July 4, 2007—An update from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) outlines recent developments in the US geothermal industry, listed below.
- Calpine Corporation has launched a five-year effort to increase geothermal power production at The Geysers by up to 80 megawatts. Located about 100 miles north of San Francisco, California, The Geysers is the oldest source of geothermal power in the US and the country’s largest geothermal power complex, notes EERE.
- Western GeoPower Corporation is also developing a 22.5-megawatt power plant at The Geysers, and recently signed a power purchase agreement with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
- Ormat has signed a power purchase agreement with Nevada Power Company for the sale of energy produced at the Grass Valley Geothermal Power Plant. To be located in Lander County in northern Nevada, the plant is expected to produce 18 to 30 megawatts of power when it comes online in late 2010.
- Raser Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a project area permit by the State of Nevada, allowing the company to begin drilling for geothermal hot water at its leased properties in Nevada. The company has signed an agreement with UTC Power to provide up to 135 small geothermal power systems for use in three power plants, each of which will produce about 30 megawatts of power.
