Comments on: U.S. geothermal is hot http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:14:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Bob Wallace http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19753 Bob Wallace Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:13:31 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19753 Out of the 2900 mW on line is any of it the type of drill-down that would be required to tap into the "blue" areas or is it all the sort of developed surface geothermal that one finds in the Calistoga-type sites? Out of the 2900 mW on line is any of it the type of drill-down that would be required to tap into the “blue” areas or is it all the sort of developed surface geothermal that one finds in the Calistoga-type sites?

]]> By: Earl Killian http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19758 Earl Killian Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:38:11 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19758 Bob, I only looked at the most recent California project (2000): http://www.calenergy.com/html/projects2d.asp <blockquote>The project consists of 10 generating plants in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area, or SSKGRA, in Southern California's Imperial Valley. The plants produce electricity solely from naturally occurring geothermal steam. Geothermal production wells tap into superheated water reservoirs thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface to release tremendous pressure, caused by the hot water, which rushes to the surface. There, steam is separated and used to drive turbines to generate electricity.</blockquote> It doesn't sound like surface geothermal, but it also isn't the sort that requires injection of water from the surface. Bob, I only looked at the most recent California project (2000):
http://www.calenergy.com/html/projects2d.asp

The project consists of 10 generating plants in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area, or SSKGRA, in Southern California’s Imperial Valley. The plants produce electricity solely from naturally occurring geothermal steam. Geothermal production wells tap into superheated water reservoirs thousands of feet beneath the Earth’s surface to release tremendous pressure, caused by the hot water, which rushes to the surface. There, steam is separated and used to drive turbines to generate electricity.

It doesn’t sound like surface geothermal, but it also isn’t the sort that requires injection of water from the surface.

]]> By: Peter Wood http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19762 Peter Wood Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:54:06 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19762 We should be using all of the massive high powered oil drilling rigs around for instead developing geothermal resources. We should be using all of the massive high powered oil drilling rigs around for instead developing geothermal resources.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19764 David B. Benson Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:38:40 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19764 Far from geothermal, but I found "Algae in excess - harvesting for Life": http://www5.o.lst.se/projekt/eulife-algae/PDF/EUlifealgae_eng.pdf quite interesting as a way to clean up some 'dead spots'. If done on a large enough scale, might possibly provide a source of profitable energy? Far from geothermal, but I found

“Algae in excess - harvesting for Life”:

http://www5.o.lst.se/ projekt/ eulife-algae/ PDF/ EUlifealgae_eng.pdf

quite interesting as a way to clean up some ‘dead spots’. If done on a large enough scale, might possibly provide a source of profitable energy?

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19765 David B. Benson Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:54:00 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19765 And here is a story about two men who made the attempt this last summer to go skim up algae blooms: http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_031808ENB_algae_biodiesel_KC.300b76b.html or at least that was what they wanted to try... And here is a story about two men who made the attempt this last summer to go skim up algae blooms:

http://www.king5.com/ business/ stories/ NW_031808ENB_algae_biodiesel_KC.300b76b.html

or at least that was what they wanted to try…

]]> By: TomG http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19766 TomG Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:09:38 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19766 Nothing is forever, but geothermal has more future than oil. Drill, baby, drill...for heat! Nothing is forever, but geothermal has more future than oil.
Drill, baby, drill…for heat!

]]> By: Bob Wallace http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19767 Bob Wallace Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:17:55 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19767 I think drill down geothermal requires larger diameter holes than can be made with oil drilling rigs. Seems I read that development is being slowed by the lack of appropriate equipment. Drill down/inject water/harvest steam is an ideal solution as it can be installed close to point of use in much of the US. Produces 24/7 and wouldn't require massive HVDC transmission line installation. I think drill down geothermal requires larger diameter holes than can be made with oil drilling rigs. Seems I read that development is being slowed by the lack of appropriate equipment.

Drill down/inject water/harvest steam is an ideal solution as it can be installed close to point of use in much of the US. Produces 24/7 and wouldn’t require massive HVDC transmission line installation.

]]> By: Cyril R. http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19775 Cyril R. Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:48:16 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19775 There's some interesting work going on about developing non-drillbit technology, such as hydrogen combustion fracturing, which should make drilling deep really easy, fast, and cheap. Keeping my fingers crossed... There’s some interesting work going on about developing non-drillbit technology, such as hydrogen combustion fracturing, which should make drilling deep really easy, fast, and cheap.

Keeping my fingers crossed…

]]> By: Bob Wallace http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19781 Bob Wallace Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:59:40 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19781 "hydrogen combustion fracturing" Would you please flesh that out a bit? I did the google and found nothing. “hydrogen combustion fracturing”

Would you please flesh that out a bit? I did the google and found nothing.

]]> By: Dill Weed http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19786 Dill Weed Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:31:11 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19786 Drill, Baby, Drill!! Word. - Dill Weed Drill, Baby, Drill!!

Word.

- Dill Weed

]]> By: Earl Killian http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19789 Earl Killian Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:26:13 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19789 Bob Wallace, if Cyril means what I think he means, it is sometimes called thermal spallation. The basic idea is described here: http://web.mit.edu/tester/hydrothermal_flames.html You might find slides 47-51 of http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/seminar/docs/2007/ea_seminar_mar_1.ppt also useful. The MIT report on the future of geothermal http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/future_geothermal.html is useful in general, but leaves out advanced drilling techniques. Bob Wallace, if Cyril means what I think he means, it is sometimes called thermal spallation. The basic idea is described here: http://web.mit.edu/ tester/ hydrothermal_flames.html
You might find slides 47-51 of
http://www.nrel.gov/ analysis/ seminar/ docs/ 2007/ ea_seminar_mar_1.ppt
also useful.
The MIT report on the future of geothermal
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/ geothermal/ future_geothermal.html
is useful in general, but leaves out advanced drilling techniques.

]]> By: Earl Killian http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19963 Earl Killian Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:03:41 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/27/us-geothermal-is-hot/#comment-19963 Geothermal just got hotter: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2027 The USGS said yesterday, <blockquote>The results of this assessment show that the United States has an estimated 9,057 Megawatts-electric (MWe) of power generation potential from domestic, conventional, identified geothermal systems, 30,033 MWe of power generation potential from conventional, undiscovered geothermal resources, and 517,800 MWe of power generation potential from unconventional (high temperature, low permeability) Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) resources.</blockquote> That is enough power to shut down all US coal plants! (312,956 MWe in 2006) Geothermal just got hotter:
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2027

The USGS said yesterday,

The results of this assessment show that the United States has an estimated 9,057 Megawatts-electric (MWe) of power generation potential from domestic, conventional, identified geothermal systems, 30,033 MWe of power generation potential from conventional, undiscovered geothermal resources, and 517,800 MWe of power generation potential from unconventional (high temperature, low permeability) Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) resources.

That is enough power to shut down all US coal plants! (312,956 MWe in 2006)

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