GRC Bulletin - Vol. 48 No 6 - November December 2019
Geothermal Resources Council
, Geothermal Resources Council
The GRC Bulletin provides a technology and issues forum for professionals involved in geothermal resource research, exploration, development and utilization. The GRC Bulletin also provides news and information that highlights the environmental and economic benefits of geothermal resource development.
1. G E O T H E R M A L R E S O U R C E S C O U N C I LG E O T H E R M A L R E S O U R C E S C O U N C I L Bulletin Vol. 48, No. 6 November/December 2019 Re-powering Geothermal Around the World
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4. William Pettitt is the New Executive Director of the GRC The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. William Pettitt as the association's new Executive Director, taking up his duties on July 9. Dr. Pettitt is an applied geophysicist with both business and technical management expertise. He is an expert in induced seismicity, microseismics and geomechanics. He has been General Manager and Vice President of Itasca Consulting Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Operations Manager for Applied Seismology Consultants in the United Kingdom. Will has focused on helping industry, government and academia solve challenging problems in subsurface engineering. He is the creator of leading commercial microseismic software, and has developed unique data- acquisition equipment. He has published on a wide range of topics, is a frequent keynote speaker, and has participated in government and organizational committees. Will is bringing the combination of his applied science and engineering experience with business management expertise to help the merged GRC and Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) organization develop to the next level, and help
5. Bulletin Geothermal Resources Council P.O. Box 1350 Davis, CA 95617-1350 Phone: 530-758-2360 Fax: 530-758-2839 www.geothermal.org Executive Director Will Pettitt, PhD, FGS wpettitt@geothermal.org Office & Events Manager Estela Smith grc@geothermal.org Communications Director/Editor Ian Crawford icrawford@geothermal.org Membership/Expo Anh Lay alay@geothermal.org Librarian Brian Schmidt bschmidt@geothermal.org Graphic Designer/Advertising Chi-Meng Moua cmoua@geothermal.org The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Bulletin (ISSN No. 01607782) is published as a service to its members and the public, with six issues per annual volume. The GRC is an international, non-profit educational association whose purpose is to encourage research and environmentally sound exploration, development, and utilization of geothermal-energy resources worldwide through cooperation with governmental agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The GRC Bulletin provides a forum for information transfer to the public and among professionals in many fields related to geothermal resources, including geology, exploration, development, electric-power production, and direct-use technologies. The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the GRC or its members. For changes of address or membership information, please contact us. Vol. 48, No.6 November/December 2019 Advertisers CalEnergy......................................................13 Cyrq Energy...................................................42 Dewhurst Group...............................................7 EGESIM.........................................................13 Geologica......................................................13 Geothermal Resource Group.........Inside Front Kenai Drilling.................................................42 Mineralica......................................................13 Ormat............................................................37 Probe...............................................................3 Thermochem, Inc.............................................4 Webco.............................................................4 6	President's Message by Andy Sabin 8	Executive Director's Message by William Pettitt 10	Communication from the GRC by Ian Crawford 14	Inside Geothermal: North America, Central & South America, Australasia, Asia, Africa, Europe, Education, Science & Technology, Climate Change by Ian Crawford 34 The Repowering of Lightning Dock Plant in New Mexico 41 Publications, Websites, Videos & Maps by Ian Crawford 43 In Memoriam - George Albert Frye & Gerald "Jerry" Niimi 44 Calendar of Events November/December 2019 5 COVER: "Velika Ciglena 17.5 MW Turboden ORC plant - RGS geometries" by Joseph Bonafin, Turboden SpA, Brescia, Italy.A perspective of the nice geometries of the two phase steam pipelines from the largest European geothermal binary plant, Velika Ciglena (Bjelovar, Croatia). GRC PHOTO CONTEST 2019. by Joseph Bonafin and Halley K. Dickey
6. by Andrew Sabin Getting Organized: GRC State Chapters President's Message 6 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. – Benjamin Franklin A group of geologists, engineers, entrepreneurs and others have been working together for many years to bring geothermal development to the state of Colorado. This self-described Working Group assembles, discusses and strategizes with the goal of ushering in one or more geothermal development goals for the state. A common geothermal issue that they wrestle with is a perceived lack of awareness by many Coloradans, especially decision- makers, of the many forms of geothermal and how they add value, not to mention in some cases clean power, to the state's grid. Colorado produces no utility-grade geothermal power despite its multiple, well-investigated regions of hot springs, hot water wells and elevated heat flow. Additionally, newly elected Governor Jared Polis outlined a process for achieving 100% renewable power in his "Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy and Bold Climate Action." Not unlike California and other states with ambitious renewable portfolio standards and/or carbon emission limits, it's very difficult to imagine coming close to these goals without a substantial growth in geothermal. In 2018 a similar group in Imperial County, California, started meeting regularly at local venues to discuss geothermal issues that concern them. They invite guest speakers to each meeting and they often have a sponsor or two willing to donate snacks and beverages. Unlike Colorado, the Salton Sea trough in Imperial County, which extends south to the Gulf of California in Mexico, has many developed geothermal fields in, what is the largest if not the hottest, geothermal, power-producing basin on earth. The geographic proximity of those working directly in these fields in combination with the organizational skills and persistence of this Chapter's leaders, Jon Trujillo and Mary Mann results in well- attended, not to mention informative meetings. With some assistance from the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), this group has been formally recognized as the Southern California State Chapter of the GRC. The contrasts in geology, geography and the current states of the geothermal industries of Colorado and California couldn't be greater. The similarities between the states, however, are that both have a cadre of well- informed and passionate citizens who want to do what is right for their region and for the geothermal industry. Knowledge is power. The more knowledge and awareness that can be brought to the local populace, the more effective working groups can be in influencing voters and decision-makers in supporting any number of measures that help geothermal grow. Like with the SoCal State Chapter, GRC will help this Colorado group establish a GRC State Chapter. While this new GRC State Chapter imprimatur won't bring fame, fortune or instant geothermal development to Colorado, it will bring a closer alignment of these and other soon to be established state chapters under a common banner. As more people understand the potential and true economic value of geothermal, barriers to geothermal development will decrease. State chapters or sections of GRC is not a new phenomenon. Unfortunately, the creation and growth of most chapters decades ago faded as the drivers of those groups retired or moved on from the industry. The ongoing resurrection and growth of old and new state chapters under the GRC umbrella should bring added momentum to the industry. And as these groups grow and become loosely aligned across geographic boundaries, they will also begin to speak with a more singular and unified voice. It's been said before that no one can hear ten different voices; but an entire coliseum can hear one voice. Let's get organized and speak with one voice. n
7. November/December 2019 7 changing what we DO today to secure the futurerenewable energy is the future of energy Renewable, Sustainable and Responsible Development "...to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known." Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994
8. by Will Pettitt, PhD Collaboration is Key Executive Director's Message 8 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org The goal of the GRC is to raise the recognition and acceptance of geothermal energy across the spectrum of society, in government, industry, academia and the general public, in the U.S.A. and around the world. Part of the GRC's strategy is to enhance our collaboration: both for our organization and our industry. That collaboration comes in many forms. As an industry, we need to collaborate with other renewable and clean energies, such as wind, solar, biomass, and hydro, to successfully introduce the energy transition that society demands. That transition will need a mix of renewable and clean energies in our power system as well as a huge leap in energy efficiency and heat management in our homes and industries. An "all-of the-above" clean energy strategy. Society will need energy that is always on, no matter what the time and whatever the weather, to support electrification and decarbonization. Geothermal energy means electrical power, district heating and heat pumps in buildings, and is therefore well positioned to facilitate this transition. Our industry also needs to collaborate with subsurface engineering industries. The oil & gas community has two big incentives: firstly, society will pressure them to move towards carbon neutrality, which means they need to invest in renewable energies and be visibly seen to do so; secondly, there are clear technical overlaps between oil & gas borehole operations and geothermal's technologies that means their workforce and talents naturally fit with ours. Both these incentives mean that the oil & gas community, in research and industry, will start investing more and more time and money into geothermal. We should also not overlook the mining and mineral industries as there are opportunities here: many mines are physically located in areas of the world that also have geothermal resources that could provide them power; and, research into flooded abandoned mines may provide development of low enthalpy geothermal systems. There is also co-production of hydrogen for fuel cells and lithium recovery for battery manufacturing that add value to geothermal resource development. Our organization also needs to collaborate. We are actively developing relationships with other non-governmental organizations that have similar goals to us, across the US and internationally. In November, I had the The GRC is well-placed to collaborate within the global community.
9. 1 https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/111519cetsa 2 wpettitt@mygeoenergy.org November/December 2019 9 opportunity to give a briefing in Washington DC to congressional staff and the public on geothermal energy and its role in the energy transition in collaboration with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Clean Energy and Technology Staff Association (CETSA). Further information on the briefing can be found online. 1 We are working on many similar opportunities to deliver our messaging and build long-term relationships that can help accomplish our goals. In January, we will be presenting at energy seminars on both the East and West coasts so look out for more information. A North America Cluster will feature at the World Geothermal Congress (WGC) 2020 Exhibition in Iceland. The cluster of booths has been assembled collaboratively by participants from North America. It will help showcase the North American geothermal community and industry at the conference and is an opportunity to better engage with partners around the world. It facilitates the building of relationships for exporting North American products and services, as well as encouraging discussions of latest technologies and innovations. The World Geothermal Congress (WGC) 2020 will take place from 27 April - 1 May, 2020,in Reykjavik,Iceland ( Courtesy Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre). The cluster consists of five participants and there is available space for additional North American organizations to join in. Current participants include: Phoenix Geophysics (Ontario, Canada); Geologica (Nevada, U.S.A.); Geothermal Resource Group (California, U.S.A.); GeothermEx (California, U.S.A.); and, U.S. Department of Energy (Washington DC, U.S.A.). Please contact me for further information or to express interest. 2 Collaborating organizations can be based in Canada, Mexico or U.S.A. and can include corporations, National Labs, universities, and government agencies, amongst others. At the WGC, we have an opportunity to present a North American vision for geothermal energy by demonstrating the diversity and excellence of our geothermal work force and research capabilities. I hope you will consider joining us or visiting with the cluster at the conference. The geothermal community needs to collaborate to achieve our goals of expanding our industry and being an active participant in the transition to renewable and clean energy. And we have huge opportunities to do so! As we enter the New Year, I encourage us all to be thinking on ideas for how we can work with others inside and outside our industry to help develop and communicate our value and benefits. Wishing all a productive and prosperous New Year! n
10. Communication from the GRC by Ian Crawford Director of Communications 10 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org GRC Annual Meeting & Expo Call for Papers The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) has issued a call for papers for the world's biggest annual geothermal energy conference taking place October 18-21, 2020, at the Peppermill Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada, USA. The GRC 2020 Annual Meeting planning committee will consider papers for its Technical and Poster Sessions covering a range of topics, both domestic and international: Business Development / Finance/ Market Analysis; Country Updates (example: East African Rift / Philippines); Direct Use / Heat Pumps; Drilling; Emerging Technologies; Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS); Exploration / Resource Assessment; Field Operations / Production Technologies; Geochemistry; Geology; Geophysics; Geothermal Education and Community Engagement; Geothermal Energy Associated with Oil and Gas Operations; Geothermal Project Case Studies; Power Operations / Flexible Generation / Maintenance; Regional Updates (example: Salton Sea / Basin & Range / Cascades); Regulatory / Environmental Compliance / Policy Issues; Reservoir Engineering/ Reservoir Management/ Modeling; Sedimentary Basins, and Utilities and Transmission. In addition, there is an opportunity to submit papers in special themed topics: Advanced Materials for Drilling, Completion and Monitoring; District Heating and Direct Use: Feasibility to Implementation; EGS Collab: Experimentation, Modeling and Interpretation; FORGE Activities, Progress and Plans; Geochemistry for Early Geothermal Exploration; Geomechanics in Geothermal; Geothermal Energy in Canada: Moving Forward; Geothermal Heat Pumps: Latest Technologies and Market Developments; High Temperature Reservoir Monitoring Systems; Machine Learning in Geothermal Development; Mineral Extraction; Power Plant Improvement Strategies; Reservoir Closed Loop and Energy Transfer Systems; Super Hot/Supercritical Geothermal Systems, and 2018 Kilauea Volcano Eruption and Geothermal Reservoir. International participation is key to the success of the technical programs, and geothermal researchers and experts from the USA and around the world are encouraged to submit their work for consideration to be presented at the GRC Annual Meeting. Anyone who wants to present at the GRC Annual Meeting must submit a paper. The deadline for submission is Wednesday May 27th, 2020 Additional information about paper requirements and submission forms can be obtained by contacting the GRC at (530) 758-2360 or at https://reno2020.mygeoenergynow.org/ For more information about the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo in Reno, Nevada, USA, visit https://reno2020.mygeoenergynow.org/ or call (530) 758-2360. For information on how to sponsor this event, contact Anh Lay; GRC at (530) 758-2360 X100 or alay@geothermal.org. Book Your Hotel Room All the events and accommodation for the GRC Annual Meeting & Expo are in one location, the luxurious Peppermill Resort Spa & Casino, the only resort in the United States whose heating source is totally provided from geothermal energy produced on the immediate property. The GRC has contracted with the Peppermill for a discounted block of rooms for a limited time. There is a choice of rooms with a king, queen or double beds.
11. November/December 2019 11 • We strongly recommend making your hotel reservations on-line through a dedicated webpage at https://book.passkey.com/ event/50007543/owner/7268/home. The preferred rate is automatically applied. OR • If you make your reservations over the phone make sure you mention you are part of the Geothermal Resources Council group to get the special rate. The average nightly rate starts at just USD 89 a night plus taxes and fees for a room in the newly remodeled Peppermill North and West Wings. For a room in the award winning luxurious Peppermill Tower offering panoramic views of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, the rate is USD 109 a night. At the top of the line, a Tuscany Tower Suite starts at USD 149. Please make your reservation before September 23, 2020 in order to receive our special rate. Book your room now......... Why Stay at the Conference Hotel? GRC strongly encourages you to stay at the Peppermill Resort Spa & Casino to gain the benefits of networking with colleagues, being close to the event venues, and relaxing in a nice hotel property. We make every effort to negotiate the best possible rates. When you stay at the conference hotels, you help GRC meet our contractual obligations, avoid paying financial damages for this meeting, secure suitable venues and preferred dates-and-rates for future conferences. GRCTransactions Technical papers from the 2019 Transactions Volume 43 are now available through the Geothermal Library website. The 100 papers that were presented at the GRC Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, California are available for members only, at www.geothermal-library.org. Papers from previous years are also available for all. Our database contains over 40,000 records on all aspects of geothermal energy, including exploration, reservoir engineering, power plant design and operation, direct use, geothermal heat pumps, regulatory issues, energy policy, energy markets, news briefs, and more. ~~~~~~~ Joint GRC-SPE Workshop - Registration Now Open! High-Temperature Well Cementing "Exploring Geothermal and Oil and Gas Synergies" March 30 - April 1, 2020 Wyndham San Diego Bayside, San Diego, California, USA The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) together with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) are organizing a workshop on high- temperature cementing. integrity for the life of production and injection wells in these HT applications. The GRC and the SPE have decided that a joint workshop would enable both industries to share their experiences, technologies, technical procedures and best practices on this important aspect of well completion. The workshop will highlight cement formulae and slurry blends, placement methods, remedial procedures and result evaluations. Case studies will be discussed and analyzed. A king bed room in the Peppermill North & West Wing. The GRC Library can be accessed at: www.geothermal-library.org
12. Communication from the GRC 12 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org HaveYour Say! If you would like to comment on any column or article in the GRC Bulletin or have an opinion on a topical subject that will interest our readers, please email the editor, Ian Crawford at icrawford@ geothermal.org or mail to Geothermal Resources Council P.O. Box 1350, Davis, CA 95617-1350. All drilling personnel, both geothermal and oil & gas drilling and production engineers, well-site supervisors, cementing engineers and interested personnel are welcome to attend and participate. The draft agenda, hotel reservations, and registration, can be found on our new dedicated website at https://cement.mygeoenergynow.org/ Save USD 100 by registering before March 1, 2020. • GRC or SPE Member: USD 990 • Non Member: USD 1,090 In addition, by booking and staying at the Wyndham San Diego Bay Hotel under the GRC room block, the GRC will refund your workshop registration by USD 50 per night for up to 3 nights booked/paid. Make your reservation........ n ~~~~~~~ The Blue Sky in Sabalan Geothermal Field, by Elahe Zarei.
13. CalEnergy is proud to support the Geothermal Resources Council PREMIUM WEB DOMAINS AVAILABLE volcanothermal.com magmathermal.com petrothermal.com lithothermal.com aquithermal.com Contact enquiries@mineralica.com
14. Inside Geothermal 14 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Geothermal is Cost-Competitive with Conventional Generation Lazard's latest annual Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis (LCOE 13.0) shows that as the cost of renewable energy continues to decline, certain technologies (e.g., onshore wind, utility-scale solar and to a certain extent, geothermal), which became cost-competitive with conventional generation several years ago on a new-build basis, continue to maintain competitiveness with the marginal cost of existing conventional generation technologies. Global Geothermal News......... International Geothermal Association Announces Board Election Results The elections to the Board of Directors of the International Geothermal Association (IGA) for the 2020-2023 period have concluded and 25 members have been elected, including members of the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC): Ayling, Bridget Bignall, Greg Bjarnason, Bjarni Blair, Andy Brotheridge, Jane Darma, Surya Falcone, Gioia Hajto, Marek Hillbrand, Gudrun Izquierdo-Montalvo, Georgina Kaya, Eylem Manzella, Adele Matthiasdottir, Kristin Vala Meier, Peter Olivar, Maria Victoria M. Omenda, Peter Prieto, Angela Sabin, Andy Schmidlee, Virginie Siratovich, Paul Suryantini, Ninik Szita, Gabor Utami, Pri Yasukawa, Kasumi Zemedkun, Meseret Global Geothermal News Global Geothermal Capacity Anticipated to Grow to 18 GW by 2024 - IEA Global electricity capacity from renewable energy is set to expand by as much as 50% in the next five years, bolstered by government support and falling costs. But more would be needed to slow down warming of the globe, the International Energy Agency (IEA) have said in a new report. Those gains represent an increase of about 1,200 GW from 2018 to 2024, equal to the total installed capacity in the U.S., according to the IEA report. Countries are adding more clean power as a key part of efforts to de-carbonize energy supply, but it's still not fast enough. Geothermal capacity is anticipated to grow 28%, reaching 18 GW by 2024, with Asia responsible for one-third of global expansion, mainly through projects currently under construction in Indonesia and the Philippines, followed by Kenya, whose cumulative geothermal capacity is set to overtake Iceland's during the forecast period. Pre-development-stage risks continue to be an important challenge, impeding the rapid development of untapped geothermal potential. Global Geothermal News......... Green Climate Fund Boosts Funding Efforts The shared urgency of addressing climate change took an historic step forward with 27 countries pledging to
15. replenish the Green Climate Fund (GCF) by USD 9.776 billion for the next four years. The resources will help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the negative effects of global warming, such as rising sea levels, record temperatures, prolonged drought, and more frequent and severe weather events. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Sweden are the top contributors. To achieve maximum impact, the Green Climate Fund's public investment boosts the climate action capacities of developing countries and helps unlock private sector markets of low-emission, climate-resilient innovation. Every USD 1 billion invested in the Fund spurs nearly USD 3 billion in additional financing, including from recipient countries. Global Geothermal News......... NORTH AMERICA New Legislation Would Accelerate Geothermal Energy Development in the United States U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Republican- Alaska, and Joe Manchin, Democrat-West Virginia, have introduced bipartisan legislation to accelerate geothermal energy development in the United States. The Advanced Geothermal Innovation Leadership Act of 2019 (the "AGILE" Act) includes provisions for research and development of both existing and enhanced geothermal systems, resource assessment updates, grant program authorization, and improved permitting. "Geothermal is a highly reliable, zero- emission resource able to provide both heat and power almost anywhere," Murkowski said. "Our committee's June hearing highlighted the opportunity geothermal holds to contribute to America's energy future, with expanded innovation and deployment. Our new bill addresses both technical and non-technical barriers that have kept us from realizing geothermal's full potential." Global Geothermal News......... On November 19, the AGILE legislation advanced out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The GRC Policy Committee wrote a letter of support for this important new legislation: Global Geothermal News.........
