Iceland: Landsvirkjun Issues Green Bond to Finance Development at Theistareykir Geothermal Power Plant

Landsvirkjun successfully secures funding via debut Green Bond in the US Private Placement market (News Release)

Theistareykir geothermal power plant
(Courtesy Landsvirkjun)

Landsvirkjun has reached an agreement with US and UK institutional investors to issue its debut US private placement (“USPP”) in Green Bond format, for a total amount of USD $200 million which is equivalent to about ISK 20bn. The bond which closed today has been issued without a guarantee of collection and is in relation to build-up of the Theistareykir geothermal power plant and the Burfell II hydropower station. As before, Landsvirkjun expects net debt of the company to decrease in 2018.

Landsvirkjun is the first issuer in Iceland to issue a bond in Green Bond format. The bond is understood to be one of the first Green USPP’s for a power company and one of the first Green USPP’s more broadly, in what is expected to be a growing sub sector of the market going forward.

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USA, California: Calpine Takeover Complete - New Owner Expects No Changes in Operations

Consortium Led by Energy Capital Partners Completes Acquisition of Calpine Corporation; Announces Management Roles and Board of Directors (News Release)

Calpine Corporation today announced the completion of the acquisition of Calpine by an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners and a consortium of other investors, including Access Industries Inc. and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

“Energy Capital Partners is excited to begin this long-term partnership with Calpine and its extremely talented employees and leadership,” said Tyler Reeder, a partner at Energy Capital Partners. “We do not expect to make any changes to the way Calpine operates its business and intend to remain focused on providing the high level of service to which Calpine’s wholesale and retail customers have become accustomed.

Calpine operates 13 geothermal power plants at The Geysers, north of San Francisco, California, generating 634.1 net megawatts.

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Friday, December 15, 2017 - USA, California: Takeover of Calpine to be Completed First Quarter of 2018
• Monday, August 21, 2017 - USA, California: Calpine Sold to Private Equity Firm
• Tuesday, August 1, 2017 - USA, Texas: Calpine Could be Sold Soon - Report

USA, Nevada: Multi-Well Flow Test at San Emidio II Geothermal Project Confirms Resource Estimate of 25-47 MW

U.S. Geothermal Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2017 Results (News Release)

U.S. Geothermal Inc. announced today its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017 and highlighted notable achievements in 2017.  

Development Projects Update:

• Successfully completed multi-well flow test at the recently drilled Southwest Zone wells at San Emidio II.  Flowing temperature from the three wells ranged from 319°F to 325°F. Test results confirm resource estimate of 25 megawatts (at 90% probability) up to 47 megawatts (at 50% probability).
• El Ceibillo development project awarded $3.42 million grant from the German Development Facility for Latin America for further production drilling.
• U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $825,319 grant to U.S. Geothermal Guatemala S.A. to provide funding for a feasibility study on the El Ceibillo development project.
• Company continues to respond to RFPs/RFOs from potential customers in order to secure power purchase agreements.

Read More........

Geothermal Event - Call for Abstracts

GRC Annual Meeting 2018 - Call for Abstracts Issued

Geothermal Resources Council Annual Meeting will be held Oct. 14-17 in Reno, Nevada, USA.  The deadline for abstract submission is Friday, March 30th, 2018.

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has issued a call for abstracts for the world’s biggest geothermal energy conference of the year taking place October 14-17, 2018, in Reno, Nevada, USA at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. The 42nd GRC Annual Meeting will showcase the world-wide availability of a clean, dependable renewable energy that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing both flexible and baseload power production.

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

USA, California: Oversight of Salton Sea Geothermal Projects Allows for Safe Operation of Power Plants

Geothermal Energy Projects In Imperial County - Who Keeps Track? (The Desert Report)

By Alexander Schriener, Jr.

The Salton Sea geothermal projects in Imperial County have numerous levels of permitting, regulation, and oversight by many agencies. This oversight allows for the safe operation of an important source of this reliable renewable “green” energy for the citizens of California and environmental protection of the adjacent  farmland, surface water delivery systems, and the Salton Sea lake.

In 1977, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors adopted the Geothermal Element of the Imperial County General Plan. The Element was the first of its kind in the United States, and spelled out policies to enable rapid development of geothermal energy production, while preserving agriculture, health and safety, and other concerns. The Element has been used as a template to manage geothermal development by many counties across California, in other States, and in other countries.

Read More in the on pages 4-5 of the Desert Report - News of the desert from Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee........

Chile: Centro de Excelencia en Geotermia de Los Andes Promotes Geothermal Energy

CEGA Participa En Reunión Con Ministro De Energía Buscando Mayor Protagonismo De La Geotermia - CEGA Participates In A Meeting With The Minister Of Energy Seeking Greater Prominence Of Geothermal Energy (News Release)

El rol de la geotermia, energía local y limpia, como suministro de base para reemplazar al carbón, energía sucia que requiere exportar su materia prima, fue uno de los puntos críticos sobre los comentarios al informe final de la Mesa de Geotermia que planteó el Centro de Excelencia en Geotermia de Los Andes (CEGA).

