GEOTHERMAL ENERGY:

Summary of Conclusion
Short Term:
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 55-75F (13-
24C)
Up to 14,400F
(8,000C) at Molten
Core (approx. 4,000
mi. to center of core)
What is Geothermal Energy Contd?
Earths Crust Thickness: 3 to 35 Mi.
Temperature Increases With Depth
Gradient: 50-87F / Mile (17-30C / 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 Contd
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 >200F
 Types of Reservoirs Contd
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 Contd
High Temperature Reservoirs:
Availability:
Can Occur Within a Couple of Miles of Earths
Surface Where Earths 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
>220F (105C)
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 300F, but Electrical
Generation Is Occurring at Temps. In the Low
200sF.
Proximity to Population Base
Low Mineral and Gas Content
Location on Private Land
Proximity to Transmission Lines
 Needed Technology: Are We Talking Simple,
Existing Technology or Star Wars?

Answer: Both.
Technology for HVAC in All Bldgs. in U.S. and for
Electrical Generation From Shallow (1-2 Mi. Deep)
Geothermal Reservoirs Already Exists and Is Proven
Drawback: Number of Electricity Sources Is Limited
Technology for Tapping Deep (>3-6 Miles), Hot Dry
Sources and Magma Is Not Yet Available
Positive: Unlimited, Renewal Resource
 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 pumps
compressor to heat facilitys 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
Different Types 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 Contd
The Geysers in CA
Opened in 1960
After 30 yrs. temp.
remains constant;
pressure drop from 3.3
to 2.3 MPa near wells
Output2700 MW;
enough for San
Francisco (pop.
780,000)1
 Why Havent 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 Contd
Steamboat Springs,
NV Plant
Initial Conditions
Liquid H2O @
240C, 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 Contd
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 CAs
Stringent Air Quality Standards.
 Benefits of Geothermal Power Contd

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

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 Contd
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 Contd

Reliability1:
Plants Have Very Little
Down Time - Avg.
Availability is 90% or
greater
60-70% for Coal and
Nuclear Plants
 Benefits of Geothermal Power Contd
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 Contd
Minimal Land 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
Contd
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 Contd
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
@ 300F; 1400 gpm @ 200F.
Some high mineral / metal wastewater and solid
waste is produced
Smelly gasses H2S, Ammonia, Boron
Release of steam and hot water can be noisy