GEOTHERMAL ENERGY:

 Isit a viable
option in an oil-
induced energy
crisis?
Overview of Policy to Off-set Loss In Oil
Imports
A Two-Stage Approach:
Short Term (Several Years to a Decade) -
Expand Use of Known Geothermal Resources
Using Currently Available Technologies
Long-Term (Several Decades?) – Develop,
Improve & Implement Technologies to Tap into
Deep Geothermal Resources
Supplement These Efforts By Providing Gov’t
Subsidy, Clean Air Credits and Tightening
Pollution Regulations
 Overview of Policy Cont’d
 Short Term Highlights & Achievable Goals:
Replace Current Oil Uses for Spacing
Conditioning
Provide Gov’t Subsidy to Minimize Capital
Expenditure
– Justifiable Given the Environmental Benefits
Develop Last of Known Shallow Geothermal
Sources Capable of Electricity Generation
– Expansion of Electricity Generation up to 19 GW
Overall, Offset Lost Energy 2-10% of Current
Oil Imports
 Overview of Policy
 Long-Term Highlights & Achievable Goals:
Develop, Improve & Implement Technologies
to Tap into Deep Geothermal Resources –
Magma and Near Core Fluids
Capable of Replacing All Electricity Needs in
U.S. and All Energy for Space Conditioning
 Summary of Conclusion

 ShortTerm:
Not a Viable Option to Replace 25%
Loss in Oil Imports. Perhaps 2-10%
Could Be Replaced in a Few Years to a
Decade.
 Long Term (Likely Decades):
Capable of Replacing All Electricity
Needs, Including All HVAC Applications
 What is Geothermal Energy?

 Geo (Greek for earth)

Thermal (heat)
 Temp. of Shallow
Crust (upper 10 ft.)
Constant 55-75°F
(13-24°C)
 Up to 14,400°F
(8,000°C) at Molten
Core (approx. 4,000
mi. to center of core)
 What is Geothermal Energy
 Earth’s Crust Thickness: 3 to 35 Mi.
Temperature Increases With Depth
–Gradient: 50-87°F / Mile (17-30°C / km)
 Basic
Geothermal Systems Take
Advantage of:
Heat Differential Between Ground and
Indoor Air Temperatures – Heat Pump
Earth as a Natural Heat Source – Power
Plants
 Types of Geothermal Resources

 Geothermal Sources are Classified Based on:

(1) Temperature, (2) Physical State of H20 (i.e.
water or steam), and (3) Type of Energy Usage
 Primary Classification is Resource
Temperature:
Low Temperature Reservoir: 50-200 °F (10-
94 °C)
High Temperature Reservoir: >200 °F
 Brief History of Geothermal Energy
 Paleo-Indians Usage
Dates Back 10,000 Years
 Use by Romans – Hot
Spas; Hot Running Water,
Etc.
 Early 1800s – Yellowstone
Hot Springs and Hot
Springs Arkansas
1830 1st Commercial
Use; Asa Thompson
sold Bath in
Wooden Tub for $1
History of Geothermal Energy Cont’d
 In 1852, the
Geysers Resort
Hotel in San Fran.
CA opened
 108 Years later, 1st
Geothermal
Electricity Plant
Opened at the
Same Location –
“The Gysers”
Basic Types of Geothermal Reservoirs