16. Inside Geothermal 16 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Geothermal Resources Council Supports Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act Joining forces with other renewable energy associations the GRC signed on to a letter supporting a 2‐year retroactive extension (for 2018‐2019) of the expired renewable energy tax credits: "As the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees continue their work to address tax extenders, as well as long‐term tax policy legislation, the National Hydropower Association (NHA), American Biogas Council, Biomass Power Association, Energy Recovery Council, and Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), come together to strongly support House Resolution (H.R.) 4186, a bipartisan bill co‐sponsored by Representatives Elise Stefanik (Republican‐New York) and Scott Peters (Democrat‐California), and urge swift action to pass the measure. H.R. 4186 provides a 2‐year retroactive extension (for 2018‐2019) of the expired renewable energy tax credits for hydropower, marine energy, biomass, biogas, waste‐to‐energy and geothermal resources, along with an extension through 2024. The U.S. has long used targeted tax incentives to leverage investment and innovation in the energy sector. This is true for fossil and renewable resources alike. Hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in private investment across the industries – not to mention gigawatts of affordable, reliable, and renewable power – have been driven by tax policies. However, for too long, our resources have been undervalued and overlooked in the clean energy tax policy debate despite the carbon‐free, renewable electricity benefits (among many others) they provide. Tax policy has become de facto energy policy at the federal level and our industries have been placed at an untenable competitive disadvantage – as demonstrated by the growth trajectories compared to wind and solar resources. The provisions of H.R. 4186 would address this disparity. These tax credits are a critical incentive for the continued deployment of reliable, renewable, baseload power in our sectors, which we believe supports a national energy strategy that seeks to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining grid reliability and resilience. Therefore, our groups are united in seeking the retroactive extension of the tax credits and the passage of this long‐term extension. We call on Members of Congress to support these objectives as the work on extenders and a larger bill develop." Global Geothermal News......... Will Pettitt, PhD, FGS, Executive Director, GRC commented on the proposed legislation: "The geothermal industry is helping build a future where geothermal power and heat can be rolled out across the nation as a critical source of renewable energy for U.S. households and businesses as we transition to a clean energy future. The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) can attest to the vital importance of tax credits to the success of geothermal energy business, and strongly supports and applauds the leadership shown by the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, and Chairman Mike Thompson, in drafting the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act. The GREEN Act would retroactively extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) through 2019 for geothermal, which otherwise expired at the end of 2017, and extends the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) at 30% for geothermal plants through the end of 2024. These tax credits provide a predictable market signal for project
17. November/December 2019 17 development, which in turn leverages private investment and promotes job creation and local economic benefits across the country." New Legislation Would Boost Geothermal Energy on Public Lands U.S. Senators Martha McSally (Republican- Arizona), Martin Heinrich (Democrat-New Mexico), Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), Michael Bennet (D- Colorado), Tom Udall (D- New Mexico), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Jon Tester (D- Montana), and James Risch (R-Idaho) introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize responsible renewable energy development on public lands and allow local communities to reap the economic benefits. The Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act (PLREDA) of 2019 would streamline the permitting process for renewable energy development on public lands and establish a revenue sharing mechanism to ensure local communities receive a percentage of the revenue created by these projects. Global Geothermal News......... FERC Estimates Additional 860 MW Geothermal Energy Over the Next ThreeYears According to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency has once again revised its three-year forecast for changes in the U.S. electrical generating capacity mix. Sharp declines are foreseen for fossil fuels and nuclear power while renewable energy (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) is forecast to experience even stronger growth than previously projected. FERC's monthly "Energy Infrastructure Update" report (with data through August 31, 2019) indicates that geothermal energy will add another 860 MW by August 2022. It records 6 units with 280 MW of capacity are currently under construction. The total available installed capacity of geothermal steam in the U.S. as of August 2019 is 3,840 MW or 0.32% of total energy capacity. Global Geothermal News......... Increase of 3.2%Year-on-Year for Geothermal Electricity Generation in U.S. Some interesting statistics for geothermal energy from the latest Electric Power Monthly from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the year to date through August 2019, the USA generated 10,926 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity from geothermal resources, an increase of 3.2% on last year, from 2,454.9 MW of net summer capacity. For individual states year-to-date net generation through August 2019, year-on-year increase and net summer capacity: • California - 7,865 GWh (+1.3%) from 1,744.1 MW • Nevada - 2,496 GWh (+9.9%) from 556.7 MW • Utah - 289 GWh (-2.4%) from 73.0 MW • Hawaii - 90 GWh (+22.5%) from 43.0 MW • Oregon - 98 GWh (-16.1%) from 19.5 MW • Idaho - 49 GWh (-12.1%) from 10.0 MW • New Mexico - 39 GWh (+381.8%) from 8.6 MW The average capacity factors for utility scale generators in 2018: • Nuclear - 92.5% • Geothermal - 76.0% • Hydroelectric - 41.9% • Other Biomass - 61.8% • Wind - 34.6% • Solar Photovoltaic - 25.1% • Solar Thermal - 23.6% • Wood - 60.6% Global Geothermal News......... Grant Funding Opportunity for R&D on Geothermal Energy and Lithium Co-Production The California Energy Commission has announced a Grant Funding Opportunity (GFO) to support geothermal energy R&D to overcome geothermal technology hurdles and enable recovery of lithium. The GFO-19-303 under the Electric Program Investment Charge Program (EPIC), has a submission deadline of January 30, 2020. The purpose of this solicitation is to fund applied research and development, and technology demonstration and deployment projects that meet the following objectives: • Develop and demonstrate technologies, tools, and strategies to improve the productivity and flexibility of existing geothermal facilities; • Develop and demonstrate technologies to recover lithium from geothermal brine; Funded projects will help improve production and flexibility of existing geothermal facilities and demonstrate the economic capture of lithium
18. 18 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Inside Geothermal from geothermal brines. The projects will increase the overall economic value of existing or future geothermal projects through integration of emerging technologies and added value from lithium recovery operations from geothermal brine, which in return will ensure higher penetration of non-intermittent renewable energy in California and provide a range of benefits, including grid stability, reliability, and resiliency. Global Geothermal News......... Calpine Announces Funding Plan for Operations at The Geysers Geothermal Field Geysers Power Company, LLC (GPC), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Calpine Corporation and the owner of 13 Geysers geothermal power plants and related assets, has announced that it intends to offer Senior Secured Notes, Series A, due 2039 and Senior Secured Notes, Series B, due 2039 to raise an estimated aggregate principal amount of up to USD 320 million and USD 400 million, respectively. GPC intends to use the new investment to fund working capital, ongoing capital requirements and general corporate purposes of The Geysers entities. Global Geothermal News......... BLM Publishes Environmental Assessment for Geothermal Exploration on Western Shore of Salton Sea The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has published the Environmental Assessment for the drilling of up to four geothermal exploration wells within the Truckhaven Leasing Area and the northeast edge of the Ocotillo Wells Special Recreation Management Area at the Salton Sea in Southern California, for the purpose of identifying a viable geothermal resource. The location of the lease is on the western shore of the Salton Sea - most geothermal development up to now has been on the eastern shore. The Environmental Assessment for the Ormat- owned Orni 5 LLC project is available through the BLM ePlanning website, or by visiting the El Centro BLM Field Office, 1661 S. 4th Street, El Centro CA 92243. For more information, contact Carrie Sahagun, BLM Assistant Field Manager, at 760-337-4437 or via email at csahagun@blm.gov. Global Geothermal News......... New Community Choice Aggregator is Opportunity for Geothermal Energy The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has voted to approve an ordinance establishing a community choice energy (CCE) program. Community choice energy programs, also known as community choice aggregation, allow cities and counties to buy or generate renewable energy for residents and businesses. San Diego County is next door to one of the largest geothermal resources in the world at the Salton Sea. A county CCE would offer customers in the county's unincorporated areas an alternative to buying power from San Diego Gas and Electric. SDG&E would still provide transmission and delivery services. Global Geothermal News......... EnergySource Minerals Announces Commercial Lithium Extraction Initiative California-based EnergySource Minerals has announced a technology platform to extract battery-spec lithium from California's Salton Sea geothermal brine. "EnergySource Minerals has successfully completed a feasibility study for the extraction and production of lithium from geothermal brine and is now proceeding toward a commercial lithium extraction initiative called Project ATLiS," said EnergySource Minerals CEO and President Eric Spomer. Global Geothermal News......... California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources to be Renamed California has six new laws that Governor Gavin Newsom says makes the state "a leader in the fight to transition away from fossil fuels." They include some that will be of interest to the geothermal energy community: • Require that oil and gas well operators estimate the cost of plugging and abandoning wells and decommissioning oil and gas production facilities. • Rename the state Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) the Geologic Energy Management Division and
