Geothermal, the third leg of the energy triad

Old Rocks

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Oct 31, 2008
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https://mitei.mit.edu/system/files/geothermal-energy-full.pdf

Findings: Geothermal energy from EGS represents a large, indigenous resource that can provide base-load electric power and heat at a level that can have a major impact on the United States, while incurring minimal environmental impacts. With a reasonable investment in R&D, EGS could provide 100 GWe or more of cost-competitive generating capacity in the next 50 years. Further, EGS provides a secure source of power for the long term that would help protect America against economic instabilities resulting from fuel price fluctuations or supply disruptions. Most of the key technical requirements to make EGS work economically over a wide area of the country are in effect, with remaining goals easily within reach. This achievement could provide performance verification at a commercial scale within a 10- to 15-year period nationwide. In spite of its enormous potential, the geothermal option for the United States has been largely ignored. In the short term, R&D funding levels and government policies and incentives have not favored growth of U.S. geothermal capacity from conventional, high-grade hydrothermal resources. Because of limited R&D support of EGS in the United States, field testing and supporting applied geoscience and engineering research has been lacking for more than a decade. Because of this lack of support, EGS technology development and demonstration recently has advanced only outside the United States with accompanying limited technology transfer. This has led to the perception that
insurmountable technical problems or limitations exist for EGS. However, in our detailed review of international field-testing data so far, the panel did not uncover any major barriers or limitations to the technology. In fact, we found that significant progress has been achieved in recent tests carried out at Soultz, France, under European Union (EU) sponsorship; and in Australia, under largely private sponsorship. For example, at Soultz, a connected reservoir-well system with an active volume of more than 2 km3 at depths from 4 to 5 km has been created and tested at fluid production rates within a factor of 2 to 3 of initial commercial goals. Such progress leads us to be optimistic about achieving commercial viability in the United States in a next phase of testing, if a national-scale program is supported properly. Specific findings include:

An in depth study from MIT. It does not get much better than that.
 
Geothermal Maps | Department of Energy

The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) carries out R&D and demonstration efforts to deploy 12 GWe of clean geothermal energy by 2020 and expand geothermal into new U.S. regions.

Locating and developing resources is an important part of that mission. GTO works with national laboratories to develop maps and data that identify renewable, geothermal resources, possible locations for implementation of various geothermal technologies, and actual and potential geothermal power generation sites.

The maps below were developed by National Laboratories, universities and other organizations.

More information.
 
http://geo-energy.org/events/2014 Annual US & Global Geothermal Power Production Report Final.pdf

Executive Summary The international geothermal power market is booming, growing at a sustained rate of 4% to 5%. Almost 700 geothermal projects are under development in 76 countries. Many countries anticipating the threats caused by climate change realize the values of geothermal power as a baseload and sometimes flexible source of renewable energy. These counties are on every continent and range from small island nations to large developed economies like China or the United States. In contrast to the global market, in 2013 the U.S. market was a quieter place to do business. Despite lackluster growth over the past year, this trend is not expected to continue. New initiatives in Nevada, California, and Oregon could promise substantial increases in geothermal power over the next decade. For example, the Salton Sea Resource Area could be a significant source of growth for the U.S. geothermal power industry if several policy barriers are overcome in the near term. The Imperial Irrigation District has pledged to build up to 1,700 MW of geothermal power by the early 2030s at the Salton Sea. If successful, this initiative could increase the nameplate capacity of the U.S. by 50% over the next 20 years. In addition Public Utility Commissions in Nevada and Oregon recently created potentially beneficial opportunities for geothermal power while state assemblies in Washington and New Mexico have clarified confusing legislation.

This will be the next big growth area in renewable power.
 
That study is 10 Years Old

This is the Future! Where is the new Geothermal!

Again, more bull crap science from another government grant funded study.

IF ONLY THE PUBLIC COULD PAY MORE TAXES FOR MORE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Show us the real life application of Geothermal success, studies are pretty much useless propaganda tools, all a study is used for is to get the public to pay for things to fail.
 
Geothermal Maps | Department of Energy

The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) carries out R&D and demonstration efforts to deploy 12 GWe of clean geothermal energy by 2020 and expand geothermal into new U.S. regions.

Locating and developing resources is an important part of that mission. GTO works with national laboratories to develop maps and data that identify renewable, geothermal resources, possible locations for implementation of various geothermal technologies, and actual and potential geothermal power generation sites.

The maps below were developed by National Laboratories, universities and other organizations.

More information.
Colored maps showing the entire USA as being commercially viable for Geothermal yet where are these commercial geothermal power plants succeeding? Where are they being built.
 
http://geo-energy.org/events/2014 Annual US & Global Geothermal Power Production Report Final.pdf

Some countries are growing so quickly there could be a time in the near future when the United States is no longer the world leader in geothermal power, despite its vast supply of geothermal resources. For example, the U.S. has about 1,000 MW in the pipeline and 3,400 MW nameplate capacity for a total of 4,400 MW. Meanwhile, Indonesia has 4,400 MW (Figure 2) of planned capacity additions announced in the pipeline alone. Although, it is unlikely all of these projects will come to fruition quickly since Indonesia is struggling with a number of bureaucratic barriers hindering development, such as permitting and land acquisition problems. There could be a time in the near future where countries passionate about geothermal power and comparable geothermal reservoirs are close competitors for the title of most nameplate capacity.

Actually drove by one new plant near Vale, Oregon. Going to be many more built over the next few decades.
 
US Geothermal Inc | Projects

In Depth

Neal Hot Springs is located in Eastern Oregon near the town of Vale, the county seat of Malheur County. An annual average 22 net megawatt power plant, consisting of three separate, 7.33 net megawatt modules, has been constructed and is undergoing commissioning. The facility achieved commercial operation under the terms of the power purchase agreement on November 16, 2012. Turbine upgrades made during April and May reduced plant and unit availability during the quarter with 38 days lost by individual modules attributable to this work. Overall plant availability was 72.2%. Additionally, two months of the quarter (April and May) have reduced power price under the terms of the PPA, and unusually high temperatures adversely impacted power generation. Generation from the facility during the second quarter of 2013 totaled 30,015 megawatt-hours. On June 27, 2013, the Company accepted substantial completion by the EPC contractor of all three of the Neal Hot Springs units.

Oregon has vast potential for Geothermal. Wind, hydro, solar, and geothermal can make Oregon a energy powerhouse.
 
We can see the government provides endless reports, but how about new Geothermal? In the USA, where is it? Why is not being built? Too expensive, to risky, not very good at providing power at the price?
 
Already posted that it is being built, and the US currently has more geothermal than any other nation. We can easily keep that title, and create a less expensive energy base by rapidly expanding this sector.
 
Already posted that it is being built, and the US currently has more geothermal than any other nation. We can easily keep that title, and create a less expensive energy base by rapidly expanding this sector.
One? Was it built with private money or has it received government grants, subsidies, and loan guarantees, if so how much? Can you post that information or are you simply Google Headline Driven?
 
Mr. H, given that you are a driller, you should be the first to embrace geothermal. For when oil becomes primarily an industrial feedstock, the existing wells are going to be enough. And the use of natural gas will start declining in another 20 years. Then the rigs will be mainly drilling for geothermal. Those that have gained skills in that area soon enough, that is.
 

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