A Survey of Geothermal Projects, Prospects and Developers in the U.S.


1
A Survey of Geothermal Projects Prospects and
Developers in the U.S.

• Daniel J. Fleischmann
• Geothermal Energy Association

2
THE GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY HAS MOMENTUM

• There is a window of opportunity for major new
  development for the first time in 25 years
  
• Geothermal technologies are spreading to new
  applications including alternative fuel
  development
  
• Geothermal research is leading to new
  breakthroughs (Geothermal power produced from
  162.5 degrees in Alaska EGS and Hot Dry Rock
  proven feasible)

3
Acquiring information on new projects

• Updated estimates of developing projects from a
  survey completed in March of 2006
  
• Included interviews and confirmation by
  developers and utilities
  
• Included tours of facilities and meetings with
  stakeholders in 5 states
  

4
What already exists in the U.S.

• 61 Power plants (5 states AK CA HI NV UT)
• Total installed capacity
• 11/2006 2830.65 MW
• Total generation in 2005
• 16010 GWh (1.5 million homes)
• Total installed Direct-use capacity 617 thermal
  MW (Estimate Year-end 2005)

5
What is under development

• There are 9 states currently planning new
  projects including Alaska Arizona California
  Hawaii Idaho Nevada New Mexico Oregon and
  Utah
• 51 projects under development of up to 1924.7 MW
• 61 projects (including unconfirmed) of up to
  2376.7 MW
  
• Similar growth in direct use developments

6
GEOTHERMAL POTENTIAL BY 2025 We can triple
capacity in 10 years
7
Whats New State by State
8
Alaska

• 
  State has lots of
  Potential
  
• 
  High retail energy cost
  
  
• 
  Reliance on Diesel Fuel
  Generators
  
• 
  Unalaska (15 MW)
  
• 
  Aleutian
  Islands
  
• 
  Makushin
  Volcano 6679
  
• 
  Chena Hot Springs
  
• 
  60
  miles from Fairbanks
  
• 
  Will
  be total 1 MW of ORC units
  
• 
  
  Resource temp 162.5F (72C)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  20 MW power plant
  
• 
  
  (From deeper well)

9
Arizona

• Clifton
  Power Project
  
• 
  (2-20 MW)
  
• San
  Francisco Volcanic Field
  
• Direct
  use for agriculture
  
• (including greenhouses at
  Willcox)
  
• (Possible for larger greenhouses)
• Direct
  use for residential heating
  
• 
  Aquaculture (discussed later)

10
California

• 
  15 projects under
  development
  
• 
  Up to 869 MW
  
• 
  Geysers area Up to 80 MW
  
  
• 
  (Among largest in the
  world)
  
• 
  Southern California 500
  MW
  
• 
  Salton Sea 200 MW
  
• 
  (2000 MW of proven
  reserves)
  
• 
  Truckhaven Area 224 MW
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Other potential throughout
  
  
• 
  Mount Shasta Area 220 MW
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Mammoth Hot Springs up to
  40 MW
  
• 
  (Mammoth Lakes)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Surprise Valley 27 MW
  
• 
  (Northeast corner)
  

11
Hawaii

• Expansion of existing plant expected to more
  than double capacity (adding 38 MW)
  
• Geothermal already provides 20 of the power on
  the Big Island of Hawaii
  
• Hawaii relies on petroleum for almost ¾ of
  energy
  
• Highest energy prices in U.S. Twice National
  Average

12
Idaho

• 
  Raft River Project (10 MW)
  
• 
  (Up to 90 MW)
  
• 
  Crane Creek Hot Springs
  
• 
  (100 179 MW potential)
  
• 
  Snake River Plain
  
• 
  Mount Bennett Hills
  
• 
  Magic Hot Springs
  
• 
  Rexburg
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Basin and Range Province
  
• 
  Willow Spring (100 MW)
  
• 
  China Cap (100 MW)
  
• 
  Sulphur Springs
  
• 
  Preston
  
• 
  
  
• 
  USFS Lands
  
• 
  Boise County Boiling Springs
  Shoup Valley County
  

13
New Mexico

• 
  Rio Grande Rift (blind anomalies)
  
• 
  Las Cruces (direct use)
  
• 
  Albuquerque (direct use power)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Lightning Dock (up to 20 MW)
  
• 
  (Power Plant)
  
• 
  (AmeriCulture project)
  
• -Small 1 MW binary unit
• 
  -Save 30 total operating costs
  
• 
  -Pay back cost in 17 months
  
• 
  -Expand to 10 million/per year
  
• 
  -Hire additional 80
  workers
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Greenhouses (1 in U.S.)
  