19. November/December 2019 19 specify that its mission includes protecting public health and environmental quality, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions. • Require the submission of testing data conducted on idle and abandoned wells for publication on the DOGGR's web site. Global Geothermal News......... Solar Augmented Geothermal Energy Project in Nevada Moves Forward UC Won, LLC has announced it has secured a decision from the Nevada Public Utilities Commission confirming that UC Won's solar augmented geothermal energy technology could be used to serve an end-use customer in Nevada without state regulation. Global Geothermal News......... UC Won, LLC also announced it acquired the well field equipment necessary to begin development of the first RenewGeo power plant from Open Mountain Energy of Salt Lake City, Utah. Global Geothermal News......... GRC Board Member is New Geothermal Commissioner Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has appointed GRC Board member Josh Nordquist, to the state Commission on Mineral Resources as the Geothermal Commissioner. Josh is the Manager of U.S. Resource Operations for Ormat Technologies, a member of the Geothermal Resources Council, served as Vice-President of the Geothermal Energy Association and was a member of the Nevada New Energy Industry Task Force. Global Geothermal News......... Huge Coal Burning Power Plant Shut Down in Geothermal Rich Region The 2,250 MW coal-fired Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona has burned the last of its coal, marking the end of the plant's 45-year run. The plant was the largest coal plant in the West, and its closure will affect the entire region. in 2014, Salt River Project, owner of the plant, signed a 23-year agreement with CalEnergy, LLC to purchase up to 87 MW of geothermal energy a year from a number of plants located in Imperial Valley in Southern California. Global Geothermal News......... Puna Geothermal to be Re-Started by the End of the Second Quarter of 2020 - Ormat CEO Ormat Technologies, Inc. announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. Isaac Angel, Chief Executive Officer commented, "The reconstruction efforts at Puna are on schedule and we expect our refurbishment activities will be completed by the end of the year, enabling us to deliver energy from the plant. All of our insurers have now started paying the costs to rebuild the damaged power plant equipment. ..... we expect to be able to sell the electricity produced at Puna as soon as the relevant permits required from local authorities for the operation of the substation and the transmission network upgrades being undertaken by our partners at Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) are received. These are expected by the end of Q1 2020, and so we expect to be able to bring the power plant back to operation promptly thereafter, and to gradually increase the power plant's generating capacity as we complete well-field drilling work, with a target of regaining full operation by the end of the second quarter of 2020." Global Geothermal News......... At Steamboat Hills Power Plant (Nevada)..."We are planning to replace all of the old power plant equipment with new advanced technology equipment that will eventually increase the capacity by approximately 16 MW and reduce maintenance costs. Equipment being delivered to the site and construction is ongoing. Commercial operation is expected in early 2020. At Heber Complex (California)...."We are currently in the process of repowering the Heber 1 and Heber 2 power plants. We are planning to replace steam turbine and old equipment with new advanced technology equipment that will add a net capacity of 11 MW. Following these enhancements, we expect the capacity of the complex to reach 92 MW. Permitting, engineering and procurement are ongoing. Manufacturing of equipment is planned to commence in the fourth quarter 2019. We expect commercial operation in early 2021. "In addition, we are in the process of upgrading some of the equipment, such as turbines, pipelines and cooling systems at some of our operating power plants including Ormesa in California, San Emidio in Nevada, Zunil and Amatitlan in Guatemala and Neal Hot Springs in Oregon." Global Geothermal News.........
20. 20 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Inside Geothermal Canadian Province Clears the Way for 5 MW Alberta No. 1 Geothermal Power Project The province of Alberta says it has cleared the way for Terrapin Geothermics to build a geothermal power plant south of Grande Prairie by granting application for regulatory approval. Terrapin has been granted permission to do testing operations to check the geothermal potential. Global Geothermal News......... Lithium Extraction Pilot Plant Sources Geothermal Brine from Leduc Reservoir in Alberta Calgary-based E3 Metals says it has collected the largest sample to date of lithium-enriched brine from its project in Alberta, Canada. The 20,000-litre sample was collected from the Leduc Formation and is required to support the continued testing and scale up of its proprietary direct lithium extraction process over the next 12 months. The company has delineated an inferred resource estimate of 6.7 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent from geothermal brine in the Leduc Formation, which now ranks Alberta as having one of the largest lithium resources in the world. The company has indicated in past statements that they would consider building a binary geothermal energy plant to power the lithium extraction facility. Global Geothermal News......... Drilling of Second Well at Estevan Geothermal Power Project Begins Drilling on the second Deep Earth Energy Production (DEEP) geothermal power production well began in November. Kirsten Marcia, president of DEEP, said, "Now that we've done flow and build up test, we are back in the field. The first thing they did was recomplete the first well into an injection well, and then they took all that fluid on the site and injected it down into the injection well. It's been monitored with gauges to see how well it responds to reinjection. As soon as that's complete, we're drilling our second well." Marcia continued, "Things can move quite quickly at this standpoint. We need that second well in place so we can do the long-term loop and refine our engineering and construction plans. But after that, things can move very quickly. The longest lead item is ordering the Organic Rankine Cycle power generating facility, which can take 12 to 16 months. The rest is infill drilling. At this point, we believe we can have power to the grid at the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022." Global Geothermal News......... National Geology Survey of Canada Starts With Geothermal Energy Exploration Earth-system Observing Network-Réseau d'Observation du Système Terrestre (EON-ROSE) aims to install geophysical observatories in a grid that would move around the country surveying the large landmass of Canada. As part of the study, researchers from the Geological Survey of Canada and Geoscience BC descended on Mount Meager this summer, which is in southern British Columbia and is Canada's most recently active big volcano. Their goal was to explore whether its volcanic warmth - which heats groundwater up to 240°C - could be tapped for geothermal energy. In July, geologists travelled around the mountain on helicopters to install instruments similar to those envisioned for EON-ROSE. The researchers are crunching the preliminary data now, aiming to see where permeable rocks channel Mount Meager's volcanic heat towards the surface. Future studies in other parts of Canada could help geologists find new sources of geothermal energy — such as in the remote Arctic, where residents often rely on imported diesel, says Stephen Grasby, a geochemist at the Geological Survey of Canada in Calgary who led the work. Global Geothermal News......... An article on the Mount Meager project - A New Boost for the Geothermal Industry In British Columbia? by members of the GRC Student Committee, was published in the September/October 2019 GRC Bulletin, Vol. 48, No. 5. St Vincent Geothermal Project Achieves Good Results from Second Well The second phase of drilling at the geothermal site at Bamboo Range on St Vincent has yielded positive results. Project Director Ellsworth Dacon said that the drilling of the second well, named Well Number Three (sic!), took about 83 days to complete and stimulation shows that this well is at 215°C and getting hotter, the right amount of energy needed for geothermal power generation.
