-
Lake
County's Southeast Geysers Recharge Project continues
its unprecedented success since its inception in September
1997, and Lake County plans additional recharge related
projects.
-
The
Geysers Recharge Project began
pumping water from the City of Santa Rosa to The Geysers
in December 2003. Approximately 11 million gallons of tertiary
treated wastewater is pumped daily through the 41-mile
pipeline.
-
EARTHQUAKES of
varying magnitudes in The Geysers area continue to stir citizen
concerns about the source of the activity and the prognosis of
their effect.
LINKS TO GEOTHERMAL VIDEOS OF INTEREST
Geothermal
Heats Up - KQED - QUEST - (November, 2008)
Geothermal Drilling Safeguards Imposed
By
JAMES
GLANZ Published: January 15, 2010, copyright The New York Times
The United States Energy Department, concerned about earthquake risk, will
impose new safeguards on geothermal energy
projects that drill deep into the Earth's
crust.
The new policy is being instituted after a project in California that used
the new technology was shut down by technical problems and encountered community
opposition, federal documents indicate.
The project, by Seattle-based AltaRock Energy, would have fractured bedrock
and extracted heat by digging more than two miles beneath the surface at a
spot called The Geysers, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. The company
ran into serious problems with its drilling and faced accusations from scientists
and local residents that it had not been forthcoming enough about the earthquake
risk. AltaRock denied those accusations.
The documents, provided to The New York Times by the Energy Department, indicate
that the Geysers project has run through $6 million in federal financing in
several unsuccessful efforts to drill to the necessary depth. As a result,
the Energy Department “considers the project in the Geysers to be concluded,” according
to a letter addressed to Henry
A. Waxman , the California Democrat and chairman of the House committee
on Energy and Commerce.
The letter, dated Dec. 30, is signed by Cathy Zoi, an assistant energy secretary.
The Times reported in early December that AltaRock had removed its drill rig
from the site and informed the department that the project would be abandoned,
but the company had refused to comment publicly.
In a second document dated Sept. 11, 2009, but not previously disclosed,
the department concluded that earthquakes that would have been set off by the
AltaRock project would “not have a significant impact on the human environment.” And
in another endorsement of the company, the department later awarded AltaRock
$25 million to try a similar project at the Newberry Volcanic Monument near
Bend, Ore.
The Oregon project was one of 123 geothermal projects in 38 states that received
$338 million through the Obama administration's economic stimulus
package , Ms. Zoi said in the letter.
Two seismic experts who read the documents said the message about the perils
and potential of geothermal energy was unclear. But Ernie Majer, a seismologist
and deputy director of the Earth Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory in California, said that the new standards were a welcome development.
The letters show that the department “is being ultra-careful about any induced
seismicity,” he said, referring to earthquakes triggered by humans.
Among the new safeguards are requirements that projects monitor ground-motion
sensors and other data and have an approved plan to shut down if earthquakes
induced by the drilling are too powerful. Companies must also file estimates
of expected earthquake activity and submit project proposals to outside experts
for a review of the risks and the likelihood of success.
Ms. Zoi conceded in her letter that the department's findings were “likely
to have little practical effect on the AltaRock project at the Geysers,” because
the project apparently no longer exists. But she said that the defunct project
and the findings “have provided valuable lessons.”
In a statement responding to questions on the documents, Stephanie Mueller,
a spokeswoman for the department, said that those lessons “will help the United
States succeed in safely harnessing geothermal energy.”
Donald O'Shei, AltaRock's chief executive, said in an e-mail message that
the company was pleased by the department's finding that the Geysers project
would not have had a significant impact on people in the area.
Regarding the Oregon project, Mr. O'Shei said that the company was “working
on an initial planning process for the technical, permitting, and community
education and outreach aspects of the project.”
Mr. O'Shei added, “Bend is located approximately 22 miles away from the demonstration
site, which is in a sparsely populated area to the west of Newberry in central
Oregon.”
Copyright, The New York Times
Project aims to bring new life to wells at The Geysers
JEFF KAN LEE/The Press Democrat
By GLENDA ANDERSON - THE PRESS DEMOCRAT - Published: Friday, December 25, 2009
Two defunct steam-generating wells at The Geysers will be revived this summer
as part of a federally-supported project aimed at expanding and enhancing geothermal
energy sources.
“The government is looking for these types of projects,” said Mike Rogers, vice
president of operations for Calpine's geothermal project at The
Geysers steam
fields, which straddle Sonoma and Lake counties.