(From Google translation) The role of geothermal energy, local and clean energy, as a baseload supply to replace coal, dirty energy that requires exporting its raw material, was one of the critical points on the comments to the final report of the Geothermal Board that was presented by the Centro de Excelencia en Geotermia de Los Andes (CEGA).

Lee mas........                          Read More.........

Canada: Study to Assess Feasibility of the Hinton Geothermal District Heating System

Epoch Energy Takes Next Steps in Unlocking Canada’s Geothermal Energy Potential (News Release)

The FEED study is expected to be completed by the end of Summer, 2018.

Epoch Energy Development Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, will be leading the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study to assess the feasibility of the Geothermal District Energy System in Hinton, Alberta thanks to $1.2 million of joint funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Government of Alberta and Alberta Innovates.

Within a 70-kilometer radius of the Town of Hinton, there are more than 4,000 wells drilled below 2,500 meters, many which have bottom-hole temperatures higher than 120 degrees Celsius. Through research to-date and general understanding of the region, Hinton is ideally located to tap into the potential from hot production zones in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

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

France: Data Now Available from Deep Geothermal Projects in Alsace

Le CDGP distribue les premières données de géothermie profonde en Alsace - The CDGP distributes the first data of deep geothermal energy in Alsace (Marc Schaming, Geophysicien à l'IPGS/LinkedIn)

Le Centre de données de géothermie profonde (CDGP) est le volet "Observatoire" du LabEx G-Eau-Thermie Profonde, hébergé par École et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST). Il a pour missions de collecter, décrire, préserver, distribuer les données des différents projets de géothermie en Alsace, dans le respect des droits de propriété intellectuelle. Le CDGP fournit également des données au projet européen EPOS (European Plate Observatory System) via la thématique risques anthropiques (TCS-AH).

(From Google Translation) The Deep Geothermal Data Center ( CDGP ) is the "Observatory" component of LabEx G-Eau-Thermie Profonde, hosted by the École et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST) in Strasbourg, France. Its mission is to collect, describe, preserve and distribute data from various geothermal projects in Alsace, in compliance with intellectual property rights. The CDGP also provides data to the European EPOS project (European Plate Observatory System) via the theme Anthropogenic Risks (TCS-AH).

Lire la suite..........                      Read More.........

Ethiopia: Invitation to Provide Drilling Services for Tendaho Geothermal Power Project

Invitation for Prequalification - Tendaho Geothermal Power Project Drilling of Geothermal Wells (Ethiopian Electric Power)

The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has received funds from the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) and the European Union Infrastructure Trust-Fund (EU-ITF) to be spent toward the cost of the Tendaho Geothermal Power Project, and it intends to apply part of these funds to contract the drilling of six (6) shallow and two (2) deep geothermal wells at the Dubti field.

This project will be jointly implemented by Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and the Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE). EEP and GSE will provide senior personnel to a project management unit (PMU) that will manage the project, including making all planning and strategic decisions about the project.

EEP intends to prequalify experienced drilling contractors for the provision of Geothermal drilling services. It is expected that the call for bids for Full Service Drilling Company (FSDC) will be made in May 2018.

Expression of Interest and Prequalification Submission should be presented in sealed envelopes and delivered to the address below by 30 March 2018.

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USA, South Dakota: DOE Visits Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Collab Project

Berkeley National Lab Scientists Go Deep Underground to Study Rock Fractures in Geothermal Environments (EESA)

Pictured from left to right: Jaret Heise, Doug Blankenship, Albert Eiffes, Mike Headley, David Vardiman, Bill Roggenthen, Tim Unruh, Tim Kneafsey, Sue Hamm, and Lauren Boyd.

In February Earth and Environmental Sciences Area (EESA) Staff Scientist Tim Kneafsey helped escort leadership from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) on a journey 4,850 feet below the ground. They toured Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), an old South Dakota gold mine turned testing ground for studying how the process of extracting heat from rocks deep in the Earth’s subsurface can be enhanced to open up access to clean energy.

The United States derives 80 percent of its energy from the Earth’s subsurface. With $9 million in DOE funding each year over three years, Berkeley National Lab leads a collaboration of seven other national labs and six universities exploring the potential to improve enhanced geothermal systems technologies.  The Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Collab Project team hopes to help remove barriers that stand in the way of commercializing enhanced geothermal systems. 

Field experiments conducted at SURF by the collaboration are focused on improving the understanding and modeling of rock fractures in these geothermal environments. With better information about how rocks behave in the Earth’s subsurface, EGS technologies stand a better chance of fulfilling their potential to provide enough energy to power 100 million American homes.

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Australia: Geothermal Waters at 45.2 Degrees C Tapped to Heat Swimming Pool

Armadale Aquatic Center Geothermal Duplet Complete (Rockwater Environmental Services)

The City of Armadale, just outside Perth in Western Australia, is well prepared to sustainably heat the Armadale Aquatic Centre using geothermal energy.

The geothermal bore duplet designed and engineered by Rockwater Environmental Services of Jolimont, Western Australia and drilled by Drilling Contractors of Australia, has been completed well in advance of the pool's 2019 re-opening.