21. November/December 2019 21 He added however, that although the initial findings point to this, testing equipment still has to be procured to determine how much power Well Number Three can produce. Dacon said they are hoping to complete the drilling program by December, 2019, repair Well Number One by February, 2020, start testing in March 2020 then go to the market for plant design by August/September 2020. "Plant construction can start late 2020 or early 2021 and that is the plan if everything goes well," Dacon said. Global Geothermal News......... Concept Design for 7 MW Dominica Geothermal Power Project Completed The Dominica Geothermal Development Company (DGDC) successfully reopened the geothermal WW-P1 production well at the Laudat geothermal power project on Dominica. A series of tests on the well were conducted through October. Global Geothermal News......... Minister for Energy Ian Douglas said the concept design for the geothermal plant has been completed including the revised route for the re- injection pipeline from Laudat to Wotten Waven and Trafalgar. Global Geothermal News......... AUSTRALASIA There is a Geothermal Power Plant Down Under! - Again! Green Thermal Energy Technologies (gTET) has announced the commissioning of the 310 kWe Winton geothermal power station in Queensland, Australia. The new plant is powered by 87-100°C water from depths of 1-1.5 km in the Great Artesian Basin. Previously, the 80 kWe Birdsville geothermal plant in Queensland supplied electricity for over 25 years. However, the state-owned electricity company that managed the plant made a strategic decision to decommission it in June 2018. Australia has a geothermal power plant again! Global Geothermal News......... Lithium Successfully Extracted from Ohaaki Geothermal Power Station Brine Geo40 has announced a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid. The commercial demonstration plant at Contact Energy's Ohaaki geothermal power station was originally built to extract silica which had to be removed before the lithium in geothermal brines could be extracted. The leap forward to lithium extraction is providing new commercial potential for the firm. Global Geothermal News......... Geothermal Power Plant Begins to Supply Heat for Wood Pellet Production On November 14th Contact Energy began providing geothermal energy to the Nature's Flame wood pellet manufacturing plant based in Taupō, North Island, New Zealand. Contact's Chief Generation and Development Officer James Kilty, said "Contact now provides direct heat energy from our geothermal facilities to the Nature's Flame plant which dries wood fibers for wood pellet production. The wood fibers are a carbon neutral alternative to fuels such as coal, gas and oil. So we are helping to replace an emissions heavy energy source with an environmentally friendly alternative, all while using a renewable energy source." "We are thrilled by the outcome of this deal with Contact. With our new energy supply system getting to operational status, we are able to increase to 100% of capacity, creating new jobs in the Taupō region. We are now receiving 18 MWth of heat continuously, which is fuelled by a low carbon renewable source," says John Goodwin, Nature's Flame Operations Manager. Global Geothermal News......... ASIA Experimental Geothermal Energy Conversion Technology System Charges Smartphones at Hot Springs Fans of "onsen" bathing never need worry about whether their mobile devices have run out of juice while they are relaxing in a famed southern Japan hot spring resort. That's because of an experimental thermal energy conversion technology system that has been launched at the popular Kannawa onsen tourist facility in Furomoto district. The charger system targeting users of Smartphones and other electronic devices will be accessible to sightseers and other visitors until the end of January. The aim is to show visitors that spa water can be used for numerous purposes, including generating electricity. According to city officials, the system generates a small charge utilizing the difference in temperatures between close to 100°C spa water springing from
22. 22 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Inside Geothermal the ground at the rear of the Kannawa facility for a large communal bath and the outside air, which is normally between zero and 30°C. The system generates an output of only 2.5 watts, which is stored in a battery. People can recharge their mobile devices by connecting them with any of six USB ports during its business hours. There is no charge for the service. Global Geothermal News......... Earthquake Damages Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant On October 31st, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake caused landslides in sections of the road leading to the Mt. Apo Geothermal Plant in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City in Mindanao, Philippines. Colonel Rey Alvarado, commanding officer of the Army 72nd Infantry Battalion, said around 100 personnel workers were initially stranded when roads leading to the power plant were rendered impassable. However, the next day the workers trekked on foot down the mountains to reach safety. Energy Development Corporation (EDC), who owns and operates the plant, said all of their employees are safe and accounted for. EDC Magpet facility head Romy Kee, said two of their power plants—the M1 and M2—sustained some damage and "were put on turning gear operation only." Global Geothermal News......... EDC later reported that the 54.24 MW Mt. Apo M2 power plant successfully synchronized to the grid on November 12th and the 54.24 MW M1 power plant returned to service November 15th. Global Geothermal News......... Government Fast-Tracks Geothermal Energy Projects in Philippines The Philippines Department of Energy has certified four new projects, including two geothermal projects, as nationally significant, granting a faster permitting process. The department awarded certificates of energy project of national significance (EPNS) to Philippine Geothermal's Mt. Malinao geothermal project and the EDC Mahanagdong geothermal brine optimization plant. Global Geothermal News......... Toshiba to Supply 10 MW Small Scale Geothermal Power Plant in Central Java Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) has announced a contract with PT Inti Karya Persada Tehnik (IKPT), to supply a steam turbine and generator for the Dieng Small Scale Geothermal Power Plant in Central Java, Indonesia. The power plant is being developed by PT Geo Dipa Energi (Persero), Indonesia's state-owned geothermal energy company. Toshiba ESS has commenced the design and engineering work for the scope of supply. The power plant is scheduled to start commercial operation in March 2021. This 10 MW-class small scale geothermal power plant will be constructed on the Dieng plateau near the existing Dieng Geothermal Power Plant Unit 1, which has been operating since 2002. For this new power plant, Toshiba ESS will supply 'Geoportable™', a compact power generation system with an output between 1 and 20 MW. This system employs advanced technologies, including leading-edge corrosive gas resistance materials, which are crucial for geothermal steam turbines, and a unique design for the steam path, which leads to high performance and reliability. Global Geothermal News......... Exploration for Geothermal Power Resources Begins in NW India The Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) has started exploration for geothermal resources in the North-West state of Gujarat for what would be India's 1st geothermal power plant. Using 3D Magnetotelluric (MTM.T.) location technology the ISR hopes to find the best spots for the locations for possible geothermal power plants. Global Geothermal News......... Possible Use for Geothermal Heat for Desalination in United Arab Emirates Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is requesting proposals for an early-stage feasibility study on geothermal heat energy and its use in domestic power generation, particularly for water desalination. Global Geothermal News.........
23. November/December 2019 23 AFRICA Drilling Contract Signed for 50 MW First Phase of Tulu Moye Geothermal Project A contract to begin drilling work for phase one of the Tulu Moye geothermal project in Ethiopia has been signed between Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (Kengen) and Tulu Moye Geothermal Operations PLC (TMGO). TMGO will design, finance, build, operate and maintain the geothermal power plant including the drilling of geothermal wells. The project has an estimated capacity of 150 MW and will be developed in two phases (Phase one - 50 MW, Phase two -100 MW) to produce electricity for Ethiopian Electric Power. TMGO is joint venture between Meridiam, a French based global investor & asset managing company & Reykjavik Geothermal Ltd. Global Geothermal News......... Kengen Issues Tender to Build 140 MW Geothermal Power Plant at Olkaria KenGen has issued a Request for Qualifications of bidders for the financing, design, supply, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of a 140 MW Olkaria Public Private Partnership (PPP) geothermal power project on a Build, Own, Operate, Transfer (BOOT) basis. The tender closes on December 23rd, 2019. The new geothermal resource is in the northeastern sector of the Olkaria geothermal field next to the existing Olkaria II power station. Global Geothermal News......... KenGen said the successful firm will enter into a Joint Venture (JV) with KenGen and create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to finance and develop the geothermal power plant. The firm will have a majority 75% stake. "KenGen has drilled and tested all production wells required for the project and will be responsible for the operation, maintenance, and management of steam supply to the project," said KenGen. "KenGen will be a shareholder in the SPV with a shareholding of 25%. The SPV will be responsible for the development, design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the project." The power firm said it will also enter into a long- term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Kenya Power as off-taker. Global Geothermal News......... Unit II of Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant In Service Unit II of the Olkaria V geothermal power plant is now fully operational. Italian group Steam, one of the companies in the SGC Geothermal consortium that worked on this project with Gesto Energy, made the announcement. Unit I was commissioned by KenGen in July 2019. Together, both Unit I and II have a total capacity of 160 MW. Global Geothermal News......... Geothermal Development Company Receives GRMF Funding for Baringo-Silali Exploration Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has received a grant of Sh1.9 billion from the Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility (GRMF) for drilling operations and geothermal exploration at the Baringo-Silali project. In August, the company struck a successful first well at Paka that confirmed the area as productive. Global Geothermal News......... Discovery of Hotspot Could Lead to Geothermal Energy Development in South Africa Geologists in South Africa have revealed that carbon dioxide-rich gases bubbling up through natural springs in the country originate from a hotspot located deep inside the earth. The hotspot pushes the crust upwards, generating the distinctive landscape, which consists mostly of tablelands more than one kilometer above sea level, the researchers say. Locationofstudyareaandrelevantgeologicalfeatures.(Courtesyauthors)
24. Inside Geothermal 24 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org This also explains why rocks beneath the region are hotter than expected – a property that could be harnessed to generate geothermal energy. Global Geothermal News......... Noble gases confirm plume-related mantle degassing beneath Southern Africa, by S. M. V. Gilfillan, D. Györe, S. Flude, G. Johnson, C. E. Bond, N. Hicks, R. Lister, D. G. Jones, Y. Kremer, R. S. Haszeldine & F. M. Stuart. Nature Communications volume 10, Article number: 5028 (2019). EUROPE Plans to Re-Inject More CO2 and H2S from Geothermal Power Plants ON Power, a subsidiary of Reykjavík Energy, has revealed plans to ramp up carbon capture and storage (CCS) operations at Hellisheiði and Nesjavellir geothermal power plants. ON Power will double the amount of CO2 and H2S currently reinjected into the subsurface using the CarbFix method at Hellisheiði, and conduct experimental reinjection at Nesjavellir, utilizing the excess carbon in collaboration with nearby industries. Currently, ON Power re-injects a daily amount of about 33 tons of CO2 where it eventually turn into stone. Global Geothermal News......... Upgrade at Bjarnarflag Geothermal Power Plant Boosts Output by 2 MW Green Energy Geothermal (GEG), has reported the successful conclusion of its contract to supply and build a 5 MW turbine-generator package for the Bjarnarflag geothermal power plant in the northeast of Iceland. GEG was awarded the contract by Icelandic national power company Landsvirkjun to design, manufacture and supply a replacement back-pressure turbine and generator, which was delivered, installed and commissioned on site. With higher efficiency of the new plant, the plant now provides 2 MW more in power generation capacity, utilizing the same amount of steam. A new operating license has been issued, as well as a renewed power plant and geothermal resource utilization license. Global Geothermal News......... Fish Farming Plant Powered by Geothermal Heat Opens in Iceland A huge new aquaculture breeding and hatchery centre has opened for business in the west of Iceland, on a remote fjord more than 250 miles from the capital Reykjavik. The GBP 25 million (ISK 4 billion) Arctic Fish owned facility near the small fishing harbor of Tálknafjörður, raises salmon using geothermal heat. Global Geothermal News......... Dr Charlotte Adams is an Energy Champion! Dr Charlotte Adams, Assistant Professor at Durham University was awarded "Energy Champion" at the gala ceremony of the 20th Energy Institute (EI) Awards in London. The award citation notes that "Charlotte Adams' outstanding work bridges the gaps between academia, industry and society and promotes geothermal energy options in the UK. She was co- founder of BritGeothermal and her work on the potential to use water from abandoned mines to heat UK homes has led to a debate in Parliament led by Helen Goodman MP." Global Geothermal News......... Drilling at Eden Geothermal Project to Begin Next Summer A plan to heat the giant biomes of the Eden Project and, eventually, neighboring communities by tapping into the "hot rocks" beneath the Cornish attraction has moved a step closer. The Eden Project has announced that it had secured the funding to begin drilling for a geothermal resource next summer. Cornwall council and the European Union have provided the bulk of the GBP 16.8m needed to launch the geothermal project, which will initially involve a Bjarnarflag Geothermal Power Plant (Courtesy Landsvirkjun)