• 
  2 largest in U.S. proposed

14
Nevada

• 
  
  19 projects Under Development
  
• 
  
  Up to 661 MW
  
• 
  
  24 total up to 763 MW
  
• 
  
  Steamboat area (Reno)
  
• 
  
  Has existing plants
  
• 
  
  100 MW field when completed
  
• 
  
  Northwest corner
  
• 
  
  3 projects up to 85 MW
  
• 
  
  Churchill/Lyon Counties
  
• 
  
  6 projects up to 152 MW
  
• 
  
  Winnemucca area
  
• 
  
  4 areas up to 121 MW
  
• 
  
  California border
  
• 
  
  4 areas up to 283 MW
  

15
Oregon

• 
  
  
• 
  
  Crump Geyser (40-60 MW)
  
• 
  
  (Near Lakeview
  
• 
  
  site of first Oregon power
  plant)
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  Newberry Volcano (120 MW)
  
• 
  
  (Bend)
  
• 
  Neal Hot Springs
  (25-30 MW)
  
• 
  (near Crane Creek
  Hot Springs Idaho)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Klamath
  Falls (1.2 MW)
  
• 
  
  (Oregon Institute of
  Technology)
• 
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  

16
Utah

• 
  Cove Fort (36 MW)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Roosevelt HS (11 35 MW)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Renaissance (100 MW)
  
• 
  (Wasatch
  Front)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  IWGC efforts
  
• 
  (North of Roosevelt HS)
  
• 
  
  
• 
  Several direct use projects
  
• West Jordan

17
Other states

• Other Western States
• Colorado Several potential locations
  high-temp resource measured in San Juan Basin at
  6800 feet
  
• Montana 50 geothermal areas and at least 15
  high-temperature sites (US Dept. of Energy)
  
• Washington State 600 MW available in next 20
  years (WGA Geothermal Task force report)
  
• Wyoming Potential outside of Yellowstone
• Rest of the U.S.
• Potential in oil producing states (discussed
  later)
  
• Possible in Eastern States down the road
• (25 U.S. States use geothermal resources for
  direct uses)

18
Other Geothermal Power Applications

• Power and cascaded heat for
• Agricultural production
• Greenhouses
• Aquaculture
• Alternative fuels
• Very energy intensive (18 of Natural Gas
  consumption in Iowa)
  
• Wabuska Bio-fuel plant
• -Will be online in 2007
• -5 million gpy
• -Oil seed algae
• Photo The grain silo methanol recovery towers
  
  
• and the tank farm at the bio-diesel facility
  under
  
• construction. Infinifuel Biodiesel. Used by
  permission
  
• Also drilling at Gerlach Nevada ethanol plant
• Interest in other locations in Nevada interest
  in New Mexico
  

19
Geothermalin Louisiana

• Other possibilities include
• Co-production of oil and gas
• Louisiana
• Montana
• North and South Dakota
• Texas
• Wyoming
• Desalinization
• Mining precious metals (gold silver)
• Hydrogen Production
• Industrial drying onions and garlic in Nevada
• Local power use Alaska Oregon

20
Direct Use

• Low temperature resources are widely available
• Can help farmers manufacturing projects in USA
  (ex. AZ Shrimp farm)
  
• District heating (Boise Reno other cities
  possible)
  
• Dairy processing bio-fuels refining heap
  leaching
  

21
Direct Use ProjectsProsperity vs. Bankruptcy
Bluffdale Utah The Utah State Prison
-Saved 344000 in heating costs in FY 2006
Radium Springs New Mexico Greenhouses.
(Photo by Geo-Heat Center Oregon Institute of
Technology) -Saves 46200 per acre per year -P
lans to expand to 40 acres in the near future
-Hire 100 additional workers
Boise Idaho 4 existing systems
-Priced 30 below the cost of natural gas
-Plans to expand to Boise State University (18
thousand students)
Elko Nevada Industrial park Econ
development -New Construction 6 buildings (400
00 sq feet) -Customers will save 2/3rds on heatin
g costs
22
Looking ahead to the Future

23
DRIVING THE MOMENTUM

• Current Drivers
• New Projects Energy prices Load growth
  Industry growth Advanced technology Tax
  credits Renewable Portfolio Standards
  Research and Development Breakthroughs
• Future Drivers
• Breakthroughs Carbon taxes Calls for energy
  independence New applications for geothermal
  technology Well-capitalized industry Tipping
  Point (where what was theoretical becomes
  standard)

24
Web Resources

• Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) Industry
  information
  
• http//www.geo-energy.org/
• Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Bulletins
  and research reports
  
• http//www.geothermal.org/
• Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy Links
  and informational tools
  
• http//www.unr.edu/geothermal/
• Geothermal-biz Contacts and News Updates
• http//www.geothermal-biz.com
• GEA More information on Developing Plants
• http//www.geo-energy.org/information/developing.a
  sp
  
• GEA State research papers (AZ ID NM UT)
• http//www.geo-energy.org/publications/reports.asp
  
  

25
THANK YOU!

• Daniel Fleischmann
• Geothermal Energy Association
• 202-454-5241 (ph)
• 202-454-5265 (fax)
• dan_at_geo-energy.org
• Questions