In this issue

Geothermal conference offers much for utilities

The Geothermal Resources Council represents geothermal professionals and geothermal companies from around the world. Its 2007 annual meeting will be held in Sparks, Nev., Sept. 30 to Oct. 3.

Geothermal energy, the underground renewable resource, finally seems to be getting its moment in the sun. If Western customers don't get the idea from two new geothermal guides and a two-day geothermal heat pump workshop in Bismarck, N.D., maybe the Geothermal Resources Council's 2007 Annual Meeting will send the message: geothermal energy can be a part of every utility's portfolio.

The meeting, taking place Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in Reno, Nev., telegraphs that message in its theme—"Renewable Base-load Energy: Geothermal Heat Pumps to Engineered Reservoirs." Western Renewable Resource Manager Randy Manion shares some credit for an agenda that includes many sessions for utilities. He joined the GRC annual meeting planning committee three years ago with that goal in mind. "The conference initially targeted a highly specialized, technical audience," Manion recalled. "But it didn't offer much for the audience that makes up the market for the technology—power providers."

That won't be a problem at the 2007 GRC annual meeting, where the agenda shows plenty of diversity. All three forms of geothermal power—generation, direct use and heat pumps—are represented. The technical sessions have attracted 110 technical papers on a broad range of geothermal resource, exploration, characterization and development topics.

Workshops address utility concerns

Manion recommends three events for utilities weighing the addition of geothermal resources. On Oct. 1, the GeoPowering the West/Utilities session looks at different geothermal options particularly suited to utility-scale implementation. Presentations include Low-Temperature Geothermal Power Generation with HVAC Hardware, The Sacramento Municipal Utility District: Looking for Geothermal and Geothermal Heat Pumps: Best Practices from Utility Programs. Also, Utility Geothermal Working Group Team Leader Guy Nelson will provide an update on the group's activities.

Transmission access, a utility concern for so many types of renewable energy, is the subject of a special panel session on Oct. 2. Transmission Challenges in the Western United States will cover electric transmission corridors, policy drivers, integration and management of renewable energy resources with traditional generation and much more. Western Power Marketing Advisor Bob Fullerton will be on a panel that also will include speakers from Western Electricity Coordinating Council, Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and California Energy Commission.

The Heat Pump session on Oct. 2 presents case studies of projects around the world. Geothermal heat pumps are the easiest way for utilities to tap into geothermal power, and the application is suitable for all parts of the country. "A utility doesn't have to be located near hot springs to take advantage of heat pump technology," said Nelson. "Heat pumps are a great business opportunity for utilities. That's a central message UGWG wants to communicate," he added.

Learning more from exhibits, field trips

Nelson believes that the annual meeting will also prepare utilities to face development hurdles. "Sessions on exploration, drilling, powerplants and development will help professionals from the utility industry get a clear idea of the development process and timetables," he said.

Attendees will have the opportunity to thoroughly educate themselves at the 2007 poster session featuring more than 30 presentations. The Geothermal Energy Association Trade Show, running concurrently with the GRC meeting, will bring together 40 exhibitors to answer questions about geothermal projects, equipment, supplies and services.

Several planned field trips will allow conference-goers to see geothermal technology in action. An overnight field trip to the Long Valley Caldera geothermal and magmatic systems will highlight the volcanic history of the area and stop at new production wells, including the ultra-deep DOE magma drilling project site within the caldera’s resurgent dome.

A half-day tour of the Upper Steamboat Hills power complex will take visitors through the recently-completed 10-MW Galena II binary plant. Guides will discuss the geologic setting and distribution of generation units within a geothermal field that must operate in an increasingly urban setting.

A third trip will bring visitors to the Blue Mountain geothermal field, site of a successful well drilled last year with an estimated 7-MW net capacity. Participants will learn about the local and regional structural controls that determine the location and sizes of these geothermal fields.

Registration open

With so much happening in such a short time, participants may wish to be in two or three places at once. GRC is easing that dilemma by providing all three-day registrants with a copy of the conference proceedings on CD. The CD will be a useful reference for utilities that decide to move forward with some form of geothermal acquisition, as Manion believes many will. "The GRC annual meeting is a good starting point for utilities to get acquainted with a base-load renewable resource that has lots of potential in the West and beyond," he said.  

Register by telephone with a credit card, or download the form. On-site registration is also available for an additional $50 fee. Rooms are available at John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel and Resort for a special conference rate through Sept. 6.