25. well being sunk almost three miles (4.5km) into the granite crust beneath Eden. The GBP 16.8m will pay for the first phase of the project – drilling a well, a research program and a heat main – to prove the extent of the resource. This first well will initially supply a heating system for Eden's biomes, offices and greenhouses. It is intended to pave the way for the second phase – another well almost three miles deep and an electricity plant. Completing the second phase will mean Eden will be generating sufficient renewable energy to become carbon positive by 2023, and it aims to be able to provide heat and power for the local area. Global Geothermal News......... Southampton Geothermal Heating Company Connects to Local Sports Center Solent University's new sports complex has been successfully connected to Southampton Geothermal Heating Company's (SGHC) pioneering district energy scheme after signing a GBP 2.8 million deal with energy and services specialist, ENGIE, over the next 20 years. The SGHC is a working partnership between ENGIE and Southampton City Council, launching more than 30 years ago. The scheme supplies heat, chilled water and electricity to commercial and residential energy users across Southampton – currently serving a 2km radius of the energy centre. Users already included TV studios, a hospital, shopping centre, student accommodation, residential buildings and hotels; with Solent University tasking ENGIE with the implementation of a new heating connection which would link up existing assets, as well as a new state-of-the-art sports centre. Global Geothermal News......... Geothermal Spa Now to Open in Spring NextYear The launch of Cornwall's first geothermal spa in Penzance has been delayed. The seafront Jubilee Pool reopened for the summer holidays in 2019 but without the geothermal spa after Geothermal Energy Limited "encountered some unforeseen delays with the geothermal well". The opening was pushed back to winter this year but the Jubilee Pool team announced that it is deferring the launch of its geothermal facilities once again, until spring 2020. They said the move will minimize the business risks associated with the previously proposed winter launch. "The decision to move the geothermal launch date was made as it has become apparent that the power upgrade required for the geothermal launch will not be completed this winter but also in the light of the business risks associated with a winter launch." Global Geothermal News......... TU Delft Announces New Assistant Professor of Geothermal Energy Maren Brehme is the new assistant professor of Geothermal Engineering at TU Delft. Maren is a hydrogeologist aiming to understand subsurface fluid flow using multidisciplinary approaches for sustainable geothermal energy use. She has 10 years experience in geothermal research. In her PhD she studied the role of faults and fractures in geothermal reservoirs, while in her Post-Doc she studied the operation of geothermal systems. The future work will cover two main aspects: Where to drill the next well? and How to run a geothermal system sustainably? She combines approaches from hydrogeology, structural geology and geochemistry to find answers to this questions. One of the main projects she will be involved in is the DAP geothermal doublet on the TU Delft Campus. Global Geothermal News......... Dutch Geothermal District Heating Project Chooses Location Near Utrecht In search of a suitable location to continue the LEAN Research Project, Warmtebron Utrecht has chosen a site in Nieuwegein near Utrecht. Global Geothermal News......... CourtesyEdenProject November/December 2019 25
26. Geofood Project Researches Use of Geothermal Heat for Greenhouse and Fish Farming in the Netherlands The aim of the new Geofood project is to investigate whether geothermal heating can not only be used to heat greenhouses, but also to breed fish. Geofood is a collaboration between the Greenhouse Horticulture business unit of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and partners from Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands. To validate this model, an advanced fish farming system was installed at WUR in Bleiswijk in early 2019. It is a so-called recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The largest tanks in this system contain around 10,000 liters of water containing thousands of fish. Global Geothermal News......... Dutch Government Initiates the 'Netherlands Seismic Campaign for Geothermal Energy' To accelerate the development of geothermal energy projects, the Dutch government has initiated the 'Netherlands Seismic Campaign for Geothermal Energy' (Seismische Campagne Aardwarmte Nederland or SCAN). SCAN will complete a map of the Dutch deep subsurface as much a possible by filling in the blank spots, and by doing so help support the future determination of geothermal potential. Other research into, for example, safety, deep geothermal exploration and other relevant topics Inside Geothermal will also be carried out to further the understanding of geothermal energy exploitation. Finally, scientific drilling will possibly take place during the final stages of the program to help confirm and supplement the measured data to gain an even better understanding of the subsurface in these areas. Global Geothermal News......... Second Geothermal District Heating Project Announced for Paris Suburb The Coriance group has announced it will build a second geothermal district heating network in Champigny-sur-Marne, just outside of Paris. Coriance will be in charge of drilling the geothermal doublet to a depth of 1800 meters and building a new geothermal power plant. Coriance said it will implement an innovative solution for well drilling with an internal composite casing to avoid the corrosive effects of geothermal water and thus guarantee performance over time. Global Geothermal News......... Good Progress for Bordeaux Geothermal District Heating Networks Bordeaux Métropole has started work on a new 25 km long geothermal district heating network in the south-western French city. Entrusted to Storengy and Engie Cofely, the project will consist of two wells: one for production and the other for reinjection, drilled to 1,700 meters deep to the waters of the Jurassic aquifer where, according to studies, the temperature is around 70°C and the pumping rate could reach 300 m 3 /h. Global Geothermal News......... German Geothermal Power Plant to Supply Brine for Lithium Extraction Demonstration Plant Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pfalzwerke geofuture GmbH to supply geothermal brine and well data from its Insheim geothermal power plant for Vulcan to use in its pre-feasibility lithium extraction study. The Insheim plant in south-west Germany sources geothermal thermal waters at 165°C, producing a maximum of 4.8 MWe power and 10 MWth thermal energy. Vulcan will construct and implement a demonstration plant at Insheim. Pfalzwerke geofuture can then choose to co-operate on the construction of a commercial-scale lithium plant on Courtesy SCAN. 26 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org
27. site, or give up the royalty on lithium production. Global Geothermal News......... Surveying Begins for Waghäusel-Philippsburg Geothermal District Heating Project In August 2019, Deutsche Erdwärme GmbH acquired the license for exploration near Waghäusel- Philippsburg in south-western Germany. Deutsche Erdwärme has commissioned DMT GmbH & Co. KG to conduct the necessary survey work to produce a high-resolution, three-dimensional map of the subsurface. Global Geothermal News......... Drilling at Swiss Geothermal Energy Project to Begin 2021 The Lavey deep geothermal project for the AGEPP SA consortium has obtained all the necessary authorizations from the cantons of Vaud and Valais without any opposition. The construction of the drilling platform will begin mid-2020. The drilling is planned for a period of five months starting mid-2021. The commissioning is planned for 2022. The project consists of drilling to a maximum depth of 3,000 meters to extract water at 110°C at a flow rate of 40 liters/second. Global Geothermal News......... Italian Geothermal Power Plant Now Also Supports District Heating Network The Chiusdino 1 geothermal power plant (located in Caggio in Tuscany), has inaugurated the first phase of a local district heating network in the surrounding area in addition to continue providing clean, dependable renewable electricity. Global Geothermal News......... Geothermal District Heating Network from Abandoned Coal Mine in Spain Wins European Award A district heating network in Spain that sources hot water from an abandoned coal mine has won at the Global District Energy Climate Awards, organized by the Euroheat & Power network. Winner in the emerging market category, Barredo Colliery in Mieres, Asturias, in northern Spain hosts a District Heating and Generation Plant where heat pumps benefit from water pumped at 23 o C. The heat is supplied to two public buildings and 245 homes. Global Geothermal News......... Promising Test Results for Possible Konin Geothermal District Heating Project The Geotermia Konin company has reported satisfactory results for a geothermal district heating project for the town of Konin in central Poland. After drilling the test well to 1,600 meters, the water temperature was measured at 62°C with 35 g/liter mineralization. The results of the flow tests were also very promising - as much as 300- 500 m 3 /h. It is worth noting that the second of the prospective aquifers, located at a depth of 2,600 meters, has more favorable parameters: 97.5°C at 150 g/liter mineralization and high efficiency. Global Geothermal News......... 16.5 MWe Velika Ciglena Geothermal Plant Officially Unveiled Croatia's first geothermal power plant, the 16.5 MW Velika 1 in Ciglena near Bjelovar, has been officially unveiled. Europe's biggest binary power plant was built with an investment of HRK 325 million (around EUR 43.7 million). The Velika 1 geothermal power plant was put into operation in December 2018, and has been operating at full capacity since March 2019, supplying electricity to almost the entire city of Bjelovar. The plant's core technology was produced by Italy's Turboden, while domestic suppliers and contractors accounted for over 68% of the total investment, according to the Croatian Renewable Energy Sources (OIEH) association. Project manager Dragutin Domitrović said that Velika 1 has a Power Purchase Agreement with the Croatian Energy Market Operator (HROTE) for 10 MW of installed capacity, which corresponds to the average consumption of 29,000 Croatian households. Global Geothermal News......... November/December 2019 27
28. Tender Announced for Geothermal Exploration in Croatia The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency (Agencija za ugljikovodike – AZU) has announced a public tender to select the most suitable bidder for the exploration of geothermal resources in the Virovitica 2- exploration area. Global Geothermal News......... Serbian Geothermal District Heating Network Operating Successfully A geothermal district heating network has started operations in Bogatic in north-west Serbia. The geothermal resource from 5-700 meters deep flowing at 25 liters per second, with a water temperature of 75°C, is now being used to heat a kindergarten, primary and secondary school, court, social welfare center, utility company and a police station. Global Geothermal News......... Northern Serbian Geothermal Project Gets Organized A working group to facilitate the development of geothermal power plant and district heating projects in Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina has been established. France's ES-Geothermie, will offer general contracting services for the development of deep geothermal projects. Global Geothermal News......... Geothermal District Heating Network to Go Ahead in Greece A geothermal district heating network has been given the green light in Alexandroupolis in East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece near the border with Turkey. The 10 MWth of district heating from a 97°C resource will be supplied along a 18 km network. Global Geothermal News......... Inside Geothermal Chinese Company to Supply 3.2 MW Geothermal Power Plant in North-West Turkey Kaishan Compressor, a Chinese air compressor maker, has won its first Turkish contract to construct a 3.2 MW binary cycle geothermal power plant in the northwestern city of Canakkale. The Turkish unit of Transmark Renewables, a Dutch geothermal energy firm, has given Kaishan the USD 6 million Design, Engineering, and Procurement (EDC) contract. The plant is expected to be finished next October, 2020 and Kaishan has already received a 20% advance. Global Geothermal News......... SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Survey Identifies Ideal Geothermal Drilling Site in North Sulawesi, Indonesia In a recent article in the journal Nature by By Maren Brehme, the new assistant professor of Geothermal Engineering at TU Delft (see news on page 25) an ideal geothermal drilling site has been located in north Sulawesi, Indonesia by surveying a volcanic lake. "We investigate fluid pathways beneath volcanic lakes using bathymetry and geochemical measurements to locate best-possible drilling sites. Highly permeable structures, such as faults, provide fluid channels that are the most suitable access points to the geothermal resource. Accurate mapping of these structures therefore guides the successful targeting of wells. Lakes, rivers or ocean, can hide surface footprints of these Fault permeability pattern in the Lake Linau area. 28 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org
