USA, Alaska:

Geothermal Mapped in State Report
(Juneau Empire)

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys recently released a 144-page report detailing the geothermal and fossil fuel resources available to Alaska communities.

Southeast Alaska has the second highest geothermal prospectivity in the state.

Bell Island has thermal springs currently used to heat the main lodge and several cabins at the Bell Island fishing resort. Bailey Bay hot springs, 50 miles north of Ketchikan, has the highest measured surface discharge temperature in the Southeast, according to the report. The site has an estimated reservoir temperature of 302F. Tenakee Inlet thermal spring, located north of Tenakee Village on Chichagof Island, has a measured surface temperature of 176F.

“The Survey report evaluates natural gas, coal and geothermal resources throughout Alaska that may exist in sufficient quantities to provide local energy, using existing technology,” according to a DGGS report summary.

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Opinion:

Closing the Geothermal Loop
(Alternative Energy Stocks)
by Debra Fiakas CFA

 
In the article “Is Ormat Technologies Misunderstood?”, I outlined a few performance measurement issues, but left out of the story Ormat’s position in the relative position in the geothermal industry. Naturally I received comments from readers about why I made no comparison of Ormat to Calpine Corporation, the largest U.S. generator of electrical power using geothermal sources. 

On a go-forward basis Calpine shares are valued about the same as Ormat Technologies, Inc., at least on the basis of projected earnings per share. However, besides simply being a larger company with greater longevity in the power generation market, Calpine offers a significantly higher dividend yield and benefits from a sturdier balance sheet. There are other differences.

Read More......

USA, Colorado:

3rd Annual Generation Geo Conference & Expo

September 27 - 28, 2012

Sheraton Denver West Hotel

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) offer a unique set of benefits for heating and cooling the built environment that no other technology can match. Generation Geo will showcase their advantages and explore the business case, the technology, applications, policies and market trends that are positioning GHPs for a higher level of adoption in the Rocky Mountain region. Note: Select the registration category "Partner Special Rate" and enter the code: GG12PART to receive discounted rates.

USA, Wyoming:

Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) May be Sold to Industry (Wyoming Business Report)

The historic Teapot Dome Oilfield—also known as Naval Petroleum Reserve #3 (NPR3) and most recently as the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) — will likely close as a U.S. Department of Energy facility. Budget restrictions have stopped using federal dollars to partially fund experimental projects, such as EGS drilling, at RMOTC and oil production doesn't pay the bills.

The field brings in about $4 million a year in revenues from oil sales and has two missions. First is oil production; the second is testing new equipment and techniques, such as use of the field's geothermal resources.

Teapot Dome is is unique because there are no spacing orders or communitization/unitization agreements. "Since the government owns everything within the 9,800 acres we can pretty much operate as we want, although we work closely with the Wyoming State Oil and Gas Conservation Commission," Clarke Turner, director of RMOTC said.

"We have a great geothermal resource — 190 degree water from the Ten Sleep Formation — that could be used in low temperature electrical generators to produce energy that could run some of the systems," Turner said.

Read More......

USA, Arizona:

Geothermal Power Helps Arizona Utility Lower Proposed Rate Hike (Phoenix Business Journal)

Arizona utility Salt River Project (SRP) announced Monday it has reduced the proposed rate increase that its board of directors will vote on later this month.

Salt River Project stated in a press release that the new proposed increase would be an average 3.9 percent above what electric users pay now. The original proposal – made early this summer – was for an average increase of 4.8 percent.

The decrease in the proposed price change came about because SRP plans to sell some of its energy output from the Hudson Ranch Geothermal Plant (John L. Featherstone Plant) in Southern California’s Imperial Valley, Chief Financial Executive Aidan McSheffrey stated in the release. The purchase will reduce by $9.1 million SRP’s expenses for its Environmental Programs Cost Adjustment Factor in fiscal year 2013 and $14.7 million in fiscal year 2014.
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USA, California:

EPA Maps Thousands of California Renewable Energy Sites (KCET)

Renewable energy enthusiasts concerned about damage to habitat from renewable energy development have been saying for a few years that there's plenty of disturbed and damaged land on which we could be building our solar, wind and geothermal facilities instead. And now, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is backing them up.

The EPA, through its Repowering America's Lands initiative, has been diligently cataloguing parcels of land that are damaged, contaminated, or otherwise without much ecological value, but potentially suitable for renewable energy development. With help from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), they've put their California sites database into map form as the just-launched Renewable Energy Siting Tool, with 11,000-plus sites listed in a map layer viewable with Google Earth.