The production bore has been drilled to a construction depth of 969 meters, tapping the Yarragadee (Cattamarra FM) Aquifer. The geothermal waters flow at 60 L/s at 45.2 degrees C.

The injection bore has been drilled to a construction depth of 468 meters. The geothermal waters flow at 60 L/s at 31.2 degrees C.

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Indonesia: One Year Technical Trainee Apprentice Program at Star Energy Geothermal

Star Energy Geothermal Technical Trainee Program (Star Energy Geothermal)

Star Energy Geothermal is looking for good graduates from reputable universities to join the Star Energy Geothermal Technical Trainee Program (SGTTP) a 12-month apprentice program for fresh graduate engineers and earth scientists.

Star Energy is Indonesia's largest geothermal energy producer. Star Energy partners with two state-owned companies, namely PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT PLN (Persero) to manage geothermal energy projects in West Java Province.

In the Pangalengan area, Star Energy Geothermal (Wayang Windu) Ltd., operates a geothermal facility with a total capacity of 227 megawatts (MW).

Apply.........

Indonesia: Interview With Woman Engineer at Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Project

Meet A Young Woman Engineer in an Indonesia Geothermal Power Project (Asian Development Bank)

30% of staff positions in the Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Project are reserved for women. 

Meet Dwi Rahayu, a local woman of South Solok, West Sumatra. She shares her experiences and dreams as a young environmental engineer working in a male-dominated geothermal development project site.

ADB supports the Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Project in West Sumatra with assistance from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF). In partnership with PT Supreme Energy the project is creating local job opportunities, especially for women. Dwi's inspiring story demonstrates how investing in clean energy is also an avenue to improve women's lives.

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Ethiopia: World Bank Approves $375 Million to Support National Electrification Program

World Bank Supports Ethiopia’s Endeavors to Provide all Citizens with Access to Electricity (News Release)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The World Bank has approved a $375 million International Development Association (IDA) credit to support Ethiopia’s goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2025.

Ethiopia has the second highest available generation capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa with nearly 100 percent coming from renewable energy generation (mostly hydropower), and vast and mainly untapped solar, wind, and geothermal clean energy resources. Over the past decade, the Government has launched one of the most successful electrification programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, expanding the grid network coverage to nearly 60 percent of towns and villages.

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St. Lucia: Public Consultations to be held on the Draft ESIA for Geothermal Project

Saint Lucia Geothermal Resource Development Project – Public consultations on the draft ESIA (St. Lucia News Online )

In July 2017, the Government of Saint Lucia contracted Panorama Environmental Inc. to prepare an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for exploratory drilling activities in Fond St. Jacques, Belle Plaine and Mondesir-Saltibus.

The ESIA, which involves a preliminary assessment of environmental and social impacts associated with the exploratory drilling phase of the project, was completed in January of 2018.

The ESIA includes the preparation of a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the Geothermal Project. The Government of Saint Lucia looks forward to receiving feedback from the various stakeholders by facilitating dialogue, as it seeks to address and clarify pressing questions or concerns expressed by members of the community.

The Public Consultation on the draft ESIA will be held from March 12th to 15th, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at four locations.

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USA, California: State System Operator Promises to do More to Promote Development of Geothermal Energy

California could get more solar, geothermal power from Imperial Valley following lawsuit (Desert Sun)

"Geothermal Energy the savior of Salton Sea", by Alexander Schriener Jr. Units 1 and 2 at Salton Sea geothermal field, Imperial Valley CA. GRC PHOTO CONTEST

As California Gov. Jerry Brown looks to neighboring states for cheap sources of clean energy, a legal settlement could result in coastal cities like Los Angeles and San Diego getting more climate-friendly power from California's own Imperial Valley.

Three years ago, the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) sued the nonprofit corporation that manages most of California's power grid, accusing the grid operator of stifling clean energy development in one of the state's poorest counties and plotting to "crush IID out of existence." The Imperial Valley-based power provider also sued the grid operator under the California Public Records Act, demanding documents that the public utility suspected would undermine Brown's efforts to start a regional power grid.

Those lawsuits have now been settled — and both sides are pleased with the outcome.

The state grid operator, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), has agreed to upgrade a power line that will allow more electricity to flow from the Imperial Valley to the rest of the state. That should make it easier for companies to build solar projects in the region and sell the electricity to coastal population centers. Outside the legal settlement, CAISO has said it will do more to promote development of geothermal energy — a top priority for IID, which wants to see new geothermal power plants build by the southern shore of the Salton Sea.

CAISO President Stephen Berberich cautioned that while more solar projects could result from the settlement, geothermal development isn't a guarantee. Utilities like Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have been hesitant to invest in new geothermal plants, which produce climate-friendly electricity around the clock but are more expensive to build than solar and wind farms. CAISO doesn't tell utilities what kind of energy to buy, but it does work closely with agencies that do, like the California Public Utilities Commission.

"We don't do procurement at the ISO. But to the extent I can use my influence to help Kevin bring (geothermal) to the attention of those that do, we did that," Berberich said, referring to IID general manager Kevin Kelley.