29. permeable structures, such as in our case beneath Lake Linau. High-resolution bathymetry identifies linear and conical discontinuities, which are linked to offshore tectonic structures as confirmed by surrounding outcrops and hot springs. Geochemical measurements document inflow of hot saline acidic water into the lake verifying bathymetry-located highly permeable structures. Integrating onshore well data, our bathymetry and chemical results locates an ideal drilling site into the geothermal reservoir beneath the western shoreline of Lake Linau. Global Geothermal News......... Brehme, M., Giese, R., Suherlina, L. et al. Geothermal sweetspots identified in a volcanic lake integrating bathymetry and fluid chemistry. Sci Rep 9, 16153 (2019) doi:10.1038/s41598-019-52638-z Study Concludes Geothermal Can Help in Decarbonization of the Power Generation Industry This article in Environment International journal focuses on Hellisheiði, a combined heat and power double flash geothermal plant located in Iceland, with an installed capacity of 303.3 MW of electricity and 133 MW of hot water. The study has a two-fold goal: (i) identify hot spots in the life cycle and, where possible, suggest improvements, and (ii) understand the potential of geothermal energy to decarbonize the power generation industry. The comparison shows that the carbon intensity of Hellisheiði is in the range of 15–24 g CO2 -eq./kWh, which is similar to those of binary cycle geothermal plants, solar (photovoltaic) and hydropower, lower than other geothermal technologies and fossil-based technologies, and higher than nuclear and onshore wind. The results demonstrate that geothermal energy, alongside other alternative and renewable sources, can play a substantial role towards achievement of the Paris Agreement goal and the decarbonization of the power generation industry. Further work should investigate the relation between utilization of geothermal energy and the natural release of greenhouse gases from geothermal systems. Global Geothermal News......... The environmental impacts and the carbon intensity of geothermal energy: A case study on the Hellisheiði plant, by Andrea Paulillo, et al. Environment International Volume 133, Part B, December 2019, 105226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. envint.2019.105226 Toshiba to Test Anomaly Predictive Diagnostics at Patuha Geothermal Power Plant Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) will install an anomaly predictive diagnostics system using big data analysis in PT Geo Dipa Energi (Persero)'s Patuha geothermal power plant and examine the plant operation data on a real-time basis in order to review the technology's ability to predict anomalies ahead of time, while validating the effectiveness of this technology. Through this demonstration, Toshiba ESS aims to lower the rate of problem occurrences at geothermal power plants by 20% and reduce unplanned outage period in power stations. Increasing utilization factor leads to an increase of power generation amount and a reduction of the generation cost. It can be expected that the project will contribute to higher adoption of geothermal energy. Global Geothermal News......... November/December 2019 29 Comparison of climate change impacts (g CO2-eq./kWh) between Hellisheiði and other energy sources.The blue area identifies the minimum and maximum carbon intensity of Hellisheiði according to different configurations and allocations strategies. The carbon intensity of other energy sources is reported in terms of median values (dots) and minimum and maximum ranges (lines).(Courtesy Andrea Paulillo,et al) Predictive diagnostics technology's outline.(Courtesy Toshiba)
30. Mantle Plume Brings High Geothermal Heat to Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park in the USA, with its geysers and hot springs, is a major attraction for tourists. However, especially in times of little news, the media often focuses on the Yellowstone supervolcano, which last erupted about 630,000 years ago. Inevitably then, the question of the underlying geological structures will be posed. A recent study by Bernhard Steinberger of the German GeoForschungsZentrum and colleagues in the USA helps to better understand the processes in the Earth's interior based on modeling the Earth's mantle under Yellowstone. According to the model, beneath the Yellowstone volcano lies a so-called mantle plume: a chimney- like structure that reaches thousands of kilometers deep to the border of the Earth's core and mantle. The origin of the plume lies under the Baja Inside Geothermal California, more than a thousand kilometers southwest of the national park. Evaluations of earthquake waves had already suggested something like this, but the idea of such a "mantle plume" did not fit in with the movement of the Earth's lithospheric plates. Global Geothermal News......... Yellowstone plume conduit tilt caused by large‐scale mantle flow, B. Steinberger et al, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (2019). DOI: 10.1029/2019GC008490 Direct Thermal Charging Cell for Converting Low- Grade Waste Heat to Usable Electricity Dr. Tony Shien-Ping Feng of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and his team has invented a Direct Thermal Charging Cell (DTCC) which can effectively convert heat to electricity, creating a huge potential to reduce greenhouse effects by capturing exhaust heat and cutting down primary energy wastage. The newly designed DTCC is a game-changing electrochemical technology which can open new horizons for applications to convert low-grade heat to electricity efficiently. It is a simple system with the basic unit sized only 1.5 sq.cm and thickness 1 to 1.5 mm. The cell is bendable, stackable and low cost. The new thermal charging cell uses asymmetric electrodes: a graphene oxide/platinum (GO/Pt) cathode and a polyaniline (PANI) anode in Fe2+/ Fe3+ redox electrolyte via isothermal heating operation without building thermal gradient or thermal cycle. When heated, the cell generates voltage via a thermo-pseudocapacitive effect of GO and then discharges continuously by oxidizing the PANI anode and reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+ under isothermal heating on cathode side till Fe3+ depletion. The energy conversion works continuously under isothermal heating during the entire charge and discharge process. The system can be self-regenerated when cooled down. This synergistic chemical regeneration mechanism allows the device cyclability. Dr. Feng said: "Efficient low-grade heat recovery can help to reduce greenhouse gas emission but current technologies to convert this heat to electricity is still far from optimum. Left: Color coded track shows the position of the plume conduit versus depth inferred from the tomography model of Nelson and Grand (2018),using TX2016 (Lu & Grand,2016) as the starting model. Tickmarks are every 500 km in depth.Colored circles indicate the hotspot track along the Snake River Plain,from Yellowstone (YS) to McDermitt Caldera (McD).The area covered by the Columbia River Basalts (CRB) is shown in grey.The direction of recent North America absolute plate motion is indicated by the blue arrow.Plate boundaries in the region include the Cascadia subduction zone (indicated by line with solid triangles),the Pacific-North America plate boundary with strike-slip motion (indicated by half-arrows) along the San Andreas fault,and the spreading ridge and transform faults between the Pacific and Juan de Fuca plate. Right: Cross section through the tomography model of Nelson and Grand (2018) along the plume conduit as shown in the left panel,with angular distance along the track in degrees 30 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org
31. P E P P E R M I L L RESORT SPA CASINO OCTOBER 18-21, 2020 RENO, NEVADA . USA GRC ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO DTCC yields a conversion efficiency of over 3.5%, surpassing all existing thermo-electrochemical and thermo-electric systems, which is either too costly or complicated, or too low in efficiency for everyday applications. DTCC is a revolutionary design with great potentials in smart and sustainable energy devices." Global Geothermal News......... More information: Xun Wang et al, "Direct thermal charging cell for converting low-grade heat to electricity", Nature Communications (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12144-2 CLIMATE CHANGE Carbon Tax Could Mitigate Climate Change and Boost the Economy - IMF A global agreement to make fossil fuel burning more expensive is urgent and the most efficient way of fighting climate change, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) study has stated. The group found that a global tax of USD 75 per ton by the year 2030 could limit the planet's warming to 2°C (3.6°F), or roughly double what it is now. That would greatly increase the price of fossil-fuel-based energy — especially from the burning of coal — but the economic disruption could be offset by routing the money raised straight back to citizens. Scheme of DTCC consisting of GO/PtNPs cathode and PANI anode (with carbon paper (CP) substrate) in Fe2+/Fe3+ redox electrolyte. November/December 2019 31 In the United States, a USD 75 tax would cut emissions by nearly 30 percent but would cause on average a 53% increase in electricity costs and a 20% rise for gasoline at projected 2030 prices, the analysis in the IMF's Fiscal Monitor found. But it would also generate revenue equivalent to 1% of gross domestic product, an enormous amount of money that could be redistributed and, if spread equally, would end up being a fiscally progressive policy, rather than one disproportionately targeting the poor. Global Geothermal News......... n
32. Membership Renew Your RENEWAL IS EASY! www.geothermal.org/membership.html STAYconnected renew today 32 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ GeothermalResourcesCouncil Website: www.geothermal.org Email: grc@geothermal.org Phone: 530.758.2360 Fax: 530.758.2839 The Global Geothermal News is your trusted source for geothermal news: www.globalgeothermalnews.com Follow us on Twitter: @GRC2001 and #GRCAM2020 GRC and geothermal photos are posted on Flicker: www.flicker.com/photos/ geothermalresourcescouncil GRC is on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ geothermalresourcescouncil GRC is on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/geothermalpower The online GRC Library offers thousands of technical papers as downloadable PDF files. www.geothermal-library.org STAY in TOUCH with GRC! The GRC Library can be accessed at: www.geothermal-library.org
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34. 34 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org 1. Introduction The Lightning Dock Geothermal (LDG) resource area is located on the east side of Animas Valley in Hidalgo County, in the southwest corner of New Mexico. For over 30 years, starting in 1977, LDG was home to a greenhouse complex that became one of the largest in the U.S. In 2013, a 4 MW plant was installed by Cyrq Energy, Inc. (Cyrq Energy), with plans to further enhance it to 10 MW. However, the second phase of the development with the original equipment supplier was never completed. In 2017, Cyrq Energy selected Turboden and Industrial Builders to perform a complete repower of the power plant at Lightning Dock. The contractor offered to provide a new power plant producing 11.0 MW net (14 MW gross) electric power with a single Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine. The Repowering of the Lightning Dock Geothermal Plant in New Mexico Joseph Bonafin 1 and Halley K. Dickey 2 1 Turboden, Italy 2 Industrial Builders, USA The new plant began commercial operation in December 2018 and outputs over 10 MW of electricity onto the grid. The plant provides power for over 10,000 homes in New Mexico with 100% renewable energy, through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with PNM, the state's largest utility. The project was completed ahead of schedule and on budget due to the team effort by the owner, Cyrq Energy, the plant supplier, Turboden, and the engineering procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor, Industrial Builders. Thus, this project is a useful lesson on how an improved design and technology can be utilized for repowering an older plant to create a positive business case, due to the expected higher plant availability and greatly increased efficiency.
