September 15, 2006
An Important Development for Geothermal Power
Chena, Alaska [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
Distributed generation is now a real option for the geothermal industry, opening up more potential resources for power around the world, according to a leading expert on geothermal energy.
The Chena Hot Springs, a small power plant that opened in Alaska last month, is the first to use medium temperature water sources. Medium temperature water allows for local generation, which is a first for the industry.
Speaking on RenewableEnergyAccess.com's Inside Renewable Energy podcast, Karl Gawell, Executive Director for the Geothermal Energy Association said, "The geothermal industry has not really had a small power producer... so the potential for [distributed generation] is enormous. When you move from high temperature to medium temperature fluids, the resource space increases geometrically."
Gawell explained that geothermal resources could soon provide the heat and electricity for residential communities, office buildings and greenhouses in the future.
Want to learn more about this development? Listen to the Inside Renewable Energy podcast. Also in the program: a special report on energy legislation in Congress.
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