Ormat Receives Order for Geothermal Power Plant in Germany

Reno, Nevada [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] One of Ormat Technologies’ subsidiaries has entered into a $4.4 million contract with Geo X GmbH of Ludwigshafen, Germany, for an Ormat Energy Converter (OEC) for a geothermal generation power plant, to be located in Landau, Germany.

“This is the first order we have received for a geothermal plant in Germany,” said Lucien Y. Bronicki, chairman of the board and chief technology officer of Ormat Technologies. The geothermal plant at Landau will consist of one OEC using Ormat’s Organic Rankine Cycle technology, which converts geothermal heat to electric power enabling re-injection of 100% of the geothermal water back to the geothermal reservoir without the need for any additional fuel or water. The OEC units are environmentally benign as they have no emissions of CO2 or NOX, and being air-cooled, they do not consume any water. The construction of the pre-assembled OEC at the Geo X site in Landau will be undertaken by a third party under a consortium agreement with Ormat. The equipment is to be supplied and installed within 17 months from the date of signature of the contract. Other such plants exist around the world. “Geothermal plants using Ormat equipment in Europe are in operation in the Azores Islands, Iceland and Austria,” said Bronicki, and “construction of three other geothermal projects in Europe is being completed in the Azores Islands, Portugal and in Turkey.” Ormat Technologies operates geothermal power plants in the Philippines, Guatemala, Kenya and Nicaragua, and seven in the U. S. alone. “Europe’s energy policy agenda, which seeks both energy independence and emission reduction, offers Ormat important opportunities,” said Bronicki.