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United Kingdom: Free Lecture on British Geothermal Energy Projects

Turning up the heat! Innovation in the UK's deep geothermal resources, Newcastle (Institution of Civil Engineers)

13 March, 2018, Newcastle, United Kingdom

This (free) presentation will highlight the reasons for the limited geothermal development in the UK to date, detail the innovative technology that Arup and Geothermal Engineering Ltd have developed and discuss the three exciting and pioneering geothermal projects that will be drilled and installed in the UK in 2018.

The audience will gain an understanding of the reasons for the limited development in deep geothermal energy in the UK to date and will gain an insight into a number of exciting and pioneering geothermal projects planned for this the UK in 2018.

More Information.........                           Book now..........

United Kingdom: Three Day Course on Geothermal Energy in London

Geothermal Energy: From Potential to Implementation (The Geological Society)

11-13 Jul 2018, The Geological Society, London, U.K.
Cost: £1,950

Renewables are seen as the future source of energy to meet the world's growing demand, with geothermal resources offering a constant and independent supply.

This three day course is presented through a mixture of lectures, tutorials and discussion of case studies. Active participation from the delegates is strongly encouraged during the whole course in order to consolidate learning. All delegates will receive a Certificate of Attendance upon completion of this course.

The course will build up the delegates’ knowledge and understanding of geothermal technologies, their current level of maturity and national and international uptake.

The course is presented by Professor Gioia Falcone of Cranfield University, together with relevant external contributors, all of whom have considerable academic and industrial experience.

More Information.........                 Apply.........

Science & Technology: Satellite-Based Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing Reveals Geothermal Features

Taking Yellowstone's temperature from space (Billings Gazette)

One of the advantages of satellite-based thermal infrared remote sensing is that you can view nearly all of the thermal areas in the park at once. But there also are challenges and limitations to satellite remote sensing. For example, the temperature of Yellowstone's thermal areas is often not much higher than the temperature of the surroundings during the day because the Sun heats the Earth's surface. Using thermal infrared images that are acquired at night minimizes the influence of the Sun, allowing us to estimate just the geothermal component of the temperature.

Overall, research in thermal infrared remote sensing of Yellowstone has helped assess and update maps of the park's thermal areas, created new thermal anomaly maps, estimated the geothermal heat output, and established background thermal patterns. Examination of how these maps change over time will provide important evidence for how natural and human-induced processes affect some of Yellowstone's most iconic features.

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Nicaragua: Polaris Confident New Wells at San Jacinto Geothermal Project will Increase Capacity to 72 MW

Polaris Infrastructure Announces 2017 Year End Results (News Release)

(Courtesy Polaris Infrastructure)

Toronto-based company Polaris Infrastructure Inc. has reported its audited financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2017. 

Highlights:

• Substantial completion of the 2017/2018 drilling program at the San Jacinto-Tizate Power Plant 
• Record-level annual power generation and revenue: The San Jacinto project achieved its highest ever annual levels of power generation and revenue in 2017. 
• Successful conclusion of annual turbine maintenance: Comprehensive preventative maintenance was completed on the Unit 3 turbine at the San Jacinto project over the course of two and a half weeks in February 2018. 

“We are pleased with the progress we’ve made this year towards our most immediate objective, being the optimization of the San Jacinto project” noted Marc Murnaghan, Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Infrastructure. “We are optimistic that the wells we recently drilled, once connected, will bring us very close to the 72 MW (net) level we have been targeting since we initiated the 2015 recapitalization transaction. Our expectation therefore, is that 2018 will see lower investment into the San Jacinto project, allowing increased emphasis on new and compelling growth opportunities. We remain optimistic with

respect to our ability to create further value for our shareholders going forward.”

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

Argentina: Geothermal Energy to be Included in Renewable Energy Tender

Argentina to launch new RenovAr tender in Sep-Oct - report (Renewables Now)

(Courtesy CAI.gov)

A new renewable energy tender in Argentina, Round 3 under the country's RenovAr programme, will be held in the second half of 2018, Energia Estrategica (in Spanish) reported this week.  

According to sources cited by the publication, the sale of bidding documents will start in September and the process will be finalised by the year end.  

Energy minister Juan Jose Aranguren has promised at a meeting that the tender will be launched between September and October, according to the article.

The size of Round 3 would be similar to that of Round 2, which sought 1,200 MW of capacity. A new thing would be the inclusion of geothermal technology with the participation of Copahue project, which would take part with 10 MW. As in the previous tender, there would be quotas for different regions and technologies.

It is expected that the signing of the 88 contracts awarded under Round 2 would be completed by mid-May. 

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Wednesday, January 10, 2018 - Argentina: Exploration for Geothermal Resources in Andean Province Begins
• Tuesday, January 9, 2018 - Argentina: Exploration About to Begin at Socompa Volcanic Geothermal Project
• Monday, October 9, 2017 - Argentina: 1,500 MW of Geothermal Energy Could be Developed

Geothermal Event! Exhibitor Registration Now Open

2018 GRC Expo - Booth Registration Now Open!

October 14-17, 2018, Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, Reno, Nevada

In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, the GRC will also have an expo in which companies can promote projects, equipment, services, and technology to leading geothermal energy scientists, producers, renewable energy industry stakeholders, regulators, utilities, and key associated business leaders from around the world.

