USA, California: Geothermal Helps Golden State Reach Renewable Energy Goal Early

California reaches 2020 renewable energy goal ahead of schedule (Planet Ark)

The United States’ biggest state in terms of population and economy is exceeding even its own lofty renewable energy targets. Last month the California Energy Commission found that 34 percent of the state’s retail electricity was provided by renewable energy sources in 2018, passing the 33 percent target two years before the 2020 deadline.

The largest portion of renewable energy came from solar generation at almost 12 percent of all electricity, with other sources including wind, geothermal and biomass energy generators. 

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China: Geothermal Energy Replacing Coal for Heating in Winter

Fighting air pollution in rural China (CGTN)

Geothermal energy is cooling down energy costs in northern China – even as it heats residents' homes. An increasing number of people there now use geothermal energy, replacing coal for heating in winter. 

Eleven villages in Xiongan now use geothermal energy for heating, cutting 150,000 tons of coal consumption. There are still over 500 million people living in China's rural areas. 

Geothermal energy resources are found in many places in China. In the Xiongan New Area, the storage is abundant and more villages will enjoy such clean energy in the future.

Read More........

Geothermal Event - Call For (Draft) Papers for GRC Annual Meeting - Deadline is This Week!

GRC Annual Meeting 2019 - Call for Papers

Deadline for submission of papers is Friday, March 15th, 2019.

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has issued a call for papers for the world’s biggest annual geothermal energy conference of the year taking place September 15-18, 2019, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA. The 43rd GRC Annual Meeting & Expo will highlight Geothermal: Green Energy for the Long Run - as a clean, dependable renewable energy, geothermal energy offers a long-term solution for the supply of low-carbon emission electricity.

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.

Japan: Geothermal Power Could Supply 10 Percent of the Country’s Energy Needs by 2050

Unlocking Japan's geothermal energy potential (Japan Times)

The 110 MW Hatchobaru geothermal plant in Oita
Prefecture is the biggest in Japan. (Courtesy KYODO)

How Japan can meet its future energy needs is not necessarily something you think about while enjoying a nice long soak in a hot-spring bath.

But the hot water you’re soaking in is part of the solution, say advocates of geothermal power.

Renewable energy sources such as geothermal have been getting more attention since the 2011 Fukushima disaster exposed the risk — or folly — of nuclear power.

One expert says geothermal power could supply 10 percent of the country’s energy needs by 2050.

Read More.........

Global: Future Leader of International Geothermal Energy Association

Geothermal Resources Council Announces President-Elect (News Release)

Jon Trujillo to be the next President of the GRC in 2021

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has announced the election of Jon Trujillo as President-Elect. He will become the 27th President of the global geothermal energy organization in January 2021 after the term of current President Andy Sabin ends.

Jon Trujillo has served on the Geothermal Resource Council’s board of directors for the last three years. He is currently on the GRC’s executive committee and leads the membership committee.

As CalEnergy’s (Berkshire Hathaway Energy) geothermal resource manager, Jon oversees drilling operations, resource management and the facilities’ non-hazardous landfill at the Salton Sea geothermal resource in Southern California. Jon has worked in the geothermal industry and with CalEnergy for ten years. His professional experience also includes mineral exploration in Latin America and geologic modeling.

Jon Trujillo obtained a B.S. in Geology & Geophysics from the University of Missouri – Rolla (currently Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 2002 and spent two years focusing on isotope geochemistry and igneous tectonics at Virginia Tech’s geosciences graduate program. He has also completed business courses at the Harvard University Extension School.

Jon commented on his election: "The GRC membership has a broad range of experience, which we can leverage to continue learning from each other. As well, the US energy market has changed, which makes the next five years critical to the long-term growth of our community. We can make the difference and I’m excited to help lead that change. The addition of Will Pettitt and the Policy Committee are great improvements to our organization and leaders in this transformation. Being appointed President-Elect is a huge honor, and I’m excited to continue supporting our amazing community."

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USA, Utah: A Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment of the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy Site

Seismic Hazard Assessment at the Fallon, Nevada, Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy Site (USGS)

By J. Ole Kaven, Ernest L. Majer, William Foxall, Eric L. Sonnenthal, and William Pettitt

Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technology aims to engineer a productive geothermal reservoir in regions of hot, but low permeability, rocks. In any EGS operation, the rock mass requires stimulation by high pressure injection of fluids, which has the potential to induce seismicity. To address the seismic hazard specifically, a probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) is often required and is generally part of an induced seismicity mitigation plan (ISMP).

A specific PSHA for the proposed Fallon, Nev., FORGE site is outlined below that relies solely on hypothetical stimulation scenarios and analog sites to assess the hazard of induced seismicity in the absence of local microseismicity.

Partially due to the lack of existing seismicity at the site and partially to arrive at conservative estimates of the hazard, the PSHA is calculated for a range of b-values. Results indicate that the conservative estimates of seismic hazard at locations having significant, sensitive infrastructure near the proposed site are very low. Download the report (PDF)..........

Kaven, J.O., Majer, E.L., Foxall, W., Sonnenthal, E.L., Pettitt, W., 2019, Seismic hazard assessment at the Fallon, Nevada, Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy site: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1020, 16 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191020.

Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)

A round-up of this week's international geothermal energy news.......

Click on the links below to view the whole story and other news on Global Geothermal News.

Geothermal Event - Call For Papers for GRC Annual Meeting - Deadline is Next Week!

GRC Annual Meeting 2019 - Call for Papers

Deadline for submission of papers is Friday, March 15th, 2019.

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has issued a call for papers for the world’s biggest annual geothermal energy conference of the year taking place September 15-18, 2019, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA. The 43rd GRC Annual Meeting & Expo will highlight Geothermal: Green Energy for the Long Run - as a clean, dependable renewable energy, geothermal energy offers a long-term solution for the supply of low-carbon emission electricity.

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.

Join the Global Geothermal Community!

Support your geothermal energy association - Join the GRC!

As of December 31, 2018 the membership of the GRC stood at 1,205 drawn from 44 countries around the world.

The GRC membership is open to any person, organization, agency, or company. The membership advantage includes access to:

• The GRC Policy Committee - An add-on option for GRC members who want to fund advocacy work at the U.S. state and local level.
• International Geothermal Association (IGA) Membership - through the GRC's affiliation with the International Geothermal Association (IGA), all GRC Members are automatically members of the IGA, which offers discount registration to its World Geothermal Congress events (every 5 years), quarterly IGA News and a special discount rate for the international publication, Geothermics.
• GRC Annual Meeting & Expo - discounted registration for the largest annual geothermal energy conference and trade show in the world.
• GRC Bulletin - (6 issues) official worldwide industry trade publication of the Geothermal Resources Council, the Bulletin is the definitive voice for geothermal energy development and production.
• Global Geothermal News - Weekly Summary - All members receive a weekly summary of articles from the Global Geothermal News website.
• Online access to the GRC Membership Directory - provides business, consulting and research contacts throughout the international geothermal community.
• Online GRC Library - More than 42,000 catalogued items, free downloads of premium content.
• Education Program - special meetings, workshops, and conferences on a broad range of topics pertaining to geothermal exploration, development and utilization at a discount to members.
• Discount on advertising - exclusive first-access space consideration in all GRC publications.

GRC Membership Application.......

New members can also contact GRC at grc@geothermal.org or (530) 758-2360 for further information.

France: Innovation Convention for Sub-Surface Industries Including Deep Geothermal Energy

GeoEnergy Days (Pole Avenia)
Innovation convention for sub-surface industries

25-27 June, 2019, Pau, France

A unique opportunity to develop your business, meet new partners and initiate new projects. Three days of exhibits, B2B meetings, open innovation, conferences; workshops, and business tours.

One of the target sectors is Deep Geothermal Energy.

Register........

USA: National Geothermal Academy 2019 from 10-21 June

National Geothermal Academy 2019

The U.S. National Geothermal Academy will be running again in 2019, with a geoscience focus:

Click to open poster

Module 1: Geothermal Geostatistics.
Dates: 10-14th June 2019 (Monday - Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Instructors: Dr. Cary Lindsey and Dr. Whitney Trainor-Guitton.

This course aims to teach geoscience and engineering students and professionals how to perform exploratory statistical analysis on a variety of datasets relevant to geothermal exploration and production, as well as how to create 2D and 3D statistical models from these data. Participants will work in teams to complete exercises using various types of industry-relevant data from geothermal sites around the world such as thermal data, fluid chemistry and alteration mineralogy. In addition to exercises throughout the course, the participants will work in teams to create 2D and 3D temperature and reservoir models using geostatistical methods as capstone projects. Participants will learn to design and carry out geo- and spatial statistics and visualizations in the R, ArcGIS, and SGeMS software environments. Download the Flyer (PDF).......

Module 2: Geothermal Geophysics
Dates: 17th-21st June 2019 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Instructors: Dr. Joe Batir, Dr. David Blackwell, Karen Christopherson, and Dr. Jeff Witter

This course aims to teach geoscience and engineering students and professionals the fundamentals of geophysical techniques commonly used in geothermal exploration and resource development, specifically thermal geophysics, magnetotellurics (MT), gravity and magnetics. In addition to traditional lectures and group discussions, course participants will complete hands-on exercises throughout the week to consolidate their learning. Download the Flyer (PDF).......

• Course cost: USD 1,000 per module
• Applications from students (2 credits per module) due by 24th May 2019.
• Applications from professionals (certificate) due by 3rd June 2019. 
• Applications accepted only until course is filled (capped at 25 participants). 

Visit https://gbcge.org/education/ for course outlines and course enrollment forms, and email geothermal@unr.edu with any questions.

Italy: Enel Reports 804 MW of Geothermal Energy Capacity

Enel publishes 2018 fourth quarter and full year Group operating data report (News Release)

Enel S.p.A. published its Quarterly Bulletin, with the Group’s operating data relating to the fourth quarter and full year of 2018.

The company generated over 21% more electricity from renewables in 2018, compared with the previous year. Output from renewable energy – wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and other sources – was 98,940 gigawatt-hours last year, up from 81,696 GWh in 2017.

