Geothermal Rising - Co-op Web Builder 3columbiarea.coopwebbuilder2.com/sites/columbiarea... · The...
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8 AUGUST 2010 Search for Solutions Keeping our energy reliable and affordable Anyone who has seen the specatacular geysers, including famous “Old Faithful” at Yellowstone National Park, has seen raw geothermal power in action. It’s hard to understand why geother- mal energy generation is often over- looked in public discussion about renew- able energy, says Arizona State Geologist Lee Allison. It runs constantly, produces almost no emissions and is economically competitive with traditional sources. Yet, Allison says, Google tallied just 4,500 videos on YouTube labeled “geo- thermal,” compared with 70,000 to 80,000 for solar and wind, and 209,000 for “dancing babies.” Geothermal has the potential to be a major electricity generation source. Worldwide, 10,000 megawatts (MW) of geothermal power is meeting the needs of 52 million people. One drawback is that geothermal exploration can be very expensive. Besides a wide range of permits, leases must be acquired to drill on federal lands. Power purchase agreements must be in place to get financing, which can- not happen until wells are drilled. United States geothermal project development grew 26 percent last year. The 188 projects in 15 states could pro- duce as much as 7,875 MW, says the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The United States already leads all nations in installed geothermal capacity, with more than 3,000 MW online in nine states. California and Nevada lead the way. Geothermal power comes naturally as heat from the earth. Most power plants need steam to generate electric- ity. Geothermal supplies reservoirs of hot water found beneath the surface. The GEA says the growth in tapping geothermal power from under the earth is due to pressure to meet state renew- able energy standards, federal invest- ment tax credits and direct investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Part of the effort to establish geother- mal as a competititve contributor to the energy supply is the U.S. Department of Energy’s geothermal program at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The INL is a key participant in “geo- powering” the West in the research and development project targeted at reducing costs and increasing deployment of geo- thermal electric direct-use applications. In the United States, volcanic “hot spots” are found across the West, where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates slide against each other and in the Great Basin, where intra-plate extension causes hot springs. The Geothermal Education Office says enviromental advantages and relatively low capital and operating costs of geother- mal energy is causing surging demand. That includes direct use of geothermal power, with 300,000 heat pumps and hun- dreds of building heating projects. With the variety of geothermal appli- cations large and small, this source could play a major role in securing future energy needs. Test Project to Make ‘Dry Wells’ Productive Making dry wells productive is the goal of a geothermal research project at the U.S. Geothermal Inc. Raft River power plant in South Idaho. The University of Utah is conducting the research. Dry steam power plant testing involves injecting cool water and pressurized water into a well. The five-year study aims to boost the productivity of geothermal power plants to make them more feasible nationwide. The process would open more pathways in hot rock for hot water and steam, increasing geothermal availability. Hot rock by itself is not enough to generate power. The rock must be permeable to the flow of water or steam. Water is injected to enhance natural cracks in the rock, according to Joe Moore, a geologist for the Energy & Geoscience Institute at the university. It is estimated the Raft River site could produce 110 megawatts of power. Water from the production wells is returned to the underground geothermal reservoir. The water is then reinjected to maintain pressure. ENERGY TIP: Homeowners can take advantage of geothermal technology when they install an energy-efficient geothermal heat pump. It exchanges heat with the ground. For more information, see www.geoexchange.org or www.energystar.gov and click on home/ products/find EnergyStar products/heat pumps geothermal. Energy from the earth may be part of the solution Geothermal Rising
Transcript of Geothermal Rising - Co-op Web Builder 3columbiarea.coopwebbuilder2.com/sites/columbiarea... · The...
8 AU G U S T 2010
Search for SolutionsKeeping our energy reliable and affordable
Anyone who has seen the specatacular geysers, including famous “Old Faithful” at Yellowstone National Park, has seen raw geothermal power in action.
It’s hard to understand why geother-mal energy generation is often over-looked in public discussion about renew-able energy, says Arizona State Geologist Lee Allison. It runs constantly, produces almost no emissions and is economically competitive with traditional sources.
Yet, Allison says, Google tallied just 4,500 videos on YouTube labeled “geo-thermal,” compared with 70,000 to 80,000 for solar and wind, and 209,000 for “dancing babies.”
Geothermal has the potential to be a major electricity generation source. Worldwide, 10,000 megawatts (MW) of geothermal power is meeting the needs of 52 million people.
One drawback is that geothermal exploration can be very expensive. Besides a wide range of permits, leases must be acquired to drill on federal lands. Power purchase agreements must be in place to get financing, which can-not happen until wells are drilled.
United States geothermal project development grew 26 percent last year. The 188 projects in 15 states could pro-duce as much as 7,875 MW, says the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).
The United States already leads all nations in installed geothermal capacity, with more than 3,000 MW online in nine states. California and Nevada lead the way.
Geothermal power comes naturally
as heat from the earth. Most power plants need steam to generate electric-ity. Geothermal supplies reservoirs of hot water found beneath the surface.
The GEA says the growth in tapping geothermal power from under the earth is due to pressure to meet state renew-able energy standards, federal invest-ment tax credits and direct investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Part of the effort to establish geother-mal as a competititve contributor to the energy supply is the U.S. Department of Energy’s geothermal program at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
The INL is a key participant in “geo-powering” the West in the research and development project targeted at reducing costs and increasing deployment of geo-thermal electric direct-use applications.
In the United States, volcanic “hot spots” are found across the West, where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates slide against each other and in the Great Basin, where intra-plate extension causes hot springs.
The Geothermal Education Office says enviromental advantages and relatively low capital and operating costs of geother-mal energy is causing surging demand. That includes direct use of geothermal power, with 300,000 heat pumps and hun-dreds of building heating projects.
With the variety of geothermal appli-cations large and small, this source could play a major role in securing future energy needs.
Test Project to Make‘Dry Wells’ ProductiveMaking dry wells productive is the goal of a geothermal research project at the U.S. Geothermal Inc. Raft River power plant in South Idaho. The University of Utah is conducting the research.
Dry steam power plant testing involves injecting cool water and pressurized water into a well. The � ve-year study aims to boost the productivity of geothermal power plants to make them more feasible nationwide.
The process would open more pathways in hot rock for hot water and steam, increasing geothermal availability. Hot rock by itself is not enough to generate power. The rock must be permeable to the � ow of water or steam.
Water is injected to enhance natural cracks in the rock, according to Joe Moore, a geologist for the Energy & Geoscience Institute at the university.
It is estimated the Raft River site could produce 110 megawatts of power. Water from the production wells is returned to the underground geothermal reservoir. The water is then reinjected to maintain pressure.
ENERGY TIP: Homeowners can take advantage of geothermal technology when they install an energy-e� cient geothermal heat pump. It exchanges heat with the ground. For more information, see www.geoexchange.org or www.energystar.gov and click on home/products/� nd EnergyStar products/heat pumps geothermal.
Energy from the earth may be part of the solution
Geothermal Rising