The 3-day trade show will provide ample opportunities for networking. The GRC Expo presents exhibitors with the opportunity to maximize their exposure at the largest annual geothermal gathering in the world.

With the international geothermal power market growing and projects currently under development in all corners of the world, the 2018 Expo will be an exciting international gathering of geothermal industry leaders, academics, financiers, policy leaders, students, and geothermal enthusiasts.

This is the event to learn about the latest developments in geothermal energy. Last year, the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo hosted more than 1,000 representatives from 35 countries. In 2018, we anticipate an even larger audience.

Book Your Booth Space Now!

China: Kaishan Compressor Reports Successful Operation of 4.4 MW Wabuska and 2.2 MW Turawell Geothermal Power Projects

China’s Kaishan Compressor Expands Global Reach With US, Hungarian Geothermal Power Stations (Yicai Global)

Two overseas geothermal power plants, invested in by China’s Zhejiang Kaishan Compressor Co., provider of air compressors, have been successively connected to the grid and are able to generate power, the company said.

The company recently received on-site reports on the progress of both projects, namely, the Wabuska geothermal power plant in Nevada, the U.S., and the Turawell geothermal power station in Hungary. Both projects have started operations and generate power in good condition, said the Quzhou-based manufacturer in a statement today.

Both units in Wabuska geothermal power station project have been operating steadily for nearly two weeks, generating a total of 4.4 MW power, it added. Following a three-month trial period, the power generation capacity can be increased by about 20 percent.

The first Hungarian geothermal power plant invested and controlled by Zhejiang Kaishan, which is operational since late last November, is able to generate 2.2 MW power, reaching 86 percent of the target capacity, the statement added.

Read More.........

Portugal: Overview of the 4 MW Pico Alto Geothermal Power Plant

Harnessing geothermal power in islands and remote areas: The Pico Alto geothermal project (Exergy)

Harnessing geothermal power in islands and remote areas: The Pico Alto geothermal project from exergyorc

Remote areas such as islands and rural regions often face major challenges to get access to electricity, most rely on diesel generators or heavy fuel engines that implicate the use of fossil fuels causing higher economical costs for governments and growing environmental impact. Geothermal resources on volcanic islands and remote areas can represent today a viable solution to create an efficient and sustainable energy model producing electricity for local needs by means of a renewable source available 24/7. Exergy presents the 4 MW Pico Alto geothermal power plant located on Terceira Island, meeting up to more than 10% of the local energy needs and approximately 25% of the local baseload.

Read More.........

Saint Lucia: Impact Documents for Geothermal Resource Development Project Available

Saint Lucia Geothermal Resource Development Project Impact Documents Available

Panorama Environmental of San Francisco, California has prepared various documents pertaining to the Saint Lucia Geothermal Resource Development Project.

The Government of Saint Lucia (GoSL) proposes to conduct the Saint Lucia Geothermal Resource Exploration Project (project) within the Soufrière, Choiseul, and Laborie regions of Saint Lucia to assess the feasibility of commercial development of geothermal resources in Saint Lucia. The project would include drilling slim-diameter and potentially fullsize geothermal exploration wells to obtain information on the geothermal resource in the area.

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), which entails a preliminary assessment of environmental and social impacts associated with the exploratory drilling phase of the project, has been completed. Also completed is a pre-feasibility study which entails initial financial, economic, legal and power systems evaluations.

The following documents related to the project are now available:

• Draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
• Scoping Studies Report 
• Environmental and Social Management Plan
• Resettlement Action Plan
• Resettlement Policy Framework
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - St Lucia: Public Consultations Announced for Soufriere Geothermal Project
• Thursday, June 8, 2017 - St Lucia: Exploratory Drilling for Geothermal Energy to Start Early Next Year
• Monday, April 11, 2016 - St. Lucia: Good Progress in Geothermal Power Project

Science & Technology: Hypersonic Drilling Can Drill Deep Geothermal Wells up to 10 times Faster

Is Google Going Underground With Hypersonic Tech? (IEEE Spectrum)

High-speed drilling could revolutionize geothermal energy

Google is carrying out research on hypersonics, probably for new technologies to slash the cost of geothermal energy and tunneling. It could also be acquiring a Washington-based startup called HyperSciences that has already built prototype devices.

HyperSciences, spun out of the University of Washington, also in Seattle, is developing a novel drilling system that fires concrete projectiles at over 2 kilometers per second in advance of a drill bit. It claims that its system can drill deep wells up to 10 times faster than existing systems, enabling geothermal energy “anywhere in the world.”

Read More........

USA, South Dakota: Overview of the Enhanced Geothermal Systems Collaboration Project, or EGS Collab.

In the Lab 5,000 Feet Underground (PNNL)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) leads numerical modeling working group to investigate fracturing and fracture flow in nominally impermeable rock

Imagine a week at the office where much of each day is spent 5,000 feet underground.