Geothermal accounted for 5,881 GWh in 2018 up from 5,820 GWh in 2017. 

Net installed capacity of geothermal was 804 MW of which 762 MW were located in Italy and 41 MW in South America (Cerro Pabellón geothermal power plant). 

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USA: Trump Administration Wants to Cut Budget of Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 70%

Trump Again Seeks Deep Cuts in Renewable Energy Funding (Bloomberg)

The Trump administration is again seeking severe cuts to the U.S. Energy Department division charged with renewable energy and energy efficiency research, according to a department official familiar with the plan.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy would see its $2.3 billion budget slashed by about 70 percent, to $700 million, under President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2020 budget request, which is set to be released on Monday.

The request is unlikely to be granted by Congress, especially with Democrats in charge of the House, but the figure represents an opening bargaining position for negotiations by the White House.

The Trump administration has tried to gut the program before, only to be rebuffed by Congress. Last year, the White House proposed cutting the agency’s funding by nearly two-thirds, but Congress instead provided $2.3 billion for the agency, more than three times the White House’s request.

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Bolivia: Spanish Company and Ormat Win Tender for Construction of 5 MW Sol de Mañana Geothermal Pilot Plant

Sacyr irrumpe en la generación por geotermia en alianza con el líder mundial del sector - Sacyr breaks into the geothermal generation in partnership with the world leader in the sector (Geotermia Online)

Sacyr Industrial, filial del grupo Sacyr irrumpe por primera vez en la generación de electricidad por geotermia, de la mano del líder mundial en el sector, la compañía israelí Ormat, al ganar ambos la licitación para la construcción de una planta piloto de 5 MW en el yacimiento geotérmico de Sol de Mañana (22º25´latitud y 67º45´O), situado a casi 4.980 kilómetros de altitud, cerca de la Laguna Colorada, el célebre salar Uyuni y la frontera con Chile.

(From Google Translate) Sacyr Industrial, a subsidiary of the Sacyr group, is breaking into the generation of electricity by geothermal energy for the first time, together with the world leader in the sector, the Israeli company Ormat, by together winning the tender for the construction of a 5 MW pilot plant at the Sol de Mañana geothermal field (22º25'latitude and 67º45'W), located at almost 4,980 km altitude, near the Laguna Colorada, the famous Uyuni salt flat and the border with Chile .

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

United Kingdom: Opportunity to Research Disposal of Radioactive Waste Via Geothermal Energy Co-Production

PhD in Engineering: Improving the safety and reliability of geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste via geothermal energy co-production (FindaPhD)

University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
Deadline: Wednesday, May 1, 2019

The School of Engineering of the University of Glasgow is seeking a highly motivated graduate to undertake an exciting 3.5-year PhD project entitled ‘Improving the safety and reliability of geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste via geothermal energy co-production ’ within the Systems, Power and Energy Division.

Read More.........

Nicaragua: New Well at 72 MW San Jacinto Geothermal Project Reaching a Stable State

Polaris Infrastructure Announces 2018 Year End Results (News Release)

(Courtesy Polaris Infrastructure)

Polaris Infrastructure Inc. of Toronto, Canada, has reported its audited financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Highlights include:

• Record-level annual power generation and revenue: The San Jacinto project (in Nicaragua) achieved its highest ever annual levels of power generation and revenue in 2018. Total generation at San Jacinto was 543,312 MWh (net) (an average of 62.0 MW (net)) versus generation of 490,765 MWh (net) (an average of 56.0 MW (net)) in the prior year. This increase in production drove a revenue increase of 14.5% to $68.8 million from the San Jacinto project. 
• Completion of new well, 12-5, at the San Jacinto-Tizate Power Plant: - Production well SJ 12-5 was completed in early January 2018 and successfully flow-tested later that month. SJ 12-5 was connected to the plant in March 2018. 12-5 is currently flowing at a rate of approximately 8-10 MW, which makes it one of the stronger wells in the field. As such, this was a very important milestone for the Company. It is important to note that geothermal wells take time to reach stabilization, however at approximately one year from connection, management is of the view that we are at, or very close to, reaching a stable state for the well. 

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

Greece: Government Seeks to Boost Geothermal Energy Through Regulatory Changes

Η γεωθερμία στον ενεργειακό χάρτη - Geothermal on the energy map (ΑΥΓΗ)

Σημαντική ώθηση στην ανάπτυξη του γεωθερμικού δυναμικού της χώρας, της θερμικής ενέργειας που προέρχεται από το εσωτερικό της Γης και αποτελεί ήπια και ανανεώσιμη πηγή ενέργειας, το οποίο έως σήμερα στην ουσία παραμένει αναξιοποίητο, αναμένεται να δώσουν η αλλαγή και ο εκσυγχρονισμός του σχετικού θεσμικού πλαισίου που προωθεί η κυβέρνηση.

(From Google Translate) An important boost to the development of the country's geothermal potential, the thermal energy coming from the interior of the Earth and a mild and renewable source of energy, which to date is essentially untapped, is expected to bring about the change and modernization of the relevant institutional framework the government is promoting.