The project is funded in part by the Department of Energy, which has funneled
more than $400 million into its geothermal program this year. It will contribute
$5.7 million toward the cost of Calpine's project, estimated at almost $12 million,
according to energy department documents.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is participating in the project.
Water will be injected into one of the two reopened wells to enhance naturally
occurring underground steam production, as is done at Calpine's other electricity-generating
wells at The Geysers, Rogers said.
The second well will be used to closely monitor and record the effects of the
water infusion into hot rock formations beneath the earth's surface, he said.
Both wells are located in the northwestern portion of The Geysers fields in Sonoma
County.
After a period of time, the functions of the two demonstration wells will be
switched, Rogers said.
The difference between the demonstration project and current operations is the
level of monitoring, which will include tracing the steam's source, movement
and effects, Rogers said.
“The overarching intent here is to give us the best approach for expanding into
the northwest corner of The Geysers,” he said.
Like the existing wells, the demonstration wells are expected to generate seismic
activity, most of it unfelt. They're not expected to generate significant quakes,
like those triggered by a controversial 2005 project in Basel, Switzerland. In
the Swiss project, a company drilled three miles deep and generated steam by
fracturing hot bedrock
and then circulating water through it.
A proposal for similar drilling at The Geysers was halted this month by AltaRock
Energy after the Swiss government permanently shut down the Basel operation.
Residents of Anderson Springs, a community of about 200 homes wedged in a narrow
Lake County valley surrounded by geothermal wells, expressed relief that AltaRock
had halted operations.
The valley is plagued by property-damaging earthquakes believed to be triggered
by The Geysers' electricity generating wells.
Its residents also are pleased that Calpine is conducting its latest project
some eight miles away from their homes. The study wells are located on the far
northwestern section of The Geysers steam fields, which cover about 30 square
miles.
“We certainly are supportive of their efforts to test these technologies in areas
that are a lot further from the community because it's less likely to have an
impact,” said Jeff Gospe, president of the Anderson Springs Community Alliance.
Copyright © 2009 PressDemocrat.com
Calpine Signs New Long-Term Power Contracts to Ensure California
Continues to Receive Clean, Reliable Power
Fri Oct 30, 2009 HOUSTON--(Business Wire)--
Calpine Corporation (NYSE:CPN) today announced it has entered into
several new power supply contracts with Pacific Gas and Electric
Company (PG&E). Calpine
has executed new contracts to replace existing contracts it signed with the State
of California during the energy crisis, as well as to increase the supply of
renewable power delivered to PG&E from The Geysers.
In response to the State of California`s program to manage the energy crisis
of2000-2001, Calpine was the first power company to enter into long-term contracts
with the State and was the first company to voluntarily renegotiate more favorable
terms for the State. Now, in furtherance of the California Public Utilities Commission`s
and the State`s policy objectives of removing the California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) from its energy crisis role as the power purchaser of last resort,
Calpine and PG&E have finalized contracts to replace two of
these DWR contracts to ensure ratepayers continue to enjoy the benefits of Calpine`s
clean, reliable, cost-effective and well-located power facilities. As part of
this negotiation, Calpine and PG&E have agreed to upgrade the Los Esteros
Critical Energy Facility, located in Silicon Valley, to operate in combined-cycle
mode at an increased capacity and higher efficiency.
"Through these agreements Calpine is very pleased to assist PG&E in serving
the changing generation needs in California," said Calpine President and Chief
Executive Officer Jack A. Fusco. "We welcome the opportunity to work with PG&E
to supply both incremental renewable power and flexible and reliable natural
gas-fired generation necessary to integrate intermittent renewable energy supplies
coming on-line in furtherance of the State of California`s 33 percent renewable
goal."
These following agreements will be submitted to the California Public Utilities
Commission by PG&E for approval:
Extension of Calpine Northern California Peaking Power Plant Contract
Calpine`s 11 peaking units, providing approximately 500 megawatts (MW), are highly
dispatchable, reliable and are well located in Northern California. These power
plants, which came on-line in 2002 and 2003, were under a power purchase agreement
with the DWR which was due to expire in mid-2011. Calpine and PG&E have entered
into a replacement contract whereby PG&E will enjoy greater dispatch flexibility
for all 11 units through 2017 and for the seven Bay Area units through 2021.
Upgrade of the Los Esteros Critical Energy Facility
The Los Esteros Critical Energy Facility (LECEF), located in San Jose, California,
was constructed and placed in operation by Calpine in 2003 pursuant to a power
purchase agreement with DWR. In connection with the novation of the
existing DWR contract, which will expire at the end of 2012, Calpine and PG&E
have negotiated a new agreement to facilitate an upgrade of LECEF from a 180
MW simple-cycle generation facility to a 300 MW (289 MW July peak) combined-cycle
generation facility. In addition to the increase in capacity, the upgrade project
will increase the efficiency and environmental performance of the plant by significantly
lowering the heat rate.