3 General Classes of Geothermal Uses

Ground Source Heat Pump
Direct Source
Commercial Electricity Generation: Power
Plants
–Need High Capacity Geothermal
Reservoir; Generally Water / Steam
>200°F
 Types of Reservoirs
 Low Temperature Reservoirs:
Available almost anywhere on earth
Predominantly Used for Heat Pumps
–Space Heating
Other Common Uses:
–Hot Water Production
–Piped Under Roads / Sidewalks (Klamath
Falls, Oregon)
–In Greenhouses to Grow Flowers, etc.
–Industrial Uses: dry wood, pasteurize milk,
grow fish, etc.
 Types of Reservoirs
 High Temperature Reservoirs:
Availability:
–Can Occur Within a Couple of Miles of
Earth’s Surface Where Earth’s Crust Is Very
Thin – i.e., Closer to Molten Magma at Core
Suitable for Commercial Production of
Electricity
–Power Plants Need High Capacity
Geothermal Reservoir – Water / Steam
>220°F (105°C)
Greatest Potential for Energy Output
 What Makes a Good Geothermal
Reservoir for Generating Electricity?
 Hot Geothermal Fluids Near Surface (<1-2 mi.)
Preferably in Excess of 300°F, but Electrical
Generation Is Occurring at Temps. In the
Low 200’s°F.
 Proximity to Population Base
 Low Mineral and Gas Content
 Location on Private Land
 Proximity to Transmission Lines
 The Geothermal Heat Pump
 Most Basic Form of Geothermal Usage
 What – takes advantage of stored heat of near
surface soil / water (Const. temp of 55-75 °F)
Winter Months – uses ground as a “heat source”
–Transfers heat from warm subsurface to
facility
Summer Months – uses ground as a “heat sink”
–Transfers heat from facility to ground
Heat Pump Components
 3 Main Parts:
Underground Piping
Pump / Heat
Exchanger System
Indoor Distribution
System
 System “Concentrates”
Natural Heat Instead of
Production of Heat by
Combustion
 Underground Piping Configurations
 Vertical Installation:
150-500 ft. U-
shaped pipe
 Horizontal Inst.:
1000 ft. pipe
buried at 4-8 feet
below grade
 Heat Pump Uses
 Predominantly Space Heating / Cooling
Currently Over 300,000 buildings in U.S.
–Homes, Schools, Commercial Complexes,
and Industrial Facilities
 Water Heating for Hot Water
Desuperheaters – uses heat from heat pump’s
compressor to heat facility’s hot water
Second Heat Exchanger dedicated to hot water
HEAT PUMPS: WHAT DO THEY COST
 Approx. $2,500 / ton of capacity
$7,500 for 3 ton system – 2,500 – 3,000 ft2 home
A 3-ton gas-fired furnace and air conditioner would
cost approx. $4,000
 Positive Cash Flow Investment
Monthly Energy Savings Likely to Exceed the
Monthly Finance Charge for Borrowing the Additional
$3,500
 GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS: DO THEY
WORK?
 1993 EPA Study Conducted in 6 Different
Climate Conditions1
Named Heat Pump as Most Efficient Heating and
Cooling System
Reduction in Energy Consumption of 25%-75% Over
Older, Conventional Systems