Διαβάστε περισσότερα.........                   Read More.........

Germany: The First German Geothermally Heated Greenhouse

Geothermal energy is on the rise in vegetable production (Hortidaily)

The first German geothermally heated greenhouse is located in Kirchweidach [in the district of Altötting in Bavaria]; it belongs to the Steiner vegetable farm. All heating is supplied by the neighboring geothermal plant. The photovoltaic system on the roof of the operating halls offers a self-contained power supply. 

This is how vegetable cultivation can be done  regionally and climate-friendly without the use of fossil fuels. Geothermal heat is used to grow tomatoes, peppers and strawberries, reported the German Geothermal Association.

Read More........

Operations & Maintenance: Maintenance Inspection Windows in Geothermal Power Plants

How Important Are Infrared (IR) Inspection Windows at a Geothermal Energy Generation Facility? (IRISS)

Power generation plants cannot tolerate an internal electrical failure that impacts the safety and comfort of their personnel or their end-user customer base. Improved operational reliability and productivity can be achieved

By implementing a condition based maintenance program using Electrical Maintenance Safety Devices (EMSDs) to monitor, maintain and anticipate problems on their generators or on-site power distribution and power generation systems before an actual electrical component fails.

Common types of EMSDs include Maintenance Inspection Windows with Infrared or Infrared and Ultrasound capabilities, Ultrasound Ports and handheld measuring devices, Wireless Temperature Monitoring Systems and Intelligent Asset Tagging Systems. Utilizing these tools within a condition based maintenance program allows the reliability team to routinely and safely perform inspections, collect data, monitor data over time and determine if an electrical asset is starting to deteriorate. These programs allow companies to schedule downtime to fix the asset versus experiencing an unplanned outage and disrupting the lives and safety of thousands of people.

Read More........

A Geothermal Energy Generation Facility Embraces Infrared Polymer Window Inspections - A prominent geothermal energy producer in the Philippines has become a leader through the successful development and operation of numerous energy projects. Read the Case Study.........

USA: Employment in US Geothermal Energy Sector Increases

The 2019 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (Energy Futures Initiative)

Employment in the geothermal power sector increased by 599 to 8,526.

Based on a comprehensive analysis of employer data collected in the fourth quarter of 2018, the 2019 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) finds that the Traditional Energy and Energy Efficiency sectors in 2018 employed approximately 6.7 million Americans out of a workforce of approximately 147 million.

Employment in these sectors increased in 2018 by 2.3% from the previous year, adding 151,700 net new jobs, nearly 7% of all new jobs nationwide.

Employment in the geothermal power sector increased by 599 to 8,526 in 2018, an increase of 7.6%

Read More.........

India: First Geothermal Power Plant Reportedly About to Start Generating Electricity

For the first time in the country, a geothermal plant will produce 20 kW of electricity daily (GujaratSamachar)

A geothermal power project led by the Centre of Excellence for Geothermal Energy at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University is reported to be nearing completion in Dholera, Gujarat.

As reported by GujaratSamachar.com the power plant will start generating electricity in April, becoming the first geothermal power facility in India.

Read More........

Philippines: Grid Impact Study for 120 MW Kalinga Geothermal Power Project Green-Lighted

DOE okays GIS of 11 power firms (BusinessMirror)

The Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) has issued the green light to 11 power firms to proceed with the conduct of a grid impact study (GIS) on their planned power projects with over 1,200 megawatts (MW) of capacity.

A clearance for the conduct of a grid impact study is necessary for a power firm before it can proceed with the construction of its power project.

Included in the list is the 120-MW geothermal power project of Aragorn Power & Energy Corp. in Kalinga, Luzon.

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

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Monday, October 15, 2018 - Philippines: Drilling at 100 MW Kalinga Geothermal Project to Start in 2019
• Monday, August 20, 2018 - Philippines: Kalinga Geothermal Prospect "an Energy Project of National Significance"
• Monday, September 22, 2014 - Philippines: APC Group Set to Drill Two Wells in Kalinga Geothermal Prospect
• Wednesday, June 19, 2013 - Philippines: APC to Invest $300m in Geothermal Project in Kalinga Province

Science & Technology: Climeon Claims it Can Make Geothermal Power as Accessible as Wind and Solar

Swedish technology could make geothermal as mainstream as wind and solar (Quartz)

The Swedish company Climeon claims it can make geothermal power as accessible as wind and solar. Its technology can make use of low-temperature heat, which opens up economically viable geothermal power to much more of the world. And Climeon now seems poised to scale up beyond the five countries it operates in today, after the Bill Gates-backed fund Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) said on March 6 that it will provide $12.5 million in funding.

The price of electricity produced using Climeon’s technology varies based on factors like the size of the project and access to the heat source. In some cases, Climeon’s electricity-generating units have provided electricity for €40 ($45) per MWh, according to Joachim Karthäuser, the company’s chief technology officer. For context, that’s about the low end of costs for wind or solar power in Europe.