Among the thousands of sites, some as small as an acre or two of urban vacant lot, are 75 places the EPA has determined to be "high priority" sites for development of utility-scale renewable energy including 21 for geothermal development.

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USA, California:

2013 Stanford Geothermal Workshop Invites Abstract Submissions

Abstract submissions can now be made to the 2013 Stanford Geothermal Workshop. Abstract submissions will close on Saturday 20th October.

~ Submit an abstract      

~ Author instructions Listing of Main Themes 

The 2013 Stanford Geothermal Workshop will be held February 11-13, 2013 at Stanford University, California.

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

Kenya:

USA, California:

Lithium Extraction in Geothermal Technologies Bill Now Law  (MRO - news release)

Hudson Ranch I, near the prolific Salton Sea in Imperial Valley, Calif., 
is the location of EnergySource's geothermal plant and Simbol Materials' 
first commercial and demonstration plant. (Photo: Business Wire)

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law on Friday Assembly Bill 2205, which clears the way for a new, revolutionary materials industry in California.

AB 2205, authored by Assembly Member V. Manuel Pérez (D-Coachella) and co-authored by Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro), brings state regulation up to speed with innovative new technology to sustainably produce lithium, manganese, and other materials vital to clean energy and the modern economy from the mineral rich geothermal brines located in California.

Simbol Materials has pioneered this transformative new technology that leverages a geothermal power plant to extract materials from geothermal brines. The technology also uses excess steam, waste water, and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the geothermal power plant, setting a new standard in sustainability and competitiveness for materials production.

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USA, Idaho:

ISU geologists say SE Idaho has massive geothermal potential (Idaho8.com)

Geologists at Idaho State University (ISU) say there's a major untapped resource under southeast Idaho. ISU researchers said the region is home to one of the hottest geothermal systems in the world.

"Idaho is looked at by people in the geothermal industry with sort of saliva in their mouths,” research geologist John Welhan said.

Geologists said the hot rocks underground could provide power more cheaply and with less pollution than oil, coal, or natural gas.

"Then you move to geothermal where there's relatively little infrastructure needed for it. There's no big gas clouds or pollution plumes produced by these situations. And it's a really neat idea,” geology grad student Michael Ginsbach said.

Read More.....(VIDEO: 2:02 minutes)

Chile, Philippines:

Chile, Philippines Eye Partnership in Geothermal Energy (GMA News)

The Philippines and Chile are eyeing a “partnership” in geothermal energy, with both countries wishing to learn more about each other’s best practices.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario said the topics were taken up in bilateral talks between President Benigno Aquino III and Chilean counterpart Sebastian Piñera on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok in Russia.

“We are also looking into the possibility of going into a geothermal partnership, the Philippines being No. 2 in geothermal in the world. Chile is very interested in learning from the Philippines and possibly having the Philippines invest in geothermal undertakings in Chile,” Del Rosario said in a media briefing aired on government-run dzRB radio.

Read More.....

Australia:

Geodynamics Completes Habanero 4 
(4-traders- News Release)

Drill pipe racked in foreground of

Rig 100 (Courtesy Geodynamics)

Geodynamics Limited, operator of the Innamincka Deeps Joint Venture, has announced that the Habanero 4 completion has been run and Rig 100 was released at 12:30pm (AEST) on Saturday 8 September.

With the completion of Habanero 4 drilling activities, Geodynamics will return to issuing milestone announcements as the testing and stimulation program progresses.

Read More.....

USA, California:

Geysers Geothermal Visitors Center Officially Reopens (Lake County News)

Mike Rodgers, Senior Vice 
President and President of Power 
Operations at The Geysers

Amidst a throng of scientists and experts in geothermal power production, Calpine reopened The Geysers Geothermal Visitors Center on Thursday.

Approximately 40 people attended the grand reopening, including geothermal representatives, local officials and business leaders.

During the event geothermal experts spoke on geothermal production and gave a walk through of the newly remodeled facility in Middletown.

The Geysers is the world’s largest geothermal production facility.

Mike Rogers, Calpine’s senior vice president of the geothermal region, described the geothermal fields below the area straddling the Lake and Sonoma County line as “a phenomenal resource.”

