April 1, 2009
Western U.S. Entities Move Quickly on Geothermal Mapping
by Charles W. Thurston,
California, United States
Several large geothermal resource mapping projects are heading toward conclusion so that finally, the power source can be more accurately considered in siting new electricity transmission lines for renewable power development.
New geothermal plants are being considered along each of these renewable power transmission corridors under development. As city, county and regional utilities seek to increase their renewable energy source portfolios, geothermal projects will likely provide an increasing volume of power, along with wind and solar.
Given the Obama administration's investment focus on new transmission line development, the result of the mapping efforts should be a relatively rapid increase in the number and size of commercial-scale geothermal projects.
The states of California and Nevada, along with the Western Governors Association, are moving rapidly to improve the mapping of geothermal resources in their regions, in part to facilitate the approval and construction of several new transmission lines in the West. And over the next few months, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) expects to unveil the data supporting its new assessment of mid-and high-temperature geothermal resources, which was released in summary form last fall.
These efforts are expected to lead to four or five new transmission lines in the West, with construction on at least one to begin as early as next year.
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