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Kenya: 165.4 MW Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant to be Commissioned in July

A peek into the heart of Kenya’s new geothermal plant (Energy Siren)

Kenya is gearing up to commission the 165.4 MW Olkaria V geothermal power plant in July. Construction work kicked off in January 2017, marking a slightly over two-year turnaround period from groundbreaking to completion.

The plant comes with two units, each with a net capacity of 82.7 MW. Each unit has its own set of turbines and generators and each turbine stands to absorb 500 tonnes of dry steam per hour at elevated temperatures of about 270 degrees Celsius, meaning the steel has to be hardened to withstand the heat.

Olkaria V plant belongs to Kenya’s largest power producer, KenGen and its construction was contracted out to a consortium of two Japanese firms, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, along with a Kenyan civil engineering firm, H Young.

Read More.........

United Kingdom: British MP in Video Boosting Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy: Britain's Forgotten Renewable (Helen Goodman, Bishop Auckland Constituency)

This #GreenGB week, we’re talking about the heat under our feet. Geothermal Energy is Britain’s forgotten renewable, but it could be a £2.5bn industry creating jobs in the UK former coalfields.

This clean and green energy industry is missing from @industrialstrategygovuk’s #CleanGrowth strategy.

Please share this video, and let’s keep Geothermal firmly on the table for current energy policy.

Indonesia: Three Day Geothermal Energy Conference in Jakarta

7th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE)

13-15 August, 2019, Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia

Geothermal Event - Call For Papers for GRC Annual Meeting - Deadline is Next Week!

GRC Annual Meeting 2019 - Call for Papers

Deadline for submission of papers is Friday, March 15th, 2019.

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has issued a call for papers for the world’s biggest annual geothermal energy conference of the year taking place September 15-18, 2019, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California, USA. The 43rd GRC Annual Meeting & Expo will highlight Geothermal: Green Energy for the Long Run - as a clean, dependable renewable energy, geothermal energy offers a long-term solution for the supply of low-carbon emission electricity.

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.

Philippines: Today is Geothermal Day...in Sorsogon Province

EDC Joins Sorsogon Climate Challenge Summit, Province Declares March 5th As Geothermal Day (Pageone)

Geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) participated in the two-day Climate Challenge Summit, which was organized by the provincial government of Sorsogon and Climate Reality Philippines. The event kicked off with a ceremonial signing declaring March 5th as the annual Geothermal Energy Day in the province. 

The Executive Order recognizes geothermal energy as the “pioneer renewable energy resource in the Philippines” which can provide a clean and reliable baseload power. Sorsogon is a province rich in geothermal resource, and it is host to EDC’s 140-MW Bacon-Manito (Bacman) Geothermal Project, which supplies power to the Luzon Grid.

Atty. Allan Barcena represented EDC and talked about how we are running out of time, with climate change catching up to us, and we must act quickly if we want to have a livable future.

“We need to limit our temperature rise to two degrees Celsius, and that’s our best-case scenario. If we reach a five-degree increase, climate scientists say this will usher in the end of human civilization,” Barcena shares in his message. “This realization led us to a brace decision to not invest in coal and provide nothing but clean, renewable, and reliable power for our future. Geothermal energy is the holy grail of RE technologies. Properly managed, it can supply clean and uninterrupted power – day or night, rain or shine.”

Read More.........

Philippines: Video on the Advantages of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy and the Philippines: A match made in heaven (Rappler)

Did you know that the Philippines used to be the second largest producer of geothermal energy? That was before we opted for a cheaper but less sustainable type of energy – coal. 

But it’s not yet too late. Since we are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, we have rich geothermal energy reserves that can power our houses and businesses. 

(Video 1:24 Minutes)

Netherlands: "Nature's Heat" District Geothermal Heating Network Warms 64 Hectares of Greenhouses

Geothermal heat is important part of fossil-free greenhouse horticulture (Floral Daily)

The companies in the Vogelaer area in Honselersdijk (Netherlands) are already using more than 80% of the heat that is generated from the geothermal well that has been in operation since 2017. And the geothermal heat project Nature's Heat in Kwintsheul and the associated heating network is heating 64 hectares of greenhouses.

Geothermal heat offers a solution towards fossil-free greenhouse horticulture. Initiators Henry Janssen (Vogelaer) and Paul van Schie (Nature's Heat) talked about their experiences with the projects during a pitch at the Fossil-free Plaza from Kas als Energiebron (Greenhouse as Energy Source) during Horticontact in Gorinchem.

Read More........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - Netherlands: 16 MWth Direct Use Geothermal Heat Greenhouse Project

Germany: Successful Production Well Drilled at Schwerin-Lankow Geothermal Project

Schweriner Geothermie: mehr & heißer - Schwerin geothermal energy: more & hotter (ZFK)

Die Stadtwerke Schwerin haben ihre erste Förderbohrung im Geothermiefeld Schwerin-Lankow abgeschlossen. Ertrag und Temperatur lagen dabei deutlich über den Erwartungen.

(From Google Translate) Stadtwerke Schwerin have completed their first production well in the Schwerin-Lankow geothermal field. Yield and temperature were well above expectations.

