workshop.

Program.........                       Registration..........

Japan: Geothermal Energy Workshop at Renewables Conference

Grand Renewable Energy 2018 - International Conference and Exhibition

17-22 June, 2018, Yokohama, Japan

According to Roland Horne, Director, Stanford Geothermal Program, a workshop on Geothermal Energy will take place at the Grand Renewable Energy Conference in Yokohama, Japan, June 17-22, 2018. Roland is on the organizing committee.

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

Ethiopia: Geothermal Energy Projects a Target for Hedge Funds

Ethiopian Geothermal Is Private Equity’s Next $4-Billion Bet (Bloomberg)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

U.S. private equity and hedge funds are backing an effort by Ethiopia to turn itself into an exporter of electricity to the region, channeling at least $4 billion into geothermal projects across the nation.

The Ethiopian government has signed 25-year power purchase agreements with Reykjavik Geothermal Ltd., a developer led by Michael Philipp, the former head of Europe, Middle East and Africa for Credit Suisse Group AG. The company is backed by by billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones and Ambata Capital Partners, an investment firm run by Philipp.

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USA, California: The Vast Potential of Geothermal Resources at the Salton Sea

The Forgotten Renewable: Geothermal Energy Production Heats Up (NPR)

Jim Turner is the chief operating officer of Controlled Thermal Resources, an energy company from Australia. On a hill overlooking the Salton Sea, he points out a patch of land that will someday house his company's first power plant, named Hell's Kitchen.

"We're standing on top of what is probably the most robust geothermal resource in the United States," he explains.

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Iceland: Vacancy as Full Time Geothermal Engineer

Geothermal Engineer - Iceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR) 

Duties and responsibilities:

• General engineering work, borehole design, corrosion testing, and structural design.
• Interdisciplinary teamwork in diverse projects.
• Procurement and cost analysis.

The successful candidate will be stationed at ÍSOR‘s offices in Reykjavík. The job may require working in the countryside and abroad.

For further information regarding the vacancy, please contact Ingólfur Örn Þorbjörnsson, Head of the Geothermal Engineering division, via email: ingolfur.thorbjornsson@isor.is.

Deadline for applications is February 19th 2018.

More Information.........

Climate Change: In 2015 86% of California’s GHG Emissions were Related to the Consumption of Energy

California plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 (EIA)

In July 2017, California’s state legislature passed assembly bill (AB) 398 to reauthorize and extend until 2030 the state’s economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program. The bill sets a new GHG target of at least 40% below the 1990 level of emissions by 2030. As of 2015, about 86% of California’s GHG emissions were related to the consumption of energy.

The original bill that established the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program, AB 32, passed in 2006 and authorized the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to monitor and regulate sources emitting greenhouse gases. The initial target was to reduce emissions to the 1990 level by 2020. An executive order from California’s governor targets an 80% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050.

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Indonesia: Hitay Holding AS Starts Work on 110 MW Aceh Geothermal Project

Turki Segera Garap Proyek Geothermal di Aceh - Turkish Company to Begin Work on Geothermal Project in Aceh (Kliksatu.com)

Perusahan dari Turki, Hitay Holding A.S segera menggarap proyek Geothermal Gunong Geurudong di Bener Meriah, setelah mengantongi izin dari Kementerian ESDM.

Menurut Mehmet Emin, Gunong Geurudong memiliki potensi Geothermal yang sangat besar, yaitu  mencapai 220 megawat. Untuk tahap pertama, perusahan Hitay akan mengembangkannya sebesar 110 megawat dan tahap kedua 110 megawat.

(From Google Translation) Turkish company Hitay Holding AS has started work on the Gunong Geurudong Geothermal project in Bener Meriah after receiving permission from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

According to Mehmet Emin, Gunong Geurudong has a huge Geothermal potential of up to 220 MW. Hitay's company will develop 110 MW in the first phase, and 110 MW in the second stage.

Baca lebih banyak.........                   Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, September 26, 2017 - Indonesia: Turkish Companies to Develop Aceh Geothermal Power Project
• Friday, August 26, 2016 - Indonesia: Local Governor Wants to Help Geothermal Energy Project

Indonesia: Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power Plant on Target to Dispatch Power in April

Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power Plant Update



From the Global Geothermal News archive:

• Thursday, September 7, 2017 - Indonesia: First Unit at 240 MW Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power Project Could Be Operating Within a Few Months
• Thursday, April 13, 2017 - Indonesia: Testing Continues at the 240 MW Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power Project
• Friday, February 3, 2017 - Indonesia: First Three Wells At Sorik Marapi Project Close to Completion

Chile: Geothermal and other Renewable Energies to Replace Coal Plants

Chile to start phase-out of coal (ZME Science)

Drilling in the Southern Winter. Tolhuaca volcano, Chile. Taken at sunset in late June, 2011 by Jim Stimac. GRC Photo Contest 2011.