35. November/December 2019 35 2. Lightning Dock Geothermal Field The Lightning Dock Geothermal (LDG) project is in the Animas Valley of Hidalgo County, New Mexico, approximately 12 miles east of the New Mexico/Arizona border and 55 miles north of the US/Mexico border. LDG is at 4236 ft above mean sea level, with an average ambient temperature of 60 °F. The Animas Valley is within the Mexican Highland part of the Basin and Range physiographic province, a large region characterized by steep, well dissected mountains separated by flat-floored desert valleys. North- South trending, range-bounding faults define the Animas Valley on the west and east; thus, the valley is both a topographic low and a structural graben, bounded on the west by the Peloncillo Mountains and on the east by the Pyramid Mountains (Figure 1). The LDG geothermal system is a "blind" geothermal resource (without any surface manifestations) discovered during drilling for crop irrigation in 1948 (Elston et al., 1983). The thermal anomaly in the Animas Valley is likely the result high regional heat flow and the intersection of several geologic structural features, including the margin of a Tertiary age volcanic caldera (the Muir Cauldron) that is a potential source of geothermal heat, and one or more large offset Basin and Range normal faults that likely serve as conduits for heated water to rise to shallow depths, resulting in a natural geothermal outflow plume at the site (Crowell & Crowell, 2014). In 1974, the resource was designated by the Federal government as a Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) encompassing 23,552 acres. Exploration and development of the resource was undertaken by several entities over the years, including Amax Exploration, Inc., who were the first geothermal lease holders from 1979 to ~1984; Steam Reserve Corporation, who drilled well 55-7 and operated the lease from ~1984 to 1987; Lightning Dock Geothermal, Inc. (not related to Cyrq) run by Roy Cuniff and Roger Bowers, who operated the lease from 1987 to 2008; and Lightning Dock Geothermal HI 01, LLC, current operator of the field since 2008 (owned first by Raser Technologies and now by its successor Cyrq Energy). Figure 1: From left to right,inactive direct use heating greenhouses,Pyramid Mountains,and injection well 76-7 Figure 2: Well field and plant map of Lightning Dock Geothermal Field,New Mexico
36. 36 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org Two production wells, 45-7 drilled by Cyrq in 2011 and its nearby twin, 45A-7, completed by Cyrq in February 2018, provide about 5000 gpm of 310 °F water to the plant. After cooling in the plant heat exchangers, the brine is returned to the reinjection wells at about 170 °F. The reinjection field potentially includes up to eight wells with depths between 550 and 6200 ft, including 55- 7, drilled by AMAX in 1984. The operators are currently optimizing the injection strategy to maximize pressure support and minimize thermal breakthrough. Faults identified on seismic profiles act as both barriers and conduits, resulting in surprising reservoir compartmentalization for a relatively small geothermal field and unpredictable permeability distribution. 3. The Repower Team Cyrq Energy is a leader in renewable energy with geothermal energy generation in New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada, and more than a decade of experience in utility scale power plants and renewable energy production. In 2017, Cyrq Energy selected Turboden and Industrial Builders to construct the new power plant for LDG. Turboden offered to provide a power plant producing 11.0 MW net (14 MW gross) electric power with a single ORC turbine, compared to four ORC expanders in the old plant. Turboden (MHI) is a world leading ORC Technology provider. Turboden has engineered, manufactured, and delivered 389 plants in 45 countries and 649 MWs of high efficiency ORC power generation. Industrial Builders (IB) is an EPC constructor of eight (8) modular ORC power plants over the past 12 years, along with numerous industrial power and process plants. 4. The Turboden Plant Design Turboden and Cyrq designed the plant to utilize geothermal brine from two geothermal wells. After careful study and testing, isobutane was selected as the most efficient working fluid for the produced geothermal fluid temperature, ambient temperatures, and air-cooling. This choice of the working fluid was made after other alternatives were carefully studied. For example, pentane was also considered and tested but failed to produce as efficiently as isobutane. The plant has been configured to utilize a single turbine. The power plant is composed of heat exchangers, a single turbine directly coupled with a generator, a recuperator, a condenser, and feed pumps (Figure 3). Based on the low corrosivity potential of the geothermal water observed during five years of operations in the previous installation, carbon steel was adopted as the material for the parts in contact with geothermal water (e.g. tube sheet, distributor channel, partition plate and heat exchanger tubes). Likewise, on the ORC working fluid side, carbon steel was employed. Cyrq suggested the minimum reinjection temperature to be considered in the plant design, in order to avoid any risk of deposition of silica or other solids. The single turbine designed and manufactured by Turboden is axial, multistage and operates at 1800 rpm. The Turbine is directly coupled to the electric generator. The turbine design inlet pressure is about 400 psi. The expected turbine isentropic efficiency is about 90% (total to static, including all the stage losses). The axial geometry is the most suitable to achieve high efficiency in the widest range of operation. The expected efficiency derate is only -1% during summer operation, and -4% during winter operation. The turbine is designed to maximize the energy production according to the ambient conditions at the LDG site. The air-cooled condenser, a Turboden design, is composed of many tube bundles interconnected to each other in parallel. To limit the influences of different condensing pressure of the bundles and to mitigate potential upsets such as one bay of cooling fans out of order, the pipeline collecting the liquid phase includes routing with a syphon and vapor trap. The favorable properties of isobutane ensure that it will never be under vacuum, and the condenser is expected to operate at constant volumetric flow (on the air-side) to maximize energy production. This factored into the decision to eliminate variable speed drives for the cooling fans. This simplification also removes additional maintenance and complexity of the control system. The ORC working fluid feed pumps are centrifugal multi-stage, driven by 3-phase motors connected to a variable frequency drive in order to
37. 38 GRC Bulletin l www.geothermal.org achieve optimal control and to minimize the power consumption. This solution is required particularly considering the operating pressure of the working fluid; in fact, the traditional solution of pump regulation by means of valves would significantly decrease the net energy production. The operation of the ORC turbogenerator is automatic: continuous monitoring by personnel during operation, will not be required. The ORC turbogenerator can operate at partial load, the process and the generated electric power self-adapt to the available thermal power. 5. Plant Construction Activities The procurement and construction duration, from order release to commercial operating date (COD) for geothermal power plants normally ranges from 20 to 24 months. The LDG repower project was completed 6 months faster than normal, due to a unique partnership between all parties. The partnership succeeded due to superior project communication and planning, parallel path schedule management, advanced collaborative development of all project facets, and close vendor coordination. Each team member's previous geothermal experience and incorporation of lessons-learned was also invaluable to the success. Cyrq, Turboden and IB adopted a TEAM strategy for moving forward and constructing this project. The TEAM together finalized a "value engineered design", specific to; the LDG site, project parameters, specific equipment, integrating and fabricating as much of the equipment as possible in the shop for rapid deployment and smooth installation and execution. This TEAM effort facilitated a project that capitalized on all of our previous geothermal ORC and plant experience in design and manufacture, modularization and prefabrication. As much of the plant as possible was packaged, pulling man hours out of the field and into a controlled shop fabrication environment. This allowed the team to mitigate virtually all risk, greatly improving project simplicity and speed to COD, minimizing costs to the Owner and meeting all financing requirements. The roles and responsibilities of each team member are enumerated below: • IB, the EPC, installed the power plant equipment. Turboden, the power plant manufacturer, guaranteed and backstopped equipment delivery, with a 100% Performance and Payment Bond • IB guaranteed/backstopped construction schedule and cost – Turboden, the technology provider, guaranteed and backstopped overall ORC performance, schedule, and cost. • IB performed all necessary site layouts and other engineering for permitting, including preliminary engineering, purchase specifications necessary to maintain schedule, installation of ORC power plant equipment, as well as obtain all construction-related permits, including; logistics and transportation, building, etc. • ALL TEAM members collaborated on the schedule. Schedule collaboration included long lead procurements needed to maintain schedule, including expedited completion schedule and continuous review, and preparation for construction of necessary electric and heat exchange interconnections, providing and performing EPC; testing and Figure 3:Turboden Plant Diagram
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