Report says Nevada to quadruple geothermal power

A new report from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) says Nevada is on track to be producing over 1000 MW of geothermal power - quadrupling its current output - over the next 3 to 5 years. This level of geothermal production could meet roughly 25% of the state's total power needs, according to the authors.

"A combination of federal and state policies have propelled substantial new geothermal power development in Nevada," according to Dan Fleischmann, author of Geothermal Resource Development in Nevada - 2006.

His analysis concludes that this dramatic success is due to four major factors:

1. The state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
2. The extension of the federal production tax credit (PTC) to include geothermal energy;
3. The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) efforts to reduce its leasing backlog; and
4. The Department of Energy's (DOE) support for cost- shared drilling, technical assistance, and the work of the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy at the University of Nevada Reno.

The report identifies up to 29 new geothermal power projects now under development in Nevada, representing as much as 853 MW. When completed, these new plants will quadruple the existing 276.4 MW capacity from Nevada's currently operating 15 power plants.

With over 1100 MW, Nevada would be generating more power than most of the 25 countries producing geothermal energy today.

The GEA report is based upon interviews with over 60 leading experts in the geothermal field in the United States, more than 40 of whom have worked specifically with geothermal energy in Nevada. State and federal officials, researchers, utilities, industry representatives, land developers, and clean energy advocates were among those interviewed.

The report is available to download without charge.

For more information:

http://www.geo-energy.org/publications/reports.asp

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