After France, another country has recently announced plans to start eliminating dirty fossil fuels. President Michelle Bachelet says Chile will not build any coal plants without carbon capture and will start replacing existing plants with cleaner sources.

Thanks to its geographical and geological context, Chile has excellent potential for renewable energy. With 15% of the world’s volcanoes and almost 10% of the world’s geysers, the country has vast geothermal potential. 

Coal and oil together generate more than half of the country’s energy, with hydro providing just over 30% in 2017. Wind, solar, and geothermal have been relegated to secondary sources, but that might soon change. A consortium formed by the National Petroleum Company and Enel have requested a concession to develop geothermal resources in the northern parts.

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USA, California: BLM Plan “to seek greater opportunities for renewable energy generation”

Trump plan could undo preservation of millions of acres of California desert for renewable energy development (San Bernardino Sun)

The area covered by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan includes the Coso and Salton Sea geothermal fields.

The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said Thursday it will consider amending a desert land use conservation plan, which could reopen millions of acres “to seek greater opportunities for renewable energy generation.”

BLM said it will open a 45-day public comment period on 10.8 million acres of BLM managed land for possible changes to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The majority of that land is in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The BLM said its action is in response to President Trump’s order to review regulations that unnecessarily impede energy development.

“We need to reduce burdens on all domestic energy development, including solar, wind and other renewables,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Katharine MacGregor. “This process will help us find ways to make more federal land available for renewable energy projects as well as wireless broadband infrastructure.”

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Chile: Transmark Chile Obtains Exploration Concession for Tolhuaca Geothermal Field

Transmark Chile published its Peumayén Concession on the Tolhuaca Geothermal Field (News Release)

Flow test of Tol-4 well at Tolhuaca geothermal prospect in Southern Chile by Silke Lohmar.

3rd Place, 2013 GRC Photo Contest

By official decree published the 1st of February 2018, the Chilean Energy Ministry grants Transmark Chile SpA a Geothermal Exploration Concession in the area known as “Peumayén” (meaning “The Dream Place” in Mapudungun language) located in the Quilaco district of the Biobío Region and the Curacautín district of the La Araucania Region, southern Chile.

Within the Peumayén Concession lies the Tolhuaca Geothermal Field,
which has been widely studied since early 2000’s, with a full-size exploration well drilled and steam production tested to an equivalent in power of 12 MWe. Transmark Chile intends to conduct additional exploration studies and expand the current knowledge of the area to define the extent of the reservoir and the potential for base-load renewable power generation.

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Global: Calendar of Geothermal Energy Events

Geothermal Energy Calendar from the Geothermal Resources Council

January

Regional Workshop on Geothermal Financing and Risk Mitigation in Africa (IRENA)
31 January-2 February, Nairobi, Kenya
www.irena.org/events/2018/Jan/Regional-Workshop-on-Geothermal-Financing-and-Risk-Mitigation-in-Africa

February

World Sustainable Development Forum (WSDF)
Implementing The Paris Agreement and The SDGs
1-2 February, Hotel Intercontinental Presidente, Mexico City
http://worldsdf.org

2018 NASEO Energy Policy Outlook Conference 
6-9 February, The Fairmont, Washington, DC, USA
http://energyoutlook.naseo.org/

Stanford Geothermal Workshop
12-14 February, Stanford, California, USA
https://pangea.stanford.edu/researchgroups/geothermal/stanford-geothermal-workshop

Second Annual Danish Geothermal Energy Conference
19 February, Christiansborg, Denmark
http://geoop.dk/geotermikonference/

IV. Geothermal and Natural Mineral Waters Symposium and Exhibition
21-24 February, Afyonkarahisar City, Turkey
https://jeotermalsempozyumu.org/

March

GeoTHERM – Expo & Congress
1-2 March, Offenburg, Germany
www.geotherm-germany.com/

CAS Deep Geothermal Systems - Certificate of Advanced Studies
Module 4: Reservoir Evaluation and Production
12-16 March, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
www.unine.ch/cas-deegeosys

ACORE National Renewable Energy Policy Forum
14 March, Washington Marriott at Metro Center, Washington, DC, USA
www.acorepolicyforum.org/

