Session 6D: Non-Technical

EPRI and NREL are working together in a DOE-GTO funded research project to Improve geothermal understanding (opportunities, value, risks) among the power industry to help accelerate geothermal deployment. Geothermal is rarely included in Capacity Expansion Models (CEM) which utilities use in their planning activities and resource/technologies prioritization. Driven by decarbonization goals and technological advancements, interest in the US geothermal power sector is growing. Geothermal is gradually evolving from being considered a niche technology, to being recognized as a flexible source of clean, baseload, grid-balancing power and renewable electric power generation. Furthermore, recent technical advances that could greatly accelerate deployment in the near future, and US federal Inflation Reduction Act incentives for low-carbon generation technologies, can enable geothermal integration opportunities into utilities resource planning portfolios.

Initial efforts of this research, focus on expanding the degree of understanding on the value, opportunity, and risk of geothermal technologies among utilities and related companies/groups, specifically around geothermal for power generation (Hydrothermal, EGS, AGS). Results from a utilities survey will shape the design of a workshop which will provide guidance and best practices for realistic representation of geothermal resources and technologies in utility models.

This also includes improving representation of geothermal power technologies in capacity expansion models (CEM). The second part of this project is to expand the functionality of EPRI’s capacity expansion model, US-REGEN by including geothermal. In the second phase of the project a code comparison study between EPRI, NREL and other potential agencies and/or National Laboratories will be performed to highlighting how model formulation and assumptions impact geothermal deployment projections in CEMs.

The Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) Repower Project includes the commissioning of three new efficient generating units and decommissioning of the old generating units, allowing for an increase of generation up to 60 megawatts, which required an environmental analysis and multiple environmental permits to be reviewed and approved by agencies. The environmental review process began with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission requiring the review as a condition of the approval of the Amended and Restated Power Purchase Agreement. With no permits to construct the project requiring discretionary review by an agency, the County of Hawaii, Planning Department was designated as the authorizing agency. Ormat requested to have the project reviewed under an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), thus maximizing the opportunity for the public to participate in the process. The EIS process took just over two years to complete, including two public involvement periods, with in-person meetings held in Puna. Other environmental permits needed for a successful Project include the Noncovered Source Permit from the State of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), the Underground Injection Control Permit approvals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and DOH, the Geothermal Resource Permit from the Planning Department, and the Plan of Operations for drilling with the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

While enhanced geothermal technology is a potentially powerful source of renewable heating and power, it also poses unique challenges for public acceptance. Understanding how the public assesses the risks, benefits, and tradeoffs of EGS projects is crucial for successful development; at the same time, the growth of EGS projects in multiple countries allows for critical comparisons of how public support develops across settings. We present novel findings from a series of studies in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States on EGS risk perception and public attitudes, with implications for best practices in communication and public engagement. First, a cross-national survey in Switzerland and the United States illuminates how people make sense of an unfamiliar technology like EGS, relying on associations with other technologies, beliefs about the underground, and perceptions of EGS technology as “tampering with nature.” Second, a series of qualitative case studies of EGS projects in the UK and the US investigate the role of context-sensitive communication strategies from geothermal developers, in a comparison of projects in the UK and the US. This body of research includes ongoing work as part of the GEOHUB trans-Atlantic collaboration to examine the impact of public attitudes on energy development efforts and how they evolve in real time. A better understanding of critical factors that underlie beliefs and attitudes towards EGS informs evidence-based approaches to the challenge of public engagement, allowing development efforts to better align with societal values and priorities while underscoring the value of social science in global efforts to transition to renewable energy systems.

Cooling tower fill packs is an integral part of the geothermal power plants cooling tower system. The purpose of the packings is to increase the surface area to allow for maximum contact between air and water to hasten cooling process. With all the power plants and well heads in Olkaria geothermal field utilizing cooling tower fill packs the fill packs form one of the major wastes generated at Olkaria Geothermal Business area. During power plants annual inspection enormous amounts of cooling tower fills waste is generated from the cooling towers. For several years, disposal had remained a challenge as the waste is mainly hardened plastic and, therefore, could not be disposed in dump sites. Similarly, efforts to dispose through incineration proved costly and unsustainable given the accelerated development envisaged in Olkaria. The cost stood at twenty hundred thousand USD as at the year 2016. Given the above background, from the time geothermal power plant generation commenced in Olkaria field, in 2003, no disposal of the said waste had been undertaken up to the year 2019. Prior to conducting the study, a large volume of cooling tower waste had been stored at one of the well pads (OW 721) posing a fire risk and halting well monitoring activities for over ten years. To address the risks, a joint study between KenGen and” Jua kali” entrepreneurs was conducted. From the study, a potential market for the waste was established. The process entailed shredding the waste at the site to facilitate transport given the bulk nature of the waste, heating and mixing the waste with other additives to allow for production of various products from the waste. The processing was undertaken at the Jua kali entrepreneurs’ sheds.

Establishing a market for the cooling tower fill pack waste is a major milestone as it has created circularity in managing the waste through reuse to produce products. This is a win win situation for all: the environment, KenGen and the entrepreneurs. The breakthrough has reduced the organization environmental footprint, spurred a secondary market for SMES and reduced the organization disposal cost. During the pilot study over twenty tones of the waste was recycled for manufacturing products. The pilot study has saved the company about Five Hundred Thousand USD and is expected to derive a saving of is Seventy-Two Thousand USD annually. Over and above making a step in managing one of the major wastes in a sustainable manner, which is a gain for the environment.

