Archive for September, 2009
Oklahoma resisting renewable mandates
In Oklahoma, House Speaker Chris Benge said at a forum on energy policy at Oklahoma Christian University said that creating any mandates for the use of renewable energy were a non-starter in the Oklahoma Legislature. The state still has abundant supplies of oil and natural gas, and Benge noted that the declining price of natural [...]
Monastery renovation plan includes geotherm
In North Dakota, renovations on the Sacred Heart Monastery will include a geothermal heating and cooling system will feature geothermal energy. The system will use 52 wells, each drilled to 300 feet. The ground temperature at that depth 50.4 degrees F. Built in the mid-sixties, the original building lacked even a hint of insulation. The [...]
Contact holds onto cash for investment
In New Zealand, Contact Energy Ltd said that the introduction of the company’s profit distribution plan has allowed the company to retain $120 million of cash within the business for the 2009 financial year. Seventy two percent of the total number of bonus shares issued in respect of the 2009 final distribution are being retained. [...]
Stimulus money will fund transit office geothermal heating and cooling
In Illinois, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District will receive $450,000 in stimulus money to buy a geothermal heating and cooling system to replace the current conventional system. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made the announcement in a press release. The money is part of the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction grant program. One [...]
PNNL research on CO2 sequestration leads to geothermal heat extraction breakthrough
In Washington, research on nanomaterials at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) intended to help capture carbon dioxide has led to a material that can boost the power generation of relatively cool geothermal resources. In fact, the nanostructured metal-organic heat carriers (MOHCs) didn’t work at all with CO2.
PNNL research fellow Pete McGrail [...]
Australia’s Greenearth Energy looking for government backing
In Australia, Greenearth Energy is using data developed by a technical consultancy to justify government backing for its geothermal power efforts. The data used a weighted average of CO2 emissions from coal-fired plants. Based in Melbourne, the company’s Geelong geothermal power project will displace considerable CO2 during the demonstration stage at 12 MW and at [...]
The Pilbara is newest exploration area down under
In Australia, New World Energy has secured geothermal exploration leases covering the northwest coast of the country between Onslow and Carnarvon. Unlike most areas in Australia being tapped for deep geothermal, which are far removed from where power is needed, this one features growing iron ore and gas industries. Rather than use the gas for [...]
Raser plant looking to raise water temperature 100 degrees
In Utah, Raser Technologies’ Hatch geothermal power plant is reportedly buying nearly as much power – 4 MW – as it is producing – 5 MW. The report says that the 180 degree water isn’t hot enough. The company plans for new, reworked wells to produce water at 280 degrees and hopes that the plant [...]
Early finish for Faulkner 1 plant
In Nevada, Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. said that it has finished the Blue Mountain `Faulkner 1` project three months ahead of schedule. Testing requirements were completed under the contract with Ormat Nevada Inc. Nevada Geothermal will take full control of the plant later this month and will declare an in service date sometime thereafter. In [...]
Geothermal contracting round to begin in the Philippines
In the Philippines, the Department of Energy is preparing the Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) for geothermal areas. Under the PECR, which was initiated in 2003, the government auctions off contracts to explore and develop the country’s energy resources. The agency says that potential capacity of two sites that were previously qualified for contracting totals [...]