The new exhibition room is filled with interactive learning tools to help demystify the science of geothermal power production and give visitors a greater understanding of Lake County’s role in energy production.

The visitor’s center, located at 15500 Central Park Road in Middletown, is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (VIDEO: 4:38 minutes)

Read More.......

Ukraine:

Direct Use Geothermal Facility to be Built in Western Ukraine (Kyiv Post)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Limited liability company Geothermal (Ivano-Frankivsk) plans to realize an investment project on the construction of a geothermal facility in the western Ukraine city of Ivano-Frankivsk to obtain alternative sources of energy for housing and utilities.

"No one was interested in the issue until today in Ukraine. In Ivano-Frankivsk there could be the first experimental facility in Ukraine," Geothermal Director Viktor Shevchuk said at a session of Ivano-Frankivsk city council on September 6, 2012.

He said that on the territory of the city there is a geothermal water layer 3.5 kilometers deep, and its temperature reaches 85-87 centigrade.

Read More......

Kenya:

Jomo Kenyatta University Students Visit Olkaria II Geothermal Power Plant (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology)

Students pose for a photograph during
the visit to Olkaria power plant.
(Courtesy Jomo Kenyatta University)  

On 31st July 2012 the 5th year Mechanical Engineering students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology visited Olkaria II power plant which generates about 105MWe with 3 turbines of 35MWe each. The visit was organized under the power plant engineering course which students undertake to understand the geothermal resource utilization and relate the theory to practice.

Read More......

Global:

Geothermal Photo Excellence to be Showcased at the GRC 2012 Annual Meeting (Renewable Energy World)

Steam plume at Tolhuaca 

(Courtesy Anna Colvin)

Read More......             Check out the entries on GRC's Flicker account........

Technology; UK, Scotland:

Flooded mines could supply 40% of Glasgow's heating, say geologists (The Guardian)

(Courtesy British Geological Survey)

Homes and offices in Glasgow could be warmed by water pumped from far underground after geologists surveyed a vast network of old mine shafts beneath the Scottish city.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) mapped the mine workings to help developers identify pools of warm, subterranean water that could be used as a source of heat for homes and businesses.

At the British Science Festival in Aberdeen on Thursday, BGS scientists unveiled 3D maps that showed groundwater could be tapped from a flooded network of disused coalmines.

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Technology; USA, California:

Surprise Valley: A Valley of Surprises (Scientific American)

Location map 

(Courtesy Scientific American)

The Surprise Valley field expedition to map the underground faults and fractures in Surprise Valley, California using SIERRA, is using a small aircraft capable of flying without a pilot on board, or unmanned aerial system (UAS). Faults and fractures generate distinct magnetic patterns,or anomalies. Geophysicists can look at a set of magnetic readings for a region and readily distinguish those representing these subsurface features from those that don’t.

The feature that the team is most curious about appears on their maps as a magnetic anomaly stretching over 30 kilometers through the valley, which they detected during earlier ground-based surveys of Surprise Valley. Unlike the corrugated Surprise Valley Fault, which meanders along the base of the Warner Mountain Range, this feature runs an almost perfectly straight course. It also coincides with a number of major hot springs, suggesting that it plays an important role in the system of channels and pores the circulate fluid through the hot springs, or the geothermal system, of the valley.

Read More.....

USA:

GCube Secures $175M Biomass & Geothermal Capacity (Melodika.net -News Release)

GCube, the leading provider of insurance for the renewable energy industry, has secured $175 million in additional construction underwriting capacity to assist the development and evolution of the international biomass and geothermal energy markets.

The new capacity marks a major milestone for the insurance market's appetite to have a dedicated approach for these key sectors and helps to safeguard future energy project development and innovation.

The GCube underwriting capacity agreement marks the first significant investment in resources and capacity made by an insurer in the biomass and geothermal sectors of renewable energy. It also reflects the increased ambitions of key biomass developers now operating in the North American market.

Read More.....

Mexico:

Mitsubishi Receives Order to Build Los Azufres III Power Station  (MarketWatch - News Release)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), jointly with Mitsubishi Corporation, has received a full turnkey order from Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) of Mexico to build a 50 MWe geothermal power generation plant at its Los Azufres III power station. The power plant, which is slated for completion in December 2014, represents the 12th geothermal power plant to be supplied by MHI to Mexico.