Weiterlesen.........                               
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USA, Nevada: GRC Member to Lecture on Geothermal Activity Around the World

Geoscience Seminar: Geothermal Journeys through New Zealand and Nevada:
Similarities and Differences in Geothermal Activity between Magmatic and Non-Magmatic Rifts

13 March, 4:00-5:15pm,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Speaker: Dr. James Faulds

Dr. Faulds is a Research Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. He is also the Director of the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and his area of expertise include Geologic mapping, Structural geology, Tectonics, Paleomagnetism and Geothermal Activity in the Great Basin, USA, and western Turkey. This event is free and open to the public.

More Information.........

Indonesia: 8th ITB International Geothermal Workshop 2019 is This Month!

Register Now for IIGW 2019!

20-21 March, 2019
8th ITB International Geothermal Workshop 2019
Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia

Workshop Agenda ~ Pre and Mid Workshop Courses ~ Field Trip ~ Field Camp ~ Registration ~ Hotels Nearby

Turkey: Opportunity to Consult on CO2 Emissions from Geothermal Power Plants

Consultancy - Characterizing the declining CO2 emissions from Turkish geothermal power plants (World Bank)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

The objective of this study is to identify the parameters that affect the rate of CO2 decline in different reservoirs in Turkey during utilization and develop a methodology to allow prediction of the average lifetime emission factors for geothermal projects in the country within defined uncertainty limits.

In this study, production data from number of geothermal fields in Turkey will be  analyzed. The study will at least analyze data from the five projects currently financed under the World Bank’s Geothermal Development Project and will ideally include further 5 to 10 projects that will be identified in partnership
with Geothermal Power Plant Investors Association (JESDER).

Interested candidates are asked to send a CV, highlighting experiences related to this assignment, and a cover letter with a brief methodology proposal to Thrainn Fridriksson at the World Bank (tfridriksson@worldbank.org) before March 15.

More Information........

Turkey: Geothermal Heat Allows Year-Round Production of Tomatoes

Turkish farmers grow tomatoes in geothermally heated greenhouse (FreshPlaza.com)

Farmers in Yozgat, a Central Anatolian city, grow truss tomatoes in geothermally heated greenhouses. Tomatoes produced in Yozgat's Bogazliyan district are consumed domestically and exported to Spain.

Due to the cold winter months, Yozgat's Bogazliyan district grow truss tomatoes in geothermally heated greenhouses. The geothermal heating is convenient because it has a low cost. The initiative started in 2014 in an area of 5,6 hectares and since then farmers produce truss tomatoes without soil. In this geothermally heated greenhouse, production takes place throughout the year.

The geothermally heated greenhouse based in Bogazliyan provide a good supply of truss tomatoes for several cities in Turkey and for Spain. In only 0,1 hectare, 50 to 60 tons of tomatoes are collected.

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Canada: Saskatchewan Greenhouses to Source Heat from Estevan Geothermal Power Plant

Geothermal to heat SK greenhouse (Greenhouse Canada)

(Courtesy DEEP)

A new geothermal power facility has been planned near Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the agricultural sector will likely benefit from it.

Led by DEEP Earth Energy Production Corporation, the energy project will open up another source of renewable energy for the province. Using existing drilling technologies from the energy sector, geothermal energy will be used to power homes and businesses year-round. Excess heat, a byproduct of geothermal power generation, will be fed to a 45-acre greenhouse for commercial use.

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Egypt: Government to Develop Map of Geothermal Energy Resources

MIIC seeks new international funds to set geothermal energy map (Daily News Egypt)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MIIC) requested the ministry of investment and international cooperation to seek new international funds to set up a geothermal energy map in Egypt, Mohamed Mousa Omran, Ministry of Electricity’s first undersecretary for Research, Planning, Authorities’ Follow-up and International Cooperation.

“We know we are a little bit late in terms of activating geothermal energy…we would like to identify the areas that possibly enjoy geothermal energy, with close collaboration with the ministry of petroleum and mineral resources,” he mentioned, affirming that his ministry coordinates with various financial institutions for the launching of new renewable energy projects.

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From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, May 16, 2017 - Egypt: Government to Support Development of Renewable Energy
• Monday, April 25, 2016 - Egypt: MoU Signed to Develop Geothermal Energy

USA: Opportunity for Geothermal Energy Sector to Advance Hydrogen Industry

Department of Energy Announces $31 Million in Funding To Advance H2@Scale (News Release)

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $31 million in funding to advance the H2@Scale concept. The focus of H2@Scale is to enable affordable and reliable large-scale hydrogen generation, transport, storage, and utilization in the United States across multiple sectors.

“Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can unite our Nation’s abundant energy resources,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. “This funding opportunity and the H2@Scale Initiative will help the Department achieve our goals of strengthening energy security, resiliency, and a strong domestic economy.”

By producing hydrogen when power generation exceeds load, electrolyzers can reduce curtailment of renewables and contribute to grid stability. Hydrogen produced from existing baseload (e.g., nuclear power) assets can also be stored, distributed, and used as a fuel for multiple applications. Such applications include transportation, stationary power, process or building heat, and industrial sectors such as steel manufacturing, ammonia production and petroleum refining. Key challenges to the H2@Scale concept include affordability, reliability, and performance of emerging hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

Concept papers are due April 8, 2019 and full applications are due May 22, 2019. More information, application requirements, and instructions can be found on the EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange web site.