It’s all in a day’s work for PNNL researchers as part of DOE’s collaborative Enhanced Geothermal Systems project, or EGS Collab.

The $9 million multi-lab EGS Collab is designed to perform field experiments and numerical simulations to understand the creation of fracture networks and fluid flow through those networks deep underground. The project is funded by DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office and led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Read More.........

New Zealand: Maori and Maasai Communities Share Geothermal Experience

Contact and iwi work with African tribe to find energy solutions (stuff)

Partnerships and collaboration between organisations and countries can be crucial drivers of innovation to address social and environmental problems.

Bay of Plenty iwi Ngati Tahu and Contact Energy teamed up to share their experience in engaging indigenous communities in geothermal energy with a Maasai tribe in Kenya.

The group arrived back from their second exchange a few months ago and where they worked with Maasai communities and Kenyan power company KenGen, to support both parties in growing their relationships around the geothermal resource in Kenya.

Read More.........

Denmark: Danish Company to Help Develop German Geothermal Energy Projects

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP) enters into partnership with German geothermal developer Deutsche ErdWärme (DEW) (News Release)

Deutsche ErdWärme (DEW) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP), on behalf of the fund Copenhagen Infrastructure III K/S (CI III), are pleased to announce that they have entered into a partnership regarding the development of a portfolio of geothermal energy projects in the upper Rhine valley of Germany.

The partnership brings together DEW’s experience within the deep geothermal energy sector and CIP’s track record in developing, constructing and operating large renewable energy projects.

The geothermal projects will generate electricity by pumping up hot water of +100 ºC from 3-5 km depth. Geothermal is a long-term sustainable energy source with examples of wells that have been operating for more than 50 years and still produce energy today. Geothermal technology provides base load power.

Read More........

USA, Nevada: Update from Ormat Technologies

Ormat Technologies Inc - Third Quarter 2017 Investor Presentation (Ormat)

PowerPoint Presentation........

Israel: Geothermal Energy Pioneer Wins Top Award

First Female Winner of 2018 Israel Prize Announced (The Jerusalem Post)

Yehudit and Yehuda Bronicki, the founders of Ormat Technologies, are to receive the Israel Prize in Industry.

Yehudit Bronicki (photo credit: ELI DASSA)

Yehuda and Yehudit Bronicki, founders of Ormat Technologies, a world leader in renewable (geothermal) energy, will be jointly awarded the Israel Prize for Industry, Education Minister Naftali Bennett announced Sunday evening.

“Yehuda Bronicki, a visionary, an inventor, born in Poland who survived the Holocaust and together with his wife, Yehudit (Dita) Bronicki, one of the first businesswomen and female entrepreneurs in Israel, a pioneer in her field, jointly established the Ormat Group and made it a world leader in geothermal energy,” the prize committee wrote in its decision.

The Bronickis established Ormat in 1965, where they ran the company until they retired in 2014.

Read More.........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, November 3, 2015 - USA, Nevada: Dita Bronicki Retiring from Ormat
• Monday, March 19, 2012 - Israel: After 47 years, Bronicki Family Loses Sole Control over Ormat

Indonesia: PGE Postpones Mount Lawu Geothermal Power Project

Pertamina Geothermal Energi tunda pengembangan WKP Gunung Lawu - Pertamina Geothermal Energy postponed the development of WKP Gunung Lawu (Kontan.co.id)

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) anak usaha PT Pertamina (Persero) yang fokus dalam bisnis panas bumi, memutuskan untuk menunda pengembangan Wilayak Kerja Penugasan (WKP) Panas Bumi Gunung Lawu. Masalah non teknis menjadi salah satu faktor utama perusahaan akhirnya tidak menjadikan WKP seluas 60.030 hektare (ha) sebagai prioritas pengembangan.

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of PT Pertamina (Persero) which focuses on geothermal business, has decided to postpone the development of the Mount Lawu Geothermal Working Area. Non-technical issues are one of the main factors affected the decision to not make the ​​60,030 hectares (ha) project a development priority.

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

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Monday, August 28, 2017 - Indonesia: Tender for Mount Gunung Lawu Geothermal Working Area to be Re-Issued
• Thursday, March 3, 2016 - Indonesia: Pertamina Wins Bid to Develop Up to 165 MW Geothermal in Java
• Thursday, September 17, 2015 - Indonesia: Companies Vie to Develop 165 MW of Geothermal Energy near Mount Lawu

Denmark: Geothermal Heat Can be a Cornerstone of Energy Network

Geotermisk varme kan være billigere end biomasse - Geothermal heat can be cheaper than biomass (News Release)

Danmark råder over betydelige mængder varmt vand få kilometer under jorden. Den danske undergrund har potentialet til at blive en hjørnesten i den kommende energiaftale, men det kræver, at politikerne som minimum afgiftsligestiller undergrundsvarmen med biomasse.

(From Google Translation) Denmark has significant amounts of hot water a few kilometers below the ground. Heat from the Danish subsoil has the potential to become a cornerstone of the forthcoming energy agreement, but it requires that politicians as a minimum taxize the underground heat with biomass.