The Los Azufres III power station is to be located in Michoacan, approximately 250 kilometers west of Mexico City, the capital. In this plant construction project, MHI will be responsible for engineering, manufacture, procurement and installation of major components, including the steam turbine, and balance of plant (BOP), as well as civil engineering work. The generator will be supplied by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

Read More....

Peru:

EDC decides not to pursue project in Chocopata, Peru (Business Mirror)

Energy Development Corp. (EDC) of the Philippines, said on Thursday it will not proceed with the Chocopata geothermal project in Peru.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, EDC said it will still proceed with other opportunities in Peru—in joint venture agreement with Hot Rock Ltd. of Australia. EDC said they have made the decision not to pursue the Chocopata project based on the results of the initial geoscientific surveys.

Read More.....

USA, California:

Geothermal Heat Pumps in California Gets Legislative Boost (Contracting Business)

California AB 2339 - Energy: geothermal technologies (Williams/V.M. Perez) passed in the Senate on Aug. 28 with a 36-0 vote then returned to the Assembly the following day where it also passed unanimously with a 79-0 vote. The bill requires the California Energy Commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, the Air Resources Board and other stakeholders, to evaluate and recommend policies for overcoming barriers to expanded use of geothermal heat pumps in the Golden State.

Read More.....

Global:

1,000 Stories Published!

Since its debut on December 21, 2011, Global Geothermal News has published 1,000 posts to the world-wide web. Along the way the blog won an Award of Excellence in the Green Electronic Media section of the APEX 2012 awards.

Thanks to all our readers and contributors. Thanks for making Global Geothermal News the trusted source for geothermal news from around the world.

Global:

Last Day for Discounted Hotel Room Rates for GRC 2012 Annual Meeting

Discounted hotel room rates for world's largest annual gathering of the geothermal community expires at midnight Pacific Time tonight. Book your room at the Peppermill now!

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), the world's premier geothermal association, reminds attendees that discounted room rates for its upcoming Annual Meeting will expire at midnight tonight, PST.

Members and non-members can book their rooms online to attend the 36th GRC Annual Meeting themed “Geothermal: Reliable, Renewable, Global,” Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2012, at the Peppermill Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada, USA.

Kenya:

The First Geothermal Menengai Half Marathon Race (Nakuru County Newspaper)

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has launched the inaugural Geothermal Menengai Half Marathon race which will take place on Sunday November 11, 2012.

According to the general manager of GDC Dr Peter Omenda, the company aims to give budding athletes an opportunity to explore their skills and power. He further promised to make it an annual event so that great world beaters can be born out of Nakuru County yearly.

USA:

Evolution of Democrats' Platform on Energy (Reuters)

The U.S. Democratic party has restated its commitment to boost clean energy in the party platform it will approve on Tuesday at the 2012 party convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

But compared to its 2008 party platform, the 2012 version, called Moving America Forward, offers more restrained statements about the urgency of addressing climate change and shifts the party's energy strategy away from going "green" toward an "all-of-the-above" approach, a phrase also used in the Republican's 2012 platform.

The new platform acknowledged the important role the shale supply will play, saying it has ushered in "a new era of cheap, abundant natural gas" which "is helping to bring jobs and industry back to the United States."

The Democrats borrowed a phrase that has been used by Republicans to explain that the U.S. will need to take an "all-of-the-above" approach to developing the country's abundant resources, from renewables to "nuclear, oil, clean coal and natural gas."

Read More.......

Technology:

Using Bacteria to Eliminate Geothermal Waste (Stuff.co.nz)

Contact Energy's new facility near 

Taupo. (Courtesy Waikato Times)

Bacteria that dine out on toxic waste are being used to consume hydrogen sulphide from the Wairakei geothermal power station in a unique environmental project.

Since the power plant was built in the late 1950s it has drawn water from the Waikato River to be used as a coolant before pumping the water back into the river. The only catch was it picked up hydrogen sulphide from the geothermal steam.

Studies show that hydrogen sulphide damaged the aquatic environment and it was likely the Wairakei discharge was having an impact on the Waikato River ecosystem and nearby lakes.

The Waikato Regional Council indicated in the early 2000s that the situation would soon change and the new consent conditions kicked in this August.

The bioreactor uses sulphur oxidising bacteria, that grow naturally in the river, to remove the contaminant from the power station's cooling water as it flows through five banks of piping.

Read More.....

