Geothermal Energy
Production capacity of geothermal electricity in the world of 7972.7 MW in 2000 to 8933 MW in 2005, with 8035 MW of execution. This corresponds to about 0.2% of the total installed capacity.
Geothermal heat pumps (GHP), also known as Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) or general in nature, such as geothermal energy is the fastest growing geothermal application today. GSHP is a very effective way that renewable energy technologies is increasingly being accepted for homes and buildings, with 1.4 million installations worldwide in 2005, and growth of 1854 MW in 1995 to 15,284 MW in the year 2005.
Geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling and warming of the water. The technology is based on the fact that the Earth (beneath the surface) is a relatively constant temperature throughout the year warmer than the air above it in winter and cool in summer. TPG need two systems, a furnace and air conditioning and use of 25% to 50% less electricity than heating or cooling.
Geothermal technology is the regional integration of energy systems, rural electrification and mini-applications on the network, particularly in the field of production, in network applications. It is argued that the region in the use of renewable energy and environmental benefits.
Geothermal energy is heated in the liquid and the rock pores and fractures of the crust. It may be of two types can be harvested, the direct use of hot water or steam for space heating or industrial uses such as aquaculture, thermal baths and hot springs, and electricity for plants. Direct use is low temperature, usually below 150o C, while the production of electricity at high temperature, uses more resources 150o C. 80 countries, the direct use of geothermal energy use and 20 for geothermal electricity production. Direct low-temperature use employs about twice the energy capacity, as for electricity production.
The direct use of geothermal energy has been for thousands of years. The main applications of the direct use of today are the installations of geothermal heat pump for heating, currently more than 500,000 and are the first in the capacity but third in the world in the production . The direct use of geothermal energy reached yields of 50-70%, compared to 5.20% of income realized the indirect use of electricity.
Geothermal energy began in 1904 with the Larderello region of Tuscany, which has the world first geothermal electricity. Major Larderello began in the 1930s and 1970s, the capacity to 350 MW. The Geysers in California started in the 1960s, is the largest geothermal plant in the world. Individual geothermal power plants may be less than 100 kW or greater than 100 MW in the resource and the demand for electricity.
The three countries with the greatest amount of heat on the installed capacity utilization, United States (5,366 MW), China (2814 MW) and Iceland (1469 MW), or 58% of the world on the 16,649 MW.
The installed capacity in the world of geothermal energy to produce electricity in December 2005, 8933 MW, 8035 MW was operational. Six countries accounted for 86% of the production capacity of geothermal energy in the world. In the United States is at the forefront of 2564 MW (1935 MW in operation), followed by the Philippines (1931 MW, 1838 MW in operation), in four countries (Mexico, Italy, Indonesia, Japan), was able through ‘at the end of 2005 in the area of 535-953 MW each. Mexico and Indonesia by 26% and 35%, and between 2000 and 2005. Although on a small, Kenya, growth reached greater than 45 MW to 129 MW.
Over the past five years, geothermal energy to produce electricity, with an annual rate of 2.3% in the world, a slower pace than the 3.25 in the previous five years, while the using heat directly showed a strong increase. With current technology, the overall potential of geothermal capacity of production is 72,500 MW, 138,100 MW and improving technology.
A sharp decline in the United States in recent years due to overexploitation of geysers of steam has been modified by additives to the situation in several countries: Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Italy, New Zealand, Iceland, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Kenya. New entrants in the field of electric power in Ethiopia (1998), Guatemala (1998), Austria (2001) and Nicaragua.
2005 and 2006, the United States showed signs of renewed growth for geothermal power generation. Five states now have the facilities for the production of geothermal, California, Nevada, Utah, Alaska and Hawaii. Richard Burdett Power Plant (formerly Galena I) in Nevada, for the production of energy in 2005 and the first geothermal power plant in Alaska during the installation in 2006 at Chena Hot Springs. A long list of projects was
announced for the next ten years, new facilities in Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon, five in the geothermal, said. Japan, Philippines and Nicaragua have announced ambitious plans for development of geothermal power.