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Spain: Handbooks Analyse Potential of Geothermal Energy in the Canary Islands

Geoplat has contributed to the elaboration of the first Canary Island’s Geothermal Energy Handbooks (Geoplat)

These handbooks are a compilation of documents in which, for the first time, analyses the potential of  geothermal energy in the Canary Islands, as well as, the formation, technology and finance required for its correct development.

These handbooks compile two different geothermal systems: one of high enthalpy for power production and other of medium and low enthalpy, for heating and cooling. Following are the ones for power production (in Spanish only):

• Documento 1: Estado del conocimiento.
• Documento 2: Normativa.
• Documento 3: Explotación, formación y tecnificación.

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Taiwan: 30kw ORC Geothermal Power Plant Begins Operations

Taiwan Geothermal Energy (LinkedIn)

By Raoul Kubitschek (孔榮), wpd Taiwan Energy Co., Ltd., Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Taipei City, Taiwan

Taiwan Geothermal Energy: Today is the day that geothermal is back on Taiwan’s power balance sheets. This 30kw project is an ORC plant in Zhiben, Taidong. In a first step it was installed for power production for the "Rainbow Hotel", after three years the developer finally could install the meter and is now also able to sell to Taipower under the FiT scheme. It is these pioneers that are laying the foundation for Taiwan‘s ambitious renewable energy goals.

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Science & Technology: New Method to Accurately Measure Ground Motion from Distant Earthquakes

Fiber-Optic Networks Can Be Used as Seismic Arrays (EOS)

A new study repurposes telecommunications cables to harness sound from light. The method can accurately measure ground motion from distant earthquakes.

In a new publication, Lindsey et al. used a novel seismic recording approach to study seismic waves from earthquakes for the first time. The technique, called distributed acoustic sensing, repurposes underground fiber-optic cables (normally used for telecommunications, such as internet, television, and telephone service) up to tens of kilometers long.

The researchers tested this technique at three locations: Fairbanks, Alaska; a region of northern California called the Geysers, home to one of the world’s largest geothermal fields; and the Stanford University campus.

At the Geysers, they were able to use an L-shaped array of cables to track the arrival of several phases of an earthquake that occurred in 2016.

Fiber-Optic Network Observations of Earthquake Wavefields, by Nathaniel J. Lindsey (Earth and Planetary Science Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA), et al. Geophysical Research Letters, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL075722, 2017

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

Europe: News from the European Geothermal Energy Council

EGEC Newsletter - February

News from the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC)

Policy:

• Clean Energy Package: the Committee on Energy voted on Electricity Market Design

News:

• The winner of European Geothermal Innovation Award 2018
• Geothermal heating in the capital of Belgium
• New geothermal heating project starts operation in Mons
• Canary Islands call for EU funds to help on geothermal energy development
• The Netherlands: greenhouses able to cut back on gas due to geothermal energy
• ARGEO GIS provides overview on geothermal in East Africa
• New report by IRENA on Renewable energy in the European Union
• Video interviews: Geothermal energy pioneers in Iceland

Projects:

• GEO-ENERGY EUROPE: Increasing performance and competitiveness of European SMEs in "geo-energy" industries
• New Steering Committee of the RHC-ETIP Geothermal Panel
• The Pan-European Thermal Atlas 4

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USA, Oregon: Portland General Electric Company to Issue a RFP for 100 MW Renewable Energy

Taking Another Step toward a Clean Energy Future, PGE Shares Draft RFP for New Renewable Resources (News Release)

Portland General Electric Company has circulated a draft request for proposals (RFP) seeking 100 average megawatts of renewable power generating resources. The company will hold workshops on Friday, March 2 to provide additional information to stakeholders and potential bidders.

Bids submitted when the RFP is finalized and issued must meet a minimum size of at least 10 megawatts, and can represent a variety of technologies including geothermal, biomass, biogas, solar, wind and hydroelectric power. Bids can also be structured in a variety of ways, including power purchase agreements or proposals for facilities that PGE would own and operate.

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Global: Calendar of Geothermal Energy Events

Geothermal Energy Calendar from the Geothermal Resources Council

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/

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

27-28 March, CUGB International Conference Center, Beijing, China
https://geothermal.org/PDFs/CUGB-Call-for-Papers-2018.pdf

DESTRESS Mid-Term Conference

5 April, Glasgow, United Kingdom
www.destress-h2020.eu/en/stay-informed/news-and-events/bsds-blog/Join-our-Mid-Term-Conference-in-Glasgow/

Geothermal Cross Over Technology Workshop Part II (AAPG and IGA)

17-18 April, Utrecht, Netherlands
www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/275855/homegeothermal/

25th Annual Congress of the Mexican Geothermal Association 

18-20 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

Resources for Future Generations 
Premier Conference On Energy • Minerals • Water • The Earth 

June 16-21, Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
http://rfg2018.org/