Australia:

Petratherm invited to apply for A$13M in funding for South Australian geothermal project (MENAFN - ProactiveInvestors - Australia)

Petratherm has been given the opportunity to apply for government funding for about half the cost, or A$13 million, of the next stage of work at its Paralana geothermal project in South Australia.

This involves the drilling and fracture stimulation of the Paralana-3 deep well and the demonstration of economic flows between the Paralana 2 & 3 deep wells.

A successful demonstration will prove Petratherm's ability to supply electricity, initially to the nearby market of Beverley Uranium Mine

Read More......

USA, California:

California Rekindles Geothermal Focus Amid Industry Uncertainty (SustainableBusiness.com)

The wind industry isn't the only one experiencing a development slowdown related to the expiration of a key federal tax credit.

Geothermal developers face a similar challenge with the end of 2013 as a deadline, but several Western states including California and Oregon are attempting to rekindle activity.

Read More.....

Indonesia:

Indonesia Increases Price of Renewable Energies for Electricity (Jakarta Globe)

The government has announced it will raise the price of three types of renewable energies for electricity needs, including geothermal, saying the move is necessary to encourage Indonesia's overall renewable energy production.

Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Rudi Rubiandini announced in Jakarta on Wednesday that state electricity firm PLN must now pay more for electricity produced by geothermal, biomass and hydro power plants.

The price of geothermal electricity is now up to between 10 and 18.5 US cents per kilowatt-hour from the previous 9 cents per kWh.

Read More.....

USA, Idaho:

U.S. Geothermal to develop two geothermal projects in U.S., Guatemala (Power Engineering Magazine)

San Emidio geothermal project
February 3, 2012
(Courtesy U.S. Geothermal)

U.S. Geothermal said its development team will focus on two projects due to the “current weakened market” for renewables in the U.S.: Unit II at the San Emidio geothermal project in Nevada and the El Ciebello steam geothermal project in Guatemala.

U.S. Geothermal will add the second unit at San Emidio under the existing power purchase and transmission agreement. The company said it must complete long-term financing for the 8.6 MWe Unit I before it can secure financing for Unit II. Engineering, procurement and construction contractor TAS Energy Inc. began performance testing on Unit I in May.

The company holds geothermal energy rights to 100 sq. km. (38.6 sq. miles) adjacent to Guatemala City. El Ciebello is a planned 25 MWe steam power plant.

USA, Montana:

Montana Geothermal Energy Guide Now Available (PDF)

A new guide to developing Montana’s geothermal resources has been published by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The guidebook, titled "Geothermal Energy in Montana—A Consumer’s Guide," (PDF) provides an overview of Montana’s geothermal resources, permitting requirements for development, and existing and potential geothermal energy uses in the state.

To download a free copy of the publication, visit DEQ’s Montana Geothermal Website or call 406-841-5200 to request a hard copy.

Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda:

The Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility – Announcement of Pre-application Information Workshop

The Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF) would kindly invite interested project developers and project financiers to a pre-application information workshop considering financial support for geothermal projects in Eastern Africa.

11th October, African Union Compound, Roosevelt Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. ~ Agenda

Objectives:

• to introduce the GRMF programme to potential applicants and interested parties 
• to provide a comprehensive overview of the whole application procedure 
• to explain the Request for Expression of Interest (EoI) and the related submission form

Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda:

New Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF) Webpage

www.grmf-eastafrica.org

The Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF) for Eastern Africa has announced an official website.

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund via KfW Entwicklungsbank (KfW) established the Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF) to fund geothermal development in East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda).

USA, Idaho:

US Geothermal issues annual letter to stockholders (PDF)

U.S. Geothermal Inc., has provided an update of construction work for the new 22 net MWe, air cooled power plant at Neal Hot Springs, located in Malheur County, Oregon and the newly completed 8.6 net MW, water cooled power plant at San Emidio Unit I located in Washoe County, Nevada.

Read More.....

Australia:

Geodynamics forms geothermal joint venture in Australia (Recharge - News Release)

Geodynamics has formed a joint venture with Gulkula Mining Company to investigate a direct-heat geothermal project in Gove Peninsula, in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The venture will consider the potential for high-heat-producing granite formations to deliver energy to the Rio Tinto-owned Pacific Aluminium alumina refinery, next to the geothermal resource.

Connection to a geothermal heat source could allow Pacific Aluminium to reduce fuel-oil consumption and lower its carbon footprint.

The granite formations being investigated by the joint venture are shallower and lower in temperature than the formations Geodynamics has been developing at Innamincka in the Cooper Basin, South Australia.