There are three basic technologies of electricity from geothermal. Of steam dry steam dry the first type of geothermal energy for electricity generation to build. Steam from the geothermal reservoir where it comes from wells and route directly through turbine / generator units to produce electricity. Flash steam plants of the nature of geothermal energy to generate electricity in force today. They use water at temperatures above 182 ° C, the high pump
Pressure on production materials from the surface. If the production equipment, is suddenly the pressure decreases, so that some of the hot water, or for the “Flash” in the steam.
The steam is then used for the turbine / generator units to produce electricity. Binary cycle geothermal electricity production of dry steam and flash steam in the water or steam from the geothermal reservoir never comes in contact with the turbine / generator units but is used to heat another working fluid, which evaporates, and turbine / generator units.
Geothermische projects require capital investments for research, wells and installation of the facility, but low operating costs because of the low cost of fuel. Return on investment is quickly achieved with cheap fossil fuel central, but in the longer term, economic benefits arising from the use of indigenous energy source.
Construction costs of geothermal plants can be very different, depending on local conditions and a minimum of 1.1 million to 3 million per megawatt. DOE has calculated the average cost of $ 1.68 million for geothermal plants in north-western United States over the past two years, in which the United States, or in factories. However, if it is upwards
Comparison with the gas, which can be as low as $ 460,000 per megawatt, the cost of implementation can be lower in the absence of costs for fuel.
The Heads of State and Government in the development of geothermal energy and the creation of new works are three American companies – Calpine, Unocal and ormat and a Japanese company Marubeni. These companies have been actively involved in the implementation of the joint ventures in the Philippines and Indonesia and more recently in Central America.
United States
December 2005, geothermal energy, the United States was 2564 MW, 1935 MW was used. The difference between installed capacity and the ability of the United States has been amended by a lack of steam by over-use of the Geysers geothermal field in California. On this site is no longer available for steam 888 MW of installed capacity of 1421 MW.
Geothermal resources currently using the technology of today is 6520 MW and 22,000 MW by upgrading the technology.
Over the past three decades, the United States industry geothermal power generation has evolved to the largest in the world, with over 2445 MW electricity. Growth in the first two decades (1960-1980) is a unique program for the development of a resource in the dry steam. After 1983, growth to independent power producers and development of geothermal resources at several locations waterdominated.
The constant increase in the development of geothermal energy in the United States from 1960 to 1979 was drawn up by the geysers, in the developing partnership between the Union Oil Company of California, Magma Energy Company, the company and heat energy has been greatly expanded to supply steam to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG & E) electrical generation system.
The construction of the main geysers geothermal development in the world. The production of Geysers peaked in 1988, but the drop in pressure in the reservoir limited expansion in this area. In December 2006, the 55 MW Bottle Rock Geothermal Power Plant in geysers is again after the year 1990. It is first to 20 MW for projects with the extension.
The geothermal wells is slowly in the United States since the 1980s. California, four wells were drilled in 1996 (in one of the Geysers and three in the Salton Sea), nine in 1997 (four at Coso, two geysers and three of the Salton Sea) and in September 1998 (three in the Coso in the geysers and three in the Salton Sea). In all, between 1996 and 1998, only 13 and seven injection wells were drilled in California. Most promising for new geothermal
Operating system are in Hawaii and the Cascade Mountains of Washington, Oregon and northern California.
The future development, with projects being considered in about 55 steps. All these, as some in the planning phase and others are pending approval. The opinion of the geothermal industry in the United States, beat for future expansion.
Philippines
The Philippines is the second largest country in the production of geothermal energy in the world after the United States, with a capacity of 1930 MW by the end of 2005, of which 1838 MW was operational.
The Philippines now leads the world in terms of wet steam from the ground and is located just behind the United States as regards the production of geothermal electricity.
The Philippines is located in the Pacific region, light, a region that is growing in a volcanic Sumatra in Indonesia, the far west, 3000 miles from the archipelago of Indonesia, the archipelago Philippines, Japan, is. It has a number of geothermal resources of high quality. They are all systems of volcanic island arcs, which are generally in the Circum-Pacific region, and show close similarity to the geothermal energy in Indonesia and Japan. The dissemination of the nature of geothermal resources in the Philippines has long been an obstacle to the development of geothermal energy.
