United States and Iceland Collaborate to Develop and Deploy Clean Geothermal Energy
The United States and Iceland have signed a bilateral agreement aimed at increasing the world's understanding of advanced geothermal technologies and accelerating their deployment. The new agreement is designed to allow the US and Iceland to exchange researchers, establish joint projects, and create educational opportunities to accelerate advanced geothermal development, and to identify key obstacles to increasing the use of this renewable energy resource.
The signing of the bilateral agreement between the United States and Iceland is part of the international meetings on geothermal energy hosted this week by Iceland in Reykjavik (which you will remember was one of the few airports unaffected by Iceland's glacial eruption earlier this year).
Stoel Rives Publishes White Papers on Transmission Development
I am proud to announce the publication of two white papers that focus on the issues of transmission development and broader issues facing renewable energy. These white papers were written by attorneys at Stoel Rives and were prepared at the request of the Energy Foundation, a partnership of major foundations interested in sustainable energy. The Energy Foundation was launched in 1991 by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Both papers focus on the challenge of developing U.S. transmission infrastructure and capacity, particularly in the West. In The Way Forward: Why Transmission Right Sizing and Federal Bridge Financing Hold the Key to Western Renewable Resource Development, the authors (Marcus Wood, Pam Jacklin, and myself) consider economy-of-scale and environmental impact concepts and their application to the sizing of transmission facilities. The authors also argue for a significant overhaul of current financing and cost recovery mechanisms in order to provide a pathway for greater development of renewable energy resources. You can download a copy of The Way Forward by clicking here.
In Uncork That Transmission Bottleneck: A Legislative and Technological Roadmap for Tapping the West's Vast Renewable Energy Resources, the authors examine broader issues affecting renewable energy development. This white paper proposes a number of policy goals that could drive transmission development in the West and on a national level. You can download a copy of Uncork That Transmission Bottleneck by clicking here.
We hope that you enjoy these papers.
DOE:$15 million for Innovative Geothermal Recovery Methods
On Friday, the US Department of Energy ("DOE") announved a $15 million funding opportunity for geothermal energy research and development projects that:
- Address the environmental risk factors associated with heat recovery from the earth's subsurface (earthquakes, water consumption and pollution);
- Add innovative methods for extracting heat from geotlogic formations, particularly permeable sedimentary formations; and
- Reduce financial risks.
Successful applications will address all three of the listed issues. Applicants should note that if the application does not address the first two elements listed above, it will be tossed out. Applicants must submit a pre-application concept paper by October 1, 2010, and will be informed by DOE if they are eligible to submit a full application (whihc will be due November 30, 2010).
The funds will divided between feasibility studies (Phase 1) and validation and proof (Phase 2) with the bulk of the funds being awarded for Phase 2 activities. The funds will be paid out over 3 years and there is a 20% cost share.
Eligible applicants include most domestic entities who are encouraged to form consortia to apply. Foreign entities or persons may participate as a subrecipient of the funds.
FOA: $20 Million for Innovative Geothermal Technologies
The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) today announced up to $20 million for research, development, and demonstration of cutting-edge geothermal technologies. DOE want projects that demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of certain non-conventional geothermal energy technologies, such as low-temperature fluids, geothermal fluids recovered from oil and gas wells, and highly pressurized geothermal fluids.
Specifically, the funds will be allocated to research in the following areas:
- Low-temperature geothermal fluids at temperatures up to 300° Fahrenheit (F) or approximately 150° Celsius (C).
- Geothermal fluids produced from productive, unproductive, or marginal oil and gas wells, mining operations or other hydrocarbon or mineral extraction processes.
- Highly pressurized or "geopressured" fluid resources that show potential for cost-effective recovery of heat, kinetic energy, and gas.
- Innovative cooling systems; systems with more efficient heat exchanging materials or systems that maximize energy output through a combination of electricity generation and direct-heat technologies.
All US entities are eligible including universities, nonprofit and for-profit private entities, State and local governments and federally funded contractors. The cost share is 20%. Applications are due July 9, 2010.
The complete funding opportunity announcement can be viewed here: https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/PublicPages/PublicSearch/Public_Opportunities.aspx
Show me the Money: Applications Available now for Washington's State Energy Program
On July 1, 2009, Washington State’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (“CTED”) issued application guidelines and forms for its State Energy Program (“SEP”) (available by clicking here). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”) provided $60.9 million in new funding for Washington’s SEP. Subsequently, the Washington Legislature allocated $38.5 million to CTED to administer a loan and grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy program (see our client alert, available here, regarding the legislative action).
Eligible energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean energy projects may be eligible for SEP funding between $500,000 and $2 million.
Eligible energy efficiency projects are those that use technologies that have been deployed at commercial scale that result in the reduction in energy consumption through increases in the efficiency of energy use, production, or distribution, and high-efficiency cogeneration. Ineligible projects are those that are eligible for Recovery Act Funding for community wide urban residential and commercial energy efficiency upgrades as described in (i) Chapter 379, Laws of 2009; (ii) Low income weatherization projects and programs which are eligible for funding through the state’s low-income weatherization program; (iii) Loans support to financial institutions for energy efficiency projects as described in Chapter 379, Laws of 2009; (iv) state energy efficient appliance rebates; and (v) green jobs training as described in Chapter 536, Laws of 2009.
Eligible renewable energy projects are those that are located in Washington and use existing commercial scale technologies that generate liquid fuels, process heat or electricity using algae, bark, biodiesel, biomass, biosolids, food waste, fresh water, gas from sewage treatment facilities, landfill gas, geothermal, pulping liquors, sawdust, solar, hydrokinetics, wind, wood chips and various other waste products. Ineligible projects include those that use the following feedstocks: municipal solid waste, wood from old growth forests, and chemically treated wood.
Eligible clean energy innovation projects include are those that offer innovative new technologies or service delivery models for energy efficiency, renewable energy, or other areas of clean energy. Projects must have a solid chance at commercial scale deployment within two to three years. Ineligible projects include carbon sequestration projects, lab scale projects, and those excluded under federal SEP guidelines.
Interested parties must file a notice of intent to apply by July 27, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
Full applications are due on August 17, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
Information workshops will be held on July 13, 14, 15, and 16. Click here for the specific dates and times. I will be attending the July 13 workshop in Everett, WA. An informational webinar will also be held on July 23.
Stanford Sees Results in Geothermal Reservoir Characterization
In October 2008, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) agreed to provide $43.1 million for 21 research projects to research, develop and demonstrate enhanced Geothermal Systems (“EGS”) which are next-generation geothermal energy technologies capable of producing baseload electricity across the United States. DOE's geothermal technologies program works in partnership with U.S. industry to establish geothermal energy as an economically competitive contributor to the U.S. energy supply. With cost share by the applicants, the public-private investments came to approximately $78 million.
One of the recipients selected by the DOE was Stanford University in California whose proposal included the development of reservoir engineering approaches including nanotechnology. This week Stanford announced that it had developed a method to learn more about the fracture systems in geothermal reservoirs by using tiny particles (nanoparticles) as tracers to characterize fractured rocks. The ultimate goal of the Stanford project is to utilize the nanoparticles as sensors to characterize subsurface fractures.
You can learn more about the DOE’s geothermal program at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/