Read More.....

Kenya:

AfDB Regional Director Visits Menengai Geothermal Project (AllAfrica.com)

Mr. Gabriel Negatu, African Development Bank (AfDB)'s Regional Director in charge of the East African Regional Centre (EARC), paid an official visit to the Bank-funded Menengai geothermal site in Kenya's Rift Valley last Friday. The 400 MWe project will cost approximately US $488 million, with the AfDB providing US $120 million, and is expected to increase the country's installed capacity by almost 30 per cent.

Read More.....

USA, Hawai'i:

Geothermal drilling at night on Hawaii mulled (Hawaii Tribune-Herald)

The Hawaii County Council will discuss a new geothermal bill next week, this time regarding well drilling at night.

The bill will be discussed during the Agriculture, Water and Energy Sustainability Committee. The committee is scheduled to meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, who is introducing the bill, said recent well drilling at Puna Geothermal Venture has been disruptive to nearby residents since it occurred during both day and night hours.

Read More.....

Global:

Reunión Anual GRC 2012 (Piensa en Geotermia)

Bajo el título “Geotermia: Fiable, Global, Renovable” el Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) celebrará su reunión anual desde los días 30 de septiembre hasta el 3 de octubre del 2012, en el Peppermill Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada.

La Reunión Anual del GRC cumple su año 36. El cometido de todos estos actos es unir a las voces y mentes más destacadas de la industria geotérmica procedentes de todos los rincones del globo. Diseñada para fomentar las oportunidades, creación de redes, negocios y educación para todos los asistentes.

Global:

Last Day for Early Bird Rates for GRC 2012 Annual Meeting (Renewable Energy World - News Release)

Early Bird registration for world's largest annual gathering of the geothermal community expires at midnight Pacific Time tonight. Registration includes entry to the GEA Energy Expo.

The Peppermill Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada, USA

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), the world's premier geothermal association, reminds attendees that Early Bird registration for its upcoming Annual Meeting will expire at midnight tonight, PST.

Members and non-members can register online to attend the 36th GRC Annual Meeting themed “Geothermal: Reliable, Renewable, Global,” Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2012, at the Peppermill Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada, USA.

Read More.....

Technology:

Going Deep for the Heat - A Norwegian Perspective (GeoExPro)

Geothermal energy is becoming an increasingly hot topic. Recent research suggests that even areas outside ‘high-temperature fields’ may be sufficiently warm to generate electricity.

The drilling rig at the 3,900m deep
Kirchweidach borehole in southern
Germany is capable of reaching 5,000m.
(Courtesy GeoExPro)

Beneath our feet there are rich reserves of heat and energy stored in rocks and groundwater. On average, with increasing depth, the temperature increases by around 3°C per 100m. In the upper surface layers the heat in the ground comes from the sun. A number of quantitative models from geothermal low activity areas (i.e. on stable platforms outside tectonic and volcanically active areas) show that at shallow depths down to a few hundred meters, mean annual surface temperature is the main factor controlling subsurface temperature. Geological variation in the underground, such as heat flow, heat production and thermal conductivity, first become significant around 1,000m and deeper below the surface.

Read More......

Japan:

Japanese Minster Wants to Boost Geothermal Power (The Japan Times)

Environment Minister Goshi Hosono released a new strategy Friday to boost geothermal power generation capacity by more than seven-fold by 2030 to help make it possible to eliminate all nuclear power plants.

Announcing the promotion strategy after the day's Cabinet meeting, Hosono said his ministry plans to increase the combined annual capacity of electricity generation using offshore wind, geothermal, biomass and tidal power sources to as much as 19410 MWe by 2030, compared with 2960 MWe in fiscal 2010.

Specific targets were set at 3880 MWe for geothermal power. In fiscal 2010, geothermal power generation totaled 530 MWe.

Read More.....

Philippines:

EDC Eyeing 335 MWe Additional Capacity (Manila Bulletin)

From its reigning installed geothermal capacity of 1,130 MWe, Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is targeting to set on stream additional 335 MWe to further expand its portfolio.

EDC senior vice president Agnes de Jesus has indicated in a recently-concluded Renewable Energy Forum that of the targeted future geothermal capacity, about 125 MWe will likely be on-line by 2016.

Read More.....

