Geothermal Digest » Policy & Policymakers

West Virginia’s geothermal potential has legislators’ attention

admin — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:49:51 +0000

In West Virginia, the state’s congressional delegation is reportedly looking at geothermal as an energy and economic producer. As we reported in October of 2010, a study out of Southern Methodist University in Dallas found a large area in the eastern part of the state to have elevated heat flow and upper crustal temperatures, at least when compared to the rest of the eastern U.S. The high heat flow has been recognized based on interpretation of bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data from oil and gas drilling in the area.

Fossil and nuclear fuels spending to rise at renewable energy expense

admin — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 21:14:09 +0000

In Washington DC, House Appropriations subcommittee Committee Chairman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R – NJ) issued a prepared statement on the fiscal year 2012 energy and water development appropriations bill. In it, he says The bill for fiscal year 2012 provides $30.639 billion, $1.043 billion below fiscal year 2011 and $5.9 billion below the President’s request — bringing the total down to approximately the fiscal year 2005 level.” Notably, proposed funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewables would drop $491 million in 2012 while Fossil Energy R&D and Nuclear Energy would rise about $32.5 and $7.8 million, respectively.

Distributed geothermal could add to California electric supply, with feed-in help

admin — Mon, 30 May 2011 01:40:38 +0000

In California, a study done in 2008 by engineering consultant Black & Veatch for the California Energy Commission found that small, geographically dispersed geothermal power plants could provide 7% of the state’s electricity supply. And with newly elected Governor Jerry Brown, the talk has turned to feed-in tariffs to spur development. While in the running for the office, Brown brought up developing as much as 12,000 MW of new renewable generating capacity with feed-in tariffs specifically. In the study, Black & Veatch considered projects as small as 8 MW to as large as 1,000 MW.

Nominations open for DOE, EPA sponsored green power leadership awards

admin — Sun, 22 May 2011 19:44:54 +0000

In Washington D.C., the nomination period for the green power leadership awards open May 24. The deadline is June 21. The Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) will host the 10th annual Green Power Leadership Awards Ceremony in conjunction with the Renewable Energy Markets Conference. These competitive awards recognize outstanding commitments and achievements in the green power marketplace in the following three award categories: Suppliers; Purchasers and Market Development.

DOE looking to lower the cost of geothermal electricity

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 20:16:14 +0000

In Washington D.C., the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement to expand its partnership with the geothermal community on systems research and development throughout the U.S. The funding is intended to support GTP’s goal of lowering the cost of geothermal energy to 6 cents/kWh. The notice, opened May 6, is designed to provide an opportunity for potential applicants to begin developing partnerships and begin the process of gathering data to prepare their application. Closing date is July 15.

County doubling then ending geothermal and solar and tax credits

admin — Sun, 08 May 2011 20:34:19 +0000

In Maryland, Howard County will end its geothermal and solar tax credit program April 1, 2012, but will double it in the meantime. According to a statement from County Executive Ken Ulman, the credits have accomplished the goal of jump starting the areas renewable energy industry. The newly increased limits will be used to clear out the county’s waiting list for the credits.

President Obama drops by ElectraTherm to promote renewable energy

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 19:14:07 +0000

In Nevada, President Barack Obama dropped in on ElectraTherm in Reno on April 21 to hold a town hall meeting. In his third “Shared Responsibility and Shared Prosperity” meeting, the President said “I want to congratulate ElectraTherm for being a fine example of a clean energy company that’s been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years. When you’re talking about waste heat, every business, every industry, is generating some sort of energy byproduct, some sort of heat; it’s going up in smoke stacks and nobody is using it. And the question is, can we capture that energy and use it in a smart way? That’s what ElectraTherm is all about.”

Clean energy to highlight White House energy security forum

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:46:05 +0000

In Washington D.C., Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn and Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman will join with outside security and energy experts to host a panel discussion on the national security implications of America’s oil dependency on Tuesday, April 26. The forum will highlight the ongoing collaboration between the Departments of Energy and Defense and the role clean energy research and technologies are playing in reducing the dependence on oil and protecting U.S. armed forces. The forum will include military and national security officials, business leaders, clean energy investors, academics and others. Also on the panel will be MIT Professor and former Deputy Secretary of Defense John Deutch; Jane Harman, President of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and John Podesta, President of the Center for American Progress.

Idaho loses out on alternative energy rebates

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:32:31 +0000

In Idaho, the Senate there killed an extension to a sales tax rebate for alternative energy. Lobbyists for wind energy companies thought they had a deal in place. The rebates were to have come in the form of a 6% break on energy production equipment purchased through 2014. The measure lost in an 18-17 vote and would have benefitted geothermal, digester gas and irrigation-canal hydroelectric projects. Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, who led the opposition, said the measure had “not been developed by policy makers with regards to whether it’s going to be good policy for the state. It’s been developed by the industries that will benefit.”

Hawaiian geothermal energy forum seeks competition for Ormat

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:47:06 +0000

In Hawaii, a forum on geothermal energy development will be held on the Big Island, and will be led by Honolulu-based Innovations Development Group. The company has developed geothermal energy projects on Maori trust lands in New Zealand. Six native Hawaiian leaders who will offer their views on developing geothermal energy in ways that protect cultures and resources. IDG specializes in socially responsible development. The organizers hope to foster development of projects that will compete with geothermal giant Ormat, which runs the only GT plant on the island.