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From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Thursday, October 25, 2018 - New Zealand: Japan to Cooperate on Hydrogen Production - Possibly Using Geothermal Power
• Thursday, February 8, 2018 - New Zealand: Project for Commercial Hydrogen Production using Geothermal Energy Announced
• Monday, May 4, 2015 - Japan: Project for Geothermal Power to Produce Liquid Hydrogen Begins

Sweden: Billionaires Invest in Climeon Geothermal Heat Power Modules

Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos-backed fund invests in a global geothermal energy project developer (Tech Crunch)

Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the investment firm financed by billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Jack Ma that invests in companies developing technologies to decarbonize society, is investing $12.5 million in a geothermal project development company called Baseload Capital.

Baseload Capital is a project investment firm that provides capital to develop geothermal energy power plants using technology developed by its Swedish parent company, Climeon.

The company’s modules — which stand around two meters cubed, produce 150 kilowatts of electricity, which is enough to power roughly 250 European households, according to a company spokesperson.

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Geothermal Energy News from Around the World

Global Geothermal News - Weekly Update (Geothermal Resources Council)

A round-up of this week's international geothermal energy news.......

Click on the links below to view the whole story and other news on Global Geothermal News.

Finance: Video Presentation - Geothermal Project Development Faces Several Risky Components

GEORISK Webinar on Risk assessment and Risk mitigation measures (EGEC)

Geothermal project development faces several risky components, the most important one being the resource risk. This concerns mainly deep geothermal projects, but some shallow geothermal open systems could also be included in this category of projects.  More information on the GEORISK project........

(Video 1:00:41 Hours/Minutes)

Kenya: “We expect Quantum to start construction of their [geothermal] power plant either in March or April this year” - GDC Official

GDC allays fears over 5-year delay on Sh4.2 billion project (Standard)

Geothermal Development Company (GDC) Managing Director Johnson ole Nchoe attributed the delay in the execution of the contract to challenges in getting money from Treasury. The State is fully funding the project.

“I am happy to report that after the long delays, the project is now complete and the contractor will soon hand it over to us,” he said.

There have also been fears that the project might not offer enough steam to produce the needed power. But GDC General Manager for Resource Development Cornel Ofwona dismissed the claims, saying the Menengai field had enough steam to generate 105 megawatts (MW).

Mr Ofwona said Quantum East Africa Power Limited - one of the three independent power producers (IPPs) - has secured funding from the African Development Bank to generate about 35 MW of power.

“We expect Quantum to start construction of their power plant either in March or April this year,” Ofwona said.

Quantum ESIA Report - Click Here to download the report

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From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, August 28, 2018 - Kenya: 35 MW Quantum Power Menengai Geothermal Project Construction About to Start
• Friday, June 8, 2018 - Kenya: USD 29.5 Million Loan Granted to Help Develop 35-MW Quantum Power Menengai Geothermal Power Plant
• Wednesday, May 14, 2014 - Kenya: Three Companies Selected To Construct 100 MW Menengai Geothermal Plant
• Friday, October 20, 2017 - Kenya: Tender Issued for Bank Support of Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility for Menengai Project

USA, Alaska: Call for Applications for Geothermal Exploration near Mount Spurr Volcano

Alaska inviting geothermal exploration (News Release)

Deadline for applications: 21 March, 2019

Following a request for the nomination of land for interest in geothermal exploration, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas is calling for applications for exploration near Mount Spurr volcano on the west side of Cook Inlet.

This call for applications will initiate the process to allow exploration for geothermal resources, which could result in a disposal, by either a geothermal prospecting permit or a geothermal lease. This call for applications does not constitute a final decision by the commissioner to dispose of the geothermal interest in state land; rather any disposal of geothermal resources will be preceded by a determination under AS 38.05.035(e) that the disposal is in the best interest of the state.

Call for applications (PDF)..........

From the Global Geothermal News archives:

• Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - USA, Alaska: State Set to Begin Auctioning off Geothermal Exploration Rights
• Friday, March 6, 2015 - USA, Alaska: Ormat Terminates Mount Spurr Geothermal Venture
• Monday, May 13, 2013 - USA, Alaska: Ormat says Spurr Geothermal Project Still in the Works

Switzerland: Incentives Increased for Geothermal Power Projects

Le Conseil fédéral approuve la révision de l’ordonnance sur l’énergie - Federal Council approves revision of Energy Ordinance (Geothermie-Suisse)

Système de rétribution de l’injection (SRI) pour installations géothermiques: le taux de rétribution sera relevé de 6,5 c./kWh au 1er avril 2019 car de récentes données sur les coûts montrent que les coûts d’investissement et les coûts d’exploitation et de maintenance sont globalement plus élevés pour les installations de ce type.

(From Google Translate) Injection compensation system (IRS) for geothermal plants: the rate of compensation will be raised by 6.5 cents / kWh as of April 1, 2019, as recent cost data show that investment costs and costs of operation and maintenance are generally higher for installations of this type.