Extension and Expansion of PG&E`s Contract
for Renewable Power from Calpine`s Geysers Geothermal Facility
Calpine and PG&E have agreed to a significant extension of the term and an
increase in the volume under the existing contracts for delivery of electricity
from The Geysers geothermal facility. Calpine currently provides PG&E a total
of 375 MW of power under two contracts through 2012 and 2014. The parties have
agreed to increase the volume to 425 MW through 2017. From 2018 through the end
of 2021, Calpine will supply PG&E 250 MW of renewable energy from The Geysers.
The extension and increases in volume under these new contracts will not only
assist PG&E in meeting its renewable goals, but will provide Calpine with
the resources required to continue its efforts to maintain and increase the energy
output from The Geysers, the largest geothermal facility in the United States.
AltaRock Energy -- Updates EGS Demonstration Project Status with NCPA at The
Geysers
September 2, 2009
AltaRock Energy Inc. announced it had suspended its drilling
operations in the southeast Geysers on the Northern
California Power Agency (NCPA) leasehold. AltaRock had planned
to redrill NCPA well E-7 into the felsite, the intrusive rock
underlying
the Geysers steam reservoir, to a total depth of 12,000 ft as
part of a DOE-funded Enhanced Geothermal Systems project to demonstrate
the
ability to create multiple fracture zones in one well. Following
the redrill, the plan was to inject at low temperature and pressure
to
create multiple stimulated zones. E-7 was originally drilled
in 1988 and was an active injector at the time of the workover.
An Environmental Assessment was completed, including an analysis
of the risk of induced seismicity, for the Bureau of Land Management
as part of NEPA/CEQA compliance for the project. The BLM issued
a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) with mitigation for the project on
June 9, 2009. The BLM and AltaRock are in the process of negotiating
a protocol for mitigation of any potential impacts from the stimulation.
Separate NEPA compliance is required for the DOE grant and that
process is currently in review while AltaRock redesigns its drilling
plan with input from NCPA.
AltaRock attempted to redrill E-7 three separate times from starting
depths of 3202 ft, 1674 ft and 2733 ft. Each attempt reached
a total depth in the range of 4100-4400 ft, before the drilling
assembly became stuck due to the hole collapsing in the unstable
serpentine and mélange. AltaRock is currently reviewing
the reasons for the particularly unstable behavior of the formation
below E-7. However, long term
injection into the area may have contributed to the problems.
Drilling is an inherently risky business with high incidences
of failure. The Geysers is an especially challenging and unique
drilling environment because of the existence of serpentinized
peridotite, which contains clays and fibrous material that will
become unstable and collapse or flow when exposed to water over
an extended period of time. Below the serpentine, the mélange
(a jumble of large blocks of varied lithologies, including more
serpentine) and fractured greywacke present
additional challenges. Lastly, reworking an existing well (as
required by the DOE grant) limited the possible range of solutions
to drilling and completion problems.
It is our hope that EGS power can impact the environmental and
economic landscape of America by delivering baseload, carbon-free
power. In cooperation with NCPA and the US Department of Energy,
we are evaluating
possible paths forward at The Geysers and elsewhere for demonstrating
our capabilities. Currently AltaRock has a portfolio of about
20 patent filings relating to EGS and is actively continuing
to develop its proprietary technology in this area. We believe
EGS is a clean,
renewable-energy alternative that holds the potential to significantly
reduce our country's dependence on fossil fuels and create a
more
sustainable future.
(Source: Susan Petty, AltaRock)
Department of the Interior Opens Renewable Energy Coordination
Office in California to Speed Project Processing
October 9, 2009
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and
Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey today officially
opened a California Renewable Energy Coordination Office, one
of several Interior initiatives to expedite the leasing and production
of renewable energy resources on public lands in the West.
"These offices in California, Nevada, Arizona and Wyoming, along with our renewable
permitting teams in six other western states, will help to swiftly complete application
reviews on the most ready-to-go and environmentally
appropriate solar, wind, and geothermal projects on U.S. public lands," Salazar
said. "In California the coordinating office will enable us to balance vital
renewable energy development with the needed protection of sensitive resources
in the California Desert Conservation Area."