3rd IGC Turkey Geothermal Conference & Exhibition 
14-15 March, Ankara, Turkey
www.igc-turkey.com/

9th European Geothermal PhD Days (EGPD) 
14-16 March, Zurich, Switzerland
https://geg.ethz.ch/conferences/egpd/

7th ITB International Geothermal Workshop
21-22 March, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia
http://geothermal.itb.ac.id/workshop2018/

Imperial Valley Energy Summit - California's Energy Water Future (IVEDC) 
21-23 March, Holtville, Imperial Valley, California, USA
www.ivedc.com/

GeoTenerife Field School - Surface Geothermal Monitoring
22-28 March, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
http://geotenerife.com/geothermal-exploration-field-school/

April

Geothermal Cross Over Technology Workshop Part II (AAPG and IGA)
18-19 April, Utrecht, Netherlands
www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/275855/homegeothermal/

25th Annual Congress of the Mexican Geothermal Association 
19-20 April, Morelia, Michoacán, México
www.geotermia.org.mx/geotermia/?page_id=1131

5th Expo Geothermal 
19-21 April, İzmir, Turkey
http://demosfuar.com.tr/fair/2

Iceland Geothermal Conference 2018
24-26 April, Reykjavik, Iceland
www.igc.is

June

Resources for Future Generations 
Premier Conference On Energy • Minerals • Water • The Earth
16-21 June, Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
http://rfg2018.org/

July

ICEM18 - the Eighteenth International Conference of Experimental Mechanics (EuraSEM)
Session on "Experimental Methods in Geothermal Engineering" 
1-5 July, Brussels, Belgium
www.icem18.org/

September

GEOHEAT International Geothermal Conference
4-7 September, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russian Federation
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLsAdQDW0AAxWj9.jpg

October

GRC Annual Meeting & Expo
14-17 October, Reno, Nevada, USA
www.geothermal.org/meet-new.html

6th National Geothermal Congress - Polish Geothermal Association
23-25 October, Zakopane, Poland
www.energia-geotermalna.org.pl/vi-ogolnopolski-kongres-geotermalny/

Seventh African Rift Geothermal Conference (ARGeo-C7) 
29 October–4 November, Kigali, Rwanda
www.theargeo.org

Indonesia: Research Paper on Geothermal Energy Development

The multi-level perspective analysis: Indonesia geothermal energy transition study (IOP)

The study adopts a multi-level perspective in technology transition to analyse how the transition process in the development of geothermal energy in Indonesia is able to compete against the incumbent fossil-fueled energy sources.

Three levels of multi-level perspective are socio-technical landscape (ST-landscape), socio-technical regime (ST-regime) and niche innovations in Indonesia geothermal development. The identification, mapping and analysis of the dynamic relationship between each level are the important pillars of the multi-level perspective framework.

The analysis considers the set of rules, actors and controversies that may arise in the technological transition process. The identified geothermal resource risks are the basis of the emerging geothermal technological innovations in Indonesian geothermal.

The analysis of this study reveals the transition pathway, which yields a forecast for the Indonesian geothermal technology transition in the form of scenarios and probable impacts.

The multi-level perspective analysis: Indonesia geothermal energy transition study, A Wisaksono, J Murphy, J H Sharp and P L Younger (all of University of Glasgow, Scotland). IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Volume 106, conference 1.

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Europe: Finalists in Euro Geothermal Innovation Awards

The top 5 European geothermal innovation projects of 2018 (News Release)

The European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) has announced the five endorsed nominations for the European Geothermal Innovation Award 2018. The final candidates are (in alphabetical order):

• GDF Latin America (Germany), the first multi-donor climate initiative offering risk mitigation for surface studies and appraisal drillings during the exploration phase of geothermal projects in Latin America. The Lead Geothermal Project Manager is Warren T. Dewhurst, Ph.D., P.E., a GRC Board member.
• GPC Instrumentation Process (France), for the design and implementation of the first sub-horizontal well in a geothermal project, a technique so far only used for oil drilling that allows to drain more hot water over a long length.
• Politecnico di Torino (Italy), for their system ENERTUN, that allows transforming a tunnel lining into a low enthalpy geothermal system.
• PORCIÓ Ltd. (Hungary), for the Gyopáros Production and Reinjection Geothermal System, in operation at Gyopáros Thermal SPA.
• RWTH Aachen University (Germany), for the development of their Temperature Sensor Module (TSM) for detecting groundwater flow velocity and direction near a borehole heat exchanger.

The Jury will now deliberate to select an overall winner which will be announced on 1st March at the GeoTHERM expo & congress in Offenburg (Germany).

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