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USA, Hawaii: Puna Geothermal Venture is working on “removing the plugs from the production wells"

Ormat Report Shows Puna Geothermal Gearing Up For Return (Big Island Video News)

Ormat Technologies, Inc., the parent company of Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV), has painted a picture of the facilities efforts to resume power production following the eruption of Kīlauea Volcano.

The report breaks down the work that has already been done, saying that an access road to the site has been completed, and workover rigs have been mobilized from the mainland to Hawaii. A new fresh water well has also been drilled.

Now, PGV is working on “removing the plugs from the production wells”, put in place during the eruption to prevent a blowout from lava inundation, and “mobilizing a large rig to the island to enable drilling additional wells if required.”

“Operation of Puna power plant by the end of 2019, is subject to successful results we receive from the geothermal wells and from the plant equipment,” the report notes.

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USA: Bill Would Provide a 30% Investment Tax Credit to Geothermal Projects

Grassley, Wyden offer bill to renew expired tax breaks (The Hill)

Senate Finance Committee leadership on Thursday offered a bill to renew a host of tax breaks that expired at the end of 2017 and 2018.

The legislation, from Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), comes as taxpayers seek certainty in this year's filings about the expired provisions.

Grassley and Wyden said they did not favor Congress's habit of retroactively extending the tax breaks, known as "extenders," adding that they wanted lawmakers to act promptly on their bill given the filing season is already underway.

According to Paul Thomsen, chair of the GRC Policy Committee, the bill would provide a 30% investment tax credit (ITC) to geothermal projects that have commenced construction by December 31, 2019.

Text of the bill can be found Here. A summary of the bill can be found Here.

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Global: Calendar of Geothermal Energy Events

Geothermal Energy Calendar from the Geothermal Resources Council

DAP Symposium 2019 (TU Delft) Urban Heating: Risks & Rewards - Integrating cities with geothermal energy 

12 March, Delft, Netherlands

www.dapsymposium.nl/

8th ITB International Geothermal Workshop 2019 

20-21 March, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia

http://geothermal.itb.ac.id/

2nd Meeting On Geothermal/ Thermal Uses (ATI - UGI - AIRU)

21 March, Milan, Italy
https://www.eventbrite.it/e/biglietti-2-incontro-sulla-geotermia-gli-usi-termici-51071324707

The Eighth Annual Conference for the Development and Utilization of Deep Geothermal Energy (CUGB) 

26-28 March, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
https://geothermal.org/pdfs/CUGB-Call-for-Paper-2019.docx

IGC Invest Geothermal

28 March, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
www.investgeothermal.com/

AAPG 3rd Hydrocarbon – Geothermal Cross Over Technology Workshop

9-10 April, Geneva, Switzerland
www.aapg.org/

XXVI Mexican Geothermal Association (AGM) Annual Congress

10-12 April, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
http://geotermia.org.mx/congreso-agm/

EAGE/DGMK Joint Workshop on Deep Geothermal Energy - Underground Storage of Hydrogen 

24 April, Celle, Germany
https://events.eage.org/en/2019/eage-dgmk-joint-workshop-on-deep-geothermal-energy

12th Imperial Valley Renewable Energy Summit (Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation)

24-26 April, Imperial, California, USA
www.ivedc.com/events/imperial-valley-renewable-energy-summit-2019/

39th Euroheat & Power Congress

6-8 May, Nantes, France
https://www.ehpcongress.org/

IGC Islands Geothermal Conference

15-16 May, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal
www.igc-islands.com/

EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition 2019

3-6 June, London, UK
https://events.eage.org/2019/eage-annual-2019

European Geothermal Congress 2019 (EGEC) 

11-14 June, The Hague, Netherlands
http://europeangeothermalcongress.eu/

6th Geothermal Congress for Latin America and the Caribbean (GEOLAC)

16-18 July, Santiago, Chile
http://newenergyevents.com/geolac/

7th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE)

13-15 August, Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia
http://www.iigce.com/

1st Conference on Geophysics for Geothermal and Renewable Energy Storage

8-12 September, The Hague, Netherlands
https://events.eage.org/en/2019/near-surface-2019/conferences/1st-conference-on-geophysics-for-geothermal-and-renewable-energy-storage

43rd GRC Annual Meeting & Expo

15-18 September, Palm Springs, California, USA
www.geothermal.org/meet-new.html

Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern

7-9 October, Munich, Germany
www.praxisforum-geothermie.bayern/en

IGC Turkey Geothermal Congress & Expo

6-8 November, Izmir, Turkey
https://www.igc-turkey.com/

Der Geothermiekongress 2019

19-22. November, Munich, Germany
https://www.der-geothermiekongress.de/kongress-2019/der-geothermiekongress.html

41th New Zealand Geothermal Workshop (NZGW) 

25- 27 November, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
https://nzgeothermal.org.nz/

World Geothermal Congress 2020

27 April - 1 May 2020, Reykjavik, Iceland
www.wgc2020.com/

44th GRC Annual Meeting & Expo 

18-21 October 2020, Reno, Nevada, USA
www.geothermal.org/meet-new.html