Costa Rica:

The Way Forward for Renewable Energy in Central America - Workshop (InvestorIdeas.com - News Release)

The Worldwatch Institute and the INCAE Business School's Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (CLACDS) are co-hosting a workshop on "The Way Forward for Renewable Energy in Central America" in Alajuela, Costa Rica on September 3.

The participative dialogues aim to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences among a select group of experts from regional institutions, civil society organizations, energy sector companies, and government agencies. The workshops will focus on the role of renewable technologies, including geothermal, in broadening access to modern energy services and achieving regional development goals. 

Read more.....

USA:

Outlook for Geothermal Projects in USA (SNL Financial)

There are a growing number of geothermal power developments in the U.S. and there are a number of reasons why these developments are so attractive. For starters, geothermal plants do not rely on the combustion of fossil fuels to create steam, so the amount of emissions created relative to power produced is very low. The lack of dependency on fossil fuels also means that geothermal plants are shielded from the variability of fuel costs.

Read More.....

New Zealand:

New Zealand Students Develop World-first Geothermal Video Computer Game (infonews.co.nz)

UC student Jacqueline Dohaney 

(Courtesy: University of Canterbury)  

Two University of Canterbury (UC) PhD students are fine turning their world-first geothermal computer game in preparation for the international serious games showcase and challenge at Orlando, Florida, in December.

They will be pitting their skills against the best from around the world using a computer game, Geothermal World; they have designed, with the help of Mighty River Power funding. It is believed to be the only free roaming 3D geothermal video computer game in the world.

``Geothermal World is designed to effectively teach students how to characterise or describe a natural geothermal site. They achieve this by exploring geothermal hot springs, making observations, recording these in a geologic notebook and taking photographs of the location.''

Read More.....

Vietnam:

Vietnamese Quang Ngai Geothermal Project To Commence by The End of 2012 (Cross posted from ThinkGeoEnergy)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Vietnam is expected to see the start of development of its first geothermal power plant project in Quang Ngai province later this year. The project owner is PetroVietnam, with Ormat Technologies chosen as supplier of the power plant technologies.

Read More.....

Iceland, Ethiopia:

Reykjavik Geothermal Planning 300 Mw Power Plant Project in Ethiopia (Cross posted from ThinkGeoEnergy)

Gudmundur Thoroddsson

CEO, Reykjavik Geothermal

Icelandic Reykjavik Geothermal has raised the necessary investment to start a 300 MW geothermal power plant project at Corbetti in Ethiopia, the company’s CEO, Gudmundur Thoroddsson announced in a recent interview.

The company also has two smaller projects in development in India with a local partner called Thermax. These projects are really pilot projects for geothermal development in India, located at the ocean side close to Mumbai and the other one in the mountainous area of Kashmir.

Read More......

USA:

Alternative Energy gets a Qualified Vote of Confidence in U.S. Republican Party Platform (Science Now)

Alternative Energy got a nod in the 2012 Republican Party Platform approved yesterday at the GOP’s national convention in Tampa, Florida.

The 2008 platform insisted that "alternate power sources must enter the mainstream," and called for tax and other policies to speed the development of non-fossil fuels and electricity sources. The 2012 version says Republicans "encourage the cost-effective development of renewable energy, but the taxpayers should not serve as venture capitalists for risky endeavors. It is important to create a pathway toward a market-based approach for renewable energy sources and to aggressively develop alternative sources for electricity generation such as wind, hydro, solar, biomass, geothermal, and tidal energy."

The platform criticizes Obama for using "taxpayer dollars to pick winners and losers in the energy sector while publicly threatening to bankrupt anyone who builds a new coal-fired plant." It declares that Obama "has stopped the Keystone XL Pipeline" and "has wasted billions of taxpayers’ dollars by subsidizing favored companies like Solyndra, which generated bankruptcies rather than kilowatts." In contrast, the platform says, a Romney Administration "will not pick winners and losers in the energy marketplace. Instead, we will let the free market and the public’s preferences determine the industry outcomes. In assessing the various sources of potential energy, Republicans advocate an all-of-the-above diversified approach, taking advantage of all our American God-given resources. That is the best way to advance North American energy independence."

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Australia:

Research and Markets: Analyzing Geothermal Power in Australia 2012 (Business Wire)

Australia continues to make modest use of its geothermal energy resources. The country's geothermal industry is currently in the exploration phase and is yet to start commercial scale production from geothermal resources. The geothermal production capacity is expected to increase by over 0.075 GW by 2022.

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