Lowest Annual Operating Costs
 Little Pollution Produced
 HEAT PUMP EFFECTIVENESS IN
VARIOUS CILMATES
 Cold
Climate - Minnesota House Owned by
Dennis Eichinger
3,400 ft2; Avg. Monthly Energy Bill - $44
 Warm Climate – FL House Owned by Keith
Swilley
2,000 ft2; Yearly Energy Bill - $253 ($0.69/day)
1997 Energy Value Housing Award
What do home Owners Say?
 Even Temperature – no cold spots, no
fluctuation
 Quite Operation
 Low Maintenance
 Few Moving Parts – systems typically
last 30 yrs. or more; u/g systems
frequently warranted up to 50 years.
 HEAT PUMPS: HOW MUCH ENERGY
SAVINGS?
 2-5 kW for each residential application
Therefore, 1000 homes avoids the need to
generate 2 to 5 MW capacity1
 20kW for average commercial installations1
 Currently 400,000 Heat Pumps in U.S.
1,500 MW of Heating & Cooling2
–Approx. Savings of 33.3 MM barrels oil/yr.
–40,000 being added each year2
TYPES OF GEOTHERMAL POWER
PLANTS
 DifferentTypes of Plants are Required
to Take Advantage of the Particular
Characteristics of Each Specific
Geothermal Site
 Main Types of Geothermal Power
Plants:
Dry Steam
Flash Steam
Binary Cycle
 Dry Steam Geothermal Plants
 Uses Steam From
Geothermal Reservoir
Directly
 Only Requires
Removal of Rock
Fragments From
Steam Prior to
Entering Turbines
 Only Emissions Are
Water Vapor
 Dry Steam Geothermal Plants
 The “Geysers” in CA
Opened in 1960
 After 30 yrs. – temp.
remains constant;
pressure drop from 3.3
to 2.3 MPa near wells
 Output–2700 MW;
enough for San
Francisco (pop.
780,000)1
 Why Haven’t We Built More Dry
Steam Geothermal Plants?
 Pro:
Lowest Technology Required – Lowest
Capital Costs
 Con:
Ideal Conditions Required
–Few Sites Available (Very Rare) in U.S.
 Flash Steam Geothermal Power
Plants
 Injection of Deep, High-
pressure Water Into
Low-pressure Tanks;
Water “Flashes” to
Steam Used to Drive
Turbines
 Excess Water
Returned to Maintain
Pressure in Reservoir
 Flash Steam Plants Cont’d
 Steamboat Springs,
NV Plant
 Initial Conditions –
Liquid H2O @
240°C, Pressures of
24 MPa (hydrostatic
pressure)
 Binary Cycle Geothermal Power
Plants
 Moderately Hot Water
(<175 °C) Passed
Through Heat
Exchanger
 Heat Transferred to
Secondary Fluid (Low
B.P. Fluids (i.e.,
Propane or Isobutane)
Which Is Vaporized
(“Flashed”)
 Binary Cycle Plants Cont’d
 Higher Capital Cost
Needs High
Efficiency Equip.
 Water Never Contacts
Turbine/generator
Units
 Water Returned
Directly to Reservoir
 No Plant Emissions!
 Benefits of Geothermal Power
Generation
 Little to No Pollution
Flash Plants Emit Only Excess Steam
Binary Plants Have No Air or Liquid
Emissions!
–Expected to Be Dominant Type in Future
Lake County – Home of “The Geysers”
Geothermal Plants – is One of the Only
Counties to Meet CA’s Stringent Air Quality
Standards.
 Benefits of Geothermal Power

