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Geothermal Technologies Office Geothermal Technologies Office North Carolina Energy Policy Council November 18, 2019 Susan G. Hamm, Ph.D. Director U.S.Image: DEPARTMENT Calpine OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 1 Agenda • Why Geothermal? • About GTO • GeoVision Analysis • Geothermal in the Carolinas U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 2 Why Geothermal? Beneath our feet lies vast, untapped energy potential. Geothermal energy… • …is always-on. • …is secure and flexible. • …provides baseload power. • …creates thousands of energy sector jobs. • …is an everywhere solution. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 3 U.S. Geothermal Resources Western US EGS potential Undiscovered Hydrothermal 500 GW 30 GW Continental US EGS Potential 2.3 TW Current Installed Capacity Temperature at 10 km depth, Southern Methodist University 3.8 GW U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 4 Geothermal Diversity Geothermal offers a broad array of technology applications for both power generation and direct use. This diversity of applications is key to the geothermal industry’s continuous growth. At higher temperatures, binary, flash, and dry steam power plants come into play. At lower temperatures, direct use extends from agriculture and material production to home and commercial heating and cooling. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 5 Geothermal Power Generation Power Generation Fluid Reinjection Fluid Production U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 6 Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) • High temperature heat is abundant at depth. • Viable resource potential is estimated at 60+ GWe. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 7 Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs) Image: Dandelion Image: NordicGHP U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 8 Agenda • Why Geothermal? • About GTO • GeoVision Analysis • Geothermal in the Carolinas U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 9 Renewable Energy @ DOE Current priorities across Renewable Energy (RE) offices present opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Energy affordability . Energy integration . Energy storage Geothermal Technologies Office Wind Energy Water Power Technologies Office Technologies Office Solar Energy Grid Modernization Technologies Office Initiative U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 10 What Does a Modern Grid Look Like? • Centralized generation • Limited visibility • Susceptible to extreme events • Limited consumer options 20th century grid 21st century grid - modernized GHP GHP = Geothermal Heat Pump • Centralized and decentralized generation • Visibility from generation to the grid edge • Resilience through microgrids • Customer choice and participation U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 11 GTO Mission The mission of the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is to support early-stage research and development (R&D) to strengthen the body of knowledge upