The Environmental Benefits of Geothermal Energy Charlene Wardlow

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The Environmental Benefits of Geothermal
EnergyCharlene Wardlow
February 8, 2005
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Benefits of Geothermal Power

• Renewable and Sustainable
• Generates Continuous, Reliable Baseload Power
• Conserves Fossil Fuels and Contributes to
  Diversity in Energy Sources
• Clean and Safe Energy Uses Less Land Than Other
  Sources of Energy including renewables
• Produces low to zero air emissions
• Preserves freshwater supply
• Enhances National Security by Reducing Dependence
  on Imported Fuels

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Why Geothermal is Renewable
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Geothermal Potential 3 kilometer depth
(1.9 miles)
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Geothermal Potential at 6 kilometer (3.8
mile) depth
Source US DOE
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Capacity Factor Comparison
Non-Combustion Renewable Energy
92
32
25
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Total Domestic Energy Use, 2003
Source Renewable Energy Trends 2003, DOE.
http//www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page
/trends/fig1.html.
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30 Year Land Use
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Air Emissions

• Power Generation contributes
• 23 of national nitrogen oxide emissions.
• 67 of national sulfur dioxide emissions.
• 40 of man-made carbon dioxide emissions.

• Source U.S. EPA

• Source U.S. EPA

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Effects of Air Emissions

• Health Impacts
• Water Quality Deterioration
• Acid Rain
• Global Warming

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Coal reported as average existing system
emissions, natural gas reported as average
existing steam cycle, simple gas turbine, and
combined cycle system emissions, from Platts
Researching and Consulting, based on data from
the EPAs Continuous Emissions Monitoring
Program, 20003. Average emissions rates in the
United States from oil-fired generation from EPA
Clean Energy Impacts (2005). Geothermal
information from US DOE, 2000.
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Sources Natural gas, coal, and geothermal data
from Platts Researching and Consulting, based on
data from the EPAs Continuous Emissions
Monitoring Program, 2003. Coal figure represent
the average existing coal plant, natural gas
figure includes the average existing steam cycle,
simple gas turbine, and combined cycle natural
gas plant Average emissions rates in the United
States from oil-fired generation from EPA Clean
Energy Impacts (2005).
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Source Average emissions rates in the United
States from oil-fired generation from EPA Clean
Energy Impacts (2005) coal and natural gas
Platts Research and Consulting, based on data
from EPAs Continuous Monitoring System (2003)
geothermal DOE data (2000).
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Geothermal versus Coal

• 10,837 times more sulfur dioxide,
• 3,865 times more nitrous oxide,
• and 23 times more carbon dioxide
• per megawatt hour than a geothermal plant

Source Coal data from Cherokee plant (Colorado)
provided by Xcel Energy Geothermal from the
average of 11 Sonoma County steam power plants at
The Geysers provided by Calpine Corporation as
submitted to the Northern Sonoma County Air
Pollution Control District for 2003 emissions
inventory.
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Source, geothermal Telephone Flat Environmental
Impact Statement 3.2-32, 3.2-34, 3.2-35 natural
gas Calpine Corporation Sutter Power Plant
Project, Application for Certification (AFC) (Dec
1997). Table 2.2-1, Estimated Average Daily Water
Requirements.
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KEYS TO SUSTAINABILITY

• Improve Energy Conversion Efficiency
• Drill for New Steam
• Recharge the Reservoir
• Reduce Operating Costs

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Sonoma Overlook
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• Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center -
  Middletown, CA
• Open Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM 4 PM
• Plant Tours 10 AM, Noon 2 PM Tour
  Reservations 1-866-GEYSERS
• www.geysers.com