The coordinating offices and teams, which also support the speedy permitting
of power transmission projects on public lands, aim to reduce BLM's existing
pending applications and use new procedures to expedite the leasing, production
and delivery of renewable energy to consumers in less time than under current
practices.
The BLM continues to experience a significant increase in private sector interest
and applications for the development of wind, solar, and geothermal
energy resources and associated electrical transmission systems on
public lands. Currently BLM has received about 500 renewable energy project
applications and the submissions are growing.
Of the solar and wind projects currently proposed, Salazar said, more than
5,300 megawatts of new capacity could be ready for construction by the end
of 2010. That is enough to power almost 1.8 million homes. And project construction
will create more than 48,000 jobs.
Salazar said the clean energy potential of these areas offer a significant
opportunity to help realize President Obama's energy and climate change strategy
to make fuller use of our domestic energy resources and create "green jobs" for
local communities, while reducing our dangerous - and expensive - dependence
on foreign oil.
"We have set aside 1,000 square miles of public lands in 24 Solar Energy Study
Areas that the Department and BLM are evaluating for solar energy development
across the West," Salazar said. "If developed, these tracts could generate nearly
100,000 megawatts of solar electricity." The Administration has invested $41
million in the President's economic recovery plan to facilitate a rapid and responsible
move to large-scale production of renewables on public lands.
"With coordinated environmental studies, good land-use planning and zoning and
priority processing, we can accelerate responsible renewable energy production
and lay the foundation for a clean-energy economy for the 21st century," Salazar
said.
The RECO Program Manager in the California office will be Greg Miller, a 21-year
veteran of the BLM who began his career as a Wildlife Biologist and now manages
the renewable energy program for the California Desert District.
He will lead a staff of 12 to 15 specialists at two BLM locations -- Palm Springs
and Moreno Valley.
As virtual offices, the RECO staffers are located in different BLM offices
within each state, working together through coordinated structures and leadership
to speed all aspects of the application and permitting process. To lead the
overall initiative, Salazar has established a National Renewable Energy Office
at BLM's Headquarters in Washington D.C which includes a Renewable Energy Team
Leader and a Program Manager for each of the renewable
energy and transmission programs.
The four Renewable Energy Coordinating Offices have identified 62 positions
that will be filled with reassignments or new selections to support the
processing of renewable energy and transmission applications. Thirty-five additional
renewable energy support staff have been identified for the BLM renewable permitting
teams in the six western states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico , Oregon,
and Utah.
Western GeoPower Announces Approval of
Environmental Document and Conditional Use Permit
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jul 22, 2009 (Marketwire via COMTEX) - Western GeoPower
Corp. (TSX VENTURE:WGP) (FRANKFURT:WE6), a renewable energy company, today announced
the achievement of two major regulatory milestones for the Western GeoPower Unit
1 project at The Geysers geothermal field in California, with the receipt of
approvals for both the Environmental Document and the Conditional Use Permit.
The unanimous approvals were granted during a public hearing by the Sonoma County
Board of Zoning Adjustments for the construction and development of a 38.5 Megawatt
(gross) geothermal power plant, wellfield and steam gathering system at the Company's
leasehold at The Geysers. Sonoma County is the Lead Agency under the California
Environmental Quality Act for projects of under 50 Megawatts capacity being developed
within the county.
"This is the first geothermal power plant to be permitted at The Geysers Geothermal
Field in 21 years," said Sigrid Swedenborg, Sonoma County Land Use Planner for
the project. "It is an exciting project for Sonoma County and meets our General
Plan policies to promote renewable energy generation systems."
The power will be purchased, pursuant to a previously announced power purchase
agreement, by the Northern California Power Agency, a non-profit joint powers
agency that provides electricity generated from environmentally responsible sources
to its member communities in Northern and Central California. The power will
also help California reach the Renewable Portfolio Standard of supplying 20%
of the State's power from renewable energy sources by 2010.
About Western GeoPower Corp.
Western GeoPower Corp. is a renewable energy company dedicated to the development
of geothermal energy projects for the delivery of clean, sustainable, baseload
electricity generation. The Company is developing The Western GeoPower Unit 1
geothermal power plant at The Geysers Geothermal Field in Sonoma County, California,
United States; the South Brawley geothermal project in Imperial County, California,
United States; and the South Meager geothermal project in British Columbia, Canada.
SOURCE: Western GeoPower Corp.
Western GeoPower Corp.
Nicole Robson
Marketing and Media
(604) 662-3338 or US/Canada Toll Free: 1-866-662-3322
Email: info@geopower.ca
Investor Relations: ir@geopower.ca
