Monday, 30 August

US Geothermal Energy 50 years old and still growing

Last week the US Geothermal Energy Association recognised the 50th anniversary of utility-scale geothermal power in the United States.

The construction started 50 years ago on a 11-MWe plant, The Geysers. The Geysers geothermal development has come a long way since then and presently is producing enough electricity to power a city the size of San Francisco.

California is no longer alone in geothermal production. The GEA notes that approximately 3,086 Megawatts of installed capacity is produced by 77 plants in nine states, with seven new plants brought online last year. Currently 188 projects in 15 different states are in consideration or under in development. Those developing projects could triple the US geothermal capacity over the next decade.

“These numbers are impressive,” said Karl Gawell, the GEA’s executive director. “In the past 50 years, geothermal energy has blazed the trail for renewable power in this nation. But this industry has not yet peaked; the growth potential for geothermal energy is incredible.”

Calpine's "The Geysers" geothermal power plant

The success of the geothermal energy sector in the lat 50 years in USA will be showcased in the 2010 Geothermal Energy Expo being held this year in in Sacramento, October 24-27.

 

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