 Emission of Low
Quantities of
Greenhouse
Gasses
 Homegrown
Decreases
Dependency On
Foreign Energy
 Benefits of Geothermal Power

 As Opposed to Burning Fossil Fuels, Current

Geothermal Use Prevents the Yearly Emission of:1
22 MM tons of CO2
200k tons of SO2
80k tons of NOx
110k tons of Particulates
 Benefits of Geothermal Power
 Some Plants Produce Scale
Which Is High in Minerals
(Zinc and S)
 But, The Minerals are Now
Recyclable and Can be
Sold For a Profit!
 No Fuel Usage (storage,
transfer, disposal, mining)
 Benefits of Geothermal Power Cont’d

 Reliability1:
Plants Have Very
Little Down Time -
Avg. Availability is
90% or greater
60-70% for Coal and
Nuclear Plants
 Benefits of Geothermal Power Cont’d
 Another Aspect of
Resource Reliability
 “Old Faithful” in
Yellowstone National Park
 Plants Have Been In Use
in Italy Since 1913, New
Zealand Since 1958 and
in CA Since 1960
 Benefits of Geothermal Power

 MinimalLand Use Compared to Other

Energy Sources
 Requires 400 M2 of Land Per GW of
Power Over a 30 Year Period1
Compare That to Coal and Nuclear Plants
Which Require Land for Plant, Mining for
Fuel, Storage of Fuel and Wastes, Etc.
 Disadvantages of Geothermal
Energy
 Start-up Costs Are High
Geothermal Plants Require Significant Capital
Expenditures, But the Fuel Is Free
Cost - $1,500-$5,000 / Installed kW Depending on
Plant Size, Resource Temp. And Chemistry1
 Cost Of Power to Consumer
Currently, $0.05 to $0.08 / Kwh2
Needs to Be $0.03 to Be Competitive
 Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy
 Water can be corrosive to plant pipes, equipment
If water not replaced back into reservoir,
subsidence can occur
How Much Water is Needed? Ea. MW requires
500 gpm @ 300°F; 1400 gpm @ 200°F.
 Some high mineral / metal wastewater and solid
waste is produced
 Smelly gasses – H2S, Ammonia, Boron
 Release of steam and hot water can be noisy
 Disadvantages Cont’d – The
Achilles Heel!
Limited # of High Temp.
Resources Capable of Electric
Generation Using Current
Technology
 Current State of Geothermal Use
 Currently there is approx. 3,000 MW of Electrical
Power being Produced
2 times the production of solar and wind combined
824 MW at “The Geysers” of CA alone
 There is Approx. 3,900 MW of Direct Use
Applications
400,000 Heat Pumps
40 Greenhouses, 30 Fish Farms, 125 District Heating
Projects, 10 Industrial Projects, 190 Resorts1
Is There Any Room For Growth?
A Gov’t Sponsored Survey Identified:
Over 9,000 Thermal Wells and Springs
Over 900 low-to-moderate Temperature
Geothermal Resource Areas
271 Collocated Communities
 What is a Collocated Community?
City/Community within 5 miles (8 km) of
geothermal resource with temps. of at least
50 °C (122 °F)
 Is There Any Room For Growth
 Being A Collocated Community:
Gives These Locations Excellent Potential
for Near Term Use
Makes Them Capable of Supporting
Space Conditioning (Heating and Cooling)
and Hot Water Applications
 These 271 Cities/communities Represent 7.4
Million Persons
 Potential Energy Savings – 18 MM Barrels
Oil/year
 Is There Any Room For Growth
 Using Today’s
Technology, Approx.
6,500 MW Are Available
 With Modest
Technological Advances
and Using Known
Geothermal Reservoirs,
Approx. 18,900 MW
Would Be Available
 Is There Any Room For Growth Cont’d
 At Depths of 3-6 Miles, There Is Very Hot, Dry Rock
 The U.S., Japan, England, France, Germany and
Others Are Experimenting With Technologies to
Develop This Resource
Needed Improvements In Drilling Technologies
Needed Ability to Enhance Subsurface Permeability
Needed Technology to Detect and Sample Prospective
Geothermal Resources
 Devising a Policy For Accelerating
Geothermal Use
 The Current State of the Geothermal Technology Lends
Itself to a Two-phased Approach Targeting Short and Long
Term Goals
 Easy Targets – Achievable in the Short Term (Several
Years to a Decade):
Phasing Out Systems Currently Using Oil For Heating
Which Can Be Replaced With Geothermal Energy
Quickly and With Available Technology
Implementing District Heating/Cooling Systems in the
271 Collocated Cities
 Devising a Policy
 Long-Term Targets – Several Decades:
Phasing Out All Use of Fossil Fuels for
Space Conditioning
R&D for Technology to access the
Unlimited Energy Source Closer to the
Earth’s Core - Unlimited Electricity Source
Build Power Plants Capable of Providing
All Electricity Needs in U.S.
 Pros / Cons of Such a Policy

 Pros:
Clean Resource – Very Little Emissions or
Overall Environmental Impact
Domestic Resource – Not Susceptible to
Geopolitical Conflict
Economically Sound Alternative – The Fuel Is
Free, Rate / KWh Likely to Be Competitive
 Pros / Cons of Such a Policy
 Cons:
Capital Cost - Significant Initial Investment will be
required by Consumers and Industry
Duration - May Take Decades to Replace
Significant Quantity of the Lost Energy
Uncertainty - Replacing More Than a Few Percent
of the Lost Energy Relies on Technological
Advances, Both in Production and Usage
 Mitigation of Policy Negatives:
 Additional Policy Considerations and Justifications:
Gov’t Subsidies to Off-set Capital Costs
– Justifiable because of significant potential for
environmental savings
Provide Increased Clean Air Credits and
Reduced Rates for Users of Geothermal Energy
– At the Same Time, Increase Rates for Heating Oil
and Other Fossil Fuel Users
 Conclusion
Short Term (Several Years to a Decade):
 Not a Viable Option to Replace 25% Loss in Oil
Imports. At Best, a Valuable Supplement to
Replace a Few % of the Lost Energy.
 Some Valuable Side Effects:
Production of Clean Energy
–These Policies Are in Concurrence With
Goals of Most Pollution-related Statutes
Less Reliance on Foreign Sources of Energy
Reliable and Renewal Energy Source
 Conclusion
 Long Term (Likely Decades for Technology
to Provide an Economically Feasible Option):
 Biggest Impact in Electrical Generation
Sectors – the Potential Exists to Provide All
Energy Requirements in the U.S.
 Energy Consumption for Space Heating and
Cooling Could Also Change Dramatically