The third electric energy transition in the last one-hundred years is now underway in the United States. This major transition is challenging the “centralized grid” model of power generation and distribution, especially for large, energy intensive end-users. These consumers include manufacturing plants, data centers, metal smelters, refineries, chemical plants, military bases and emergency services that now consume about a third of all electric power.
The third transition has not been a planned evolution, but instead emerged from the disruptive combination of rapidly escalating energy demand, climate change concerns, increasing volatile energy prices, and recurring U.S. regional power outages. Consequently, traditional suppliers, typified by today’s electric and gas utilities, load serving entities (LSEs) and energy service providers (ESPs), are being supplemented and supplanted by new types of energy suppliers including Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), aggregators of demand responsive customers, microgrids, resilient community grids, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), “prosumers,” and Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs). The key driver for this transition is the need for “energy assurance” – a multi-factor concept that includes the continuous availability, reliability, resilience, scalability and price stability of energy while still meeting goals for decarbonization.
Energy assurance has also become a primary concern of large organizations that consume enormous supplies of electricity and thermal energy. These organizations realize that electric energy demand is outstripping supply and that the regulated “commodity” energy market model is incapable of responding adequately. Availability is now a top priority. But even if the regulated market could generate sufficient energy to meet market demand, the ability to deliver that energy reliably is highly suspect due to aging transmission lines, line congestion, and the prevailing vulnerability to weather related events, fire, and cyber-attacks. As a result, energy-intensive organizations are actively seeking “behind the meter” energy solutions that enable them to assure and control their energy supply.
This “behind the meter” strategy has obvious advantages, first because it avoids some costs and risks of transmission, distribution, regulatory oversight, and wholesale market coordination, and second because self or co-located generation allows energy-intensive organizations to pay for the energy attributes that most closely correspond to their needs.
The quest for energy assurance has spurred intense interest in geothermal energy. In addition to its enormous potential magnitude, geothermal energy offers a unique combination of energy assurance attributes. Geothermal energy can provide both firm, baseload electric power and direct thermal energy that is critical in many manufacturing operations. “Behind the meter” geothermal power also offers price stability and insulation from grid outages and regulatory mandates. In short, geothermal energy is moving from being an attractive energy alternative to an indispensable component of the third electric energy transition.
As a consequence of recurring and well-documented U.S. regional power outages, traditional suppliers, typified by today’s electric and gas utilities, load serving entities (LSEs) and energy service providers (ESPs), are being supplemented by new types of energy suppliers including Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), aggregators of demand responsive customers, microgrids, resilient community grids, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), “prosumers,” Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) and organizations building on-site or self-generation facilities.
The fundamental goal of self-generation is long-term energy assurance – i.e., the ready availability of large, reliable and resilient clean energy supplies at stable prices. Because such sources can be difficult to find and implement, energy intensive organizations are pursuing energy assurance by generating on-site power or connecting their facilities directly to nearby clean power sources. This “behind the meter” strategy has obvious advantages, first because it avoids some costs and risks of transmission, distribution, regulatory oversight, and wholesale market coordination, and second because self or co-located generation allows energy-intensive organizations to pay for the energy attributes that most closely correspond to their needs.
Geothermal energy offers a unique combination of the most desirable attributes for many organizations seeking energy assurance. Geothermal energy can provide both firm, baseload electric power and direct thermal energy that is critical in many manufacturing operations. “Behind the meter” geothermal power also offers price stability and insulation from grid outages and regulatory mandates. In short, geothermal energy is moving from being an attractive energy alternative to an indispensable component of the third electric energy transition.

The "Declaration of Communication" underscores the imperative for the geothermal energy industry to align its messaging strategies for greater recognition and adoption. Highlighting the challenges faced in public perception and communication compared to other renewable energy sources, the document emphasizes the need for collaboration among industry stakeholders. Insights gleaned from workshops held at major geothermal conferences in 2023 reveal key areas for improvement, including partnership enhancement, messaging standardization, and dispelling misconceptions. The document offers recommendations to address these challenges, emphasizing the importance of unified communication efforts and strategic messaging to propel the industry forward.

Key Points:

Current Challenges in Geothermal Communication:

Geothermal energy, while recognized as renewable, lacks widespread awareness and adoption compared to wind and solar.

Industry faces obstacles in aligning messaging and dispelling misconceptions hindering its growth.

Insights from Workshops:

Workshops conducted at prominent geothermal conferences identify the necessity for enhanced collaboration and partnerships within the industry.

Participants advocate for establishing common definitions, simplifying storytelling, and standardizing messaging to improve communication effectiveness.

Recommendations for Action:

Strengthen partnerships and resource-sharing among geothermal associations and companies.

Promote a unified taxonomy to streamline messaging across the industry.

Develop a comprehensive messaging framework for geothermal communication.

Shift external industry messaging to prioritize end-user perspectives and combat myths and misconceptions.

The "Declaration of Communication" underscores the urgency for the geothermal industry to unite around cohesive messaging strategies. By addressing communication challenges and fostering collaboration, the industry can effectively convey the benefits of geothermal energy, thereby accelerating its adoption and contributing to a sustainable energy future.