Grand Renewable Energy 2018 - International Conference and Exhibition

17-22 June, 2018, Yokohama, Japan
www.grand-re2018.org/english/index.html

ICEM18 - the Eighteenth International Conference of Experimental Mechanics (EuraSEM) 
Session on "Experimental Methods in Geothermal Engineering" 

1-5 July, Brussels, Belgium
www.icem18.org/

GeoEnergy Days (Pole-Avenia) 

3-5 July, Pau, France
www.pole-avenia.com/eng/geo-energy-days/

GEOHEAT International Geothermal Conference

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

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

Europe: Successful Media Campaign for Orebody-Enhanced Geothermal Systems Project

#CHPM4EU Social Media Campaign: What society know today, what CHPM2030 will revolutionise tomorrow (CHPM2030)

The successful social media campaign #CHPM4EU ended this month. The aim of the campaign was to inform general public and stakeholders about the disruptive technology the project plans to develop: a technology combining metal extraction and renewable energy generation. This would face two of the main challenges Europe is facing: the supply of raw materials and energy.

Each week a social media card addressing the different aspects of the project was published through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

CHPM2030 is a H2020 project funded by the European Commission that started on 1 January 2016. Working at the frontiers of geothermal resources development, minerals extraction and electro-metallurgy the project aims at converting ultra-deep metallic mineral formations into an “orebody-Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)” that will serve as a basis for the development of a new type of facility for “Combined Heat, Power and Metal extraction” (CHPM). 

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Netherlands: Successful Flow Test at Trias Westland Geothermal Heat Project

Trias Westland: Successful production test of the Lower Cretaceous (T&A Survey Group B.V.)

(Courtesy T&A Survey Group B.V.) 

Yesterday Trias Westland performed the production test in the Lower Cretaceous Reservoir. Water from a depth of 2.3 kilometers was pumped up. The test went very well. The hot water flowed very smoothly into the basin and the gas in the water was flared off. Samples have been taken and measurements have been made  to determine, among other things, the pressure and temperature.

With this information the project team can start with the realization of the heat network. The exact potential of the geothermal doublet will be known at the end of April, when the second well has been drilled and tested.

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From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, February 20, 2018 - Netherlands: Trias Westland Geothermal Project to Settle for a 2.7 Kilometer Well
• Thursday, February 8, 2018 - Netherlands: Well at Westland Trias Geothermal Greenhouse Heating Project Reaches 4,100 Meter Depth
• 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

Europe: GDF Latin America Wins European Geothermal Innovation Award

GDF Latin America, the geothermal innovation of the year (EGEC)

Ruggero Bertani, EGEC’s President, on stage
with Christoph Sigrist (GDF) and the other finalists.
(Courtesy EGEC)

During the opening ceremony of the GeoTHERM Exhibition and Congress 2018, the European Geothermal Innovation Award 2018 was awarded to the Geothermal Development Facility (GDF) Latin America, 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.

GDF is an innovative financial mechanism that fosters geothermal development in Latin America, both in South America and Central America. It has been operational for two years and is mainly funded by the European Union and Germany.

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Philippines: EDC Reports Geothermal Energy Business Hit by Earthquake and Typhoon in 2017

Lopez’s EDC blames disasters for drop in recurring income (Business Mirror)

Energy Development Corp. (EDC) on Thursday reported a decline in its recurring income and revenues last year, as operations were mainly affected by earthquake and typhoon.

“Our Leyte unit, which generated almost 45 percent of our revenues in 2016, was on track for a record year last year until it got struck by two major calamities,” EDC Chief Financial Officer Nestor Vasay said.

“Despite the initial shock from the earthquake last July and from Urduja last December, our team worked hard to successfully restore much-needed electricity to our countrymen in the Visayas region,” Vasay added.

Meanwhile, EDC’s Bacman business unit delivered an additional P0.9 billion in revenues on account of higher contracted volume, to negate the lower generation volume of its Palinpinon power plants.

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USA, Nevada: Ormat Expects to Complete Acquisition of U.S. Geothermal in 2nd Quarter

Ormat Technologies Reports Record Revenues For Full-Year 2017 (News Release)

Ormat Technologies, Inc. today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017.

“Ormat enters 2018 in its strongest competitive position ever, with a growing portfolio of operating power plants, a robust pipeline, and new opportunities as a result of strategic M&A activity,” commented Isaac Angel, Chief Executive Officer. “During 2017, we added approximately 90 MW of new capacity from our Platanares and Tungsten Mountain power plants, and our share of the Sarulla power plants, and reached a total portfolio of approximately 800 MW. The new power plants will contribute to our earnings growth and margin expansion in 2018 and beyond. Looking ahead, our pipeline remains strong, and we are targeting an incremental 190-200 MW from organic growth by the end of 2020.”

“In addition, we recently announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which we will acquire U.S. Geothermal Inc.,” Mr. Angel continued. “This acquisition, which we expect to close in the second quarter of 2018, will diversify our operations in the United States, and will create additional opportunities to expand our development pipeline. Upon closing of the transaction, we are confident that we can leverage our unique core capabilities to improve the generation and efficiency of U.S. Geothermal’s operating portfolio and increase its profitability in 2019”.

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