With over 20 years experience in the development of geothermal energy and electricity, geothermal, industry in the Philippines is now mature and is currently the Philippines Department of Energy operations contract for the provision of services geothermal nine. In the early 1990s, there was a rapid development of geothermal energy and 1000 MW of geothermal energy was between 1993 and 1997. This is mainly due to the fact BOT
the legislation in the Philippines, the international electricity market access and to fund and construct geothermal power plants. This led to an increase in capacity without increasing the public debt.
The Philippine government plans to add 526 MW of new capacity between 2002 and 2008.
Indonesia
Potential for development of geothermal power has grown slowly in Indonesia and is currently of great challenges and uncertainty. In a period of 20 years, Indonesia, and 797 MW, geothermal energy, about 4% of 20,000 MW geothermal potential. In the early 1990s, eleven contracts for development of geothermal power plants were awarded, with a total of 3417 MW due to the capacity and the completion date from 1998 to 2002. With the financial crisis of 1997-1998, the PLN, the benefits of technical bankruptcy, the government took nine hours and seven geothermal IPP classics. The government is trying to revitalize it, but seven contracts
with little progress.
The new price of gas and oil in October 2001, bars geothermal heat as an area of regulation, the government of Indonesia to a new legal basis quickly. PLN, the future of geothermal energy depends on the competitiveness compared to other possibilities to produce electricity. High investment costs and the price of nuclear energy problems remain. In addition, decentralization issues, uncertainties in security and treaties, and possible amendments to the bill on geothermal energy
investment in geothermal projects. In the long term, Indonesia remains one of the most beautiful areas of geothermal, but the Indonesian government to develop new approaches to maximize its potential.
PLN is currently negotiating for reduced tariffs on various geothermal CES, with the intention of a price decrease of 6 / 8 U.S. cents / kWh agreed due to power purchase agreements (PPA ) to about 4 U.S. cents / kWh. The price originally negotiated by the geothermal developers 7.25-9.81/kWh between U.S. cents, or about twice as profitable.
Italy
Italy is a world leading countries in terms of geothermal resources. Commercial geothermal resources for electricity production in Italy began in 1913 with 250 kW at Larderello. Secondly, emphasis was placed on the production of energy. Geothermal power generation capacity in Italy, to 791 MW with four geothermal power plants in 2005.
The development of geothermal energy is almost entirely by private funds. Since 1985, U.S. $ 280 million for R & D and 1.254 million U.S. dollars in the field of development. Of these funds, 99% came from private sources and only 1% was from public sources.
Mexico
Mexico is one of the fastest growing geothermal producers in the world. Twenty-seven geothermal power plants, which in the three areas of Mexico, with a total capacity of 953 MW in December 2005, geothermal. There is a plan to install 75 MW in the years 2006-2008 in the new area La Primavera pending the resolution of certain environmental issues. CFE plans to expand the capacity of Cerro Prieto (100 MW) and Los Humerose (25 MW) in 2010.
Directly with geothermal, are widely distributed in Mexico, including industrial laundries, refrigeration, heating and gas emissions, and fruit and wood drying.
Japan
The first geothermal power generation experimental Japan in 1925, in Beppu and capacity to 535 MW in December 2005, Japan ranks sixth in the world. The government’s goal for the year 2010 the installed geothermal capacity of 2,800 MW. Plants are by volume of 65 MW Yanaizu-Nishiyama unit to the 100 kW Kirishima International Hotel against the pressure generator in Beppu, Kyushu.
The Japanese government provides essential support for the development of geothermal energy. Suggestions, the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy plays a key role in the development and use of geothermal energy in Japan, such as the granting of the subsidy. NEDO plays a central role to support renewables and after a slow start, the promotion of geothermal energy is currently developing as part of the definition of regional integration of the systems themselves enough renewable. The introduction and promotion of geothermal energy as an alternative to oil, the main task.
The organization is also promoting international cooperation in the engineering field of geothermal energy.
Other countries
16 other countries have geothermal energy for the production of variable size, less than 500 kW in Argentina to the tune of 435 MW in New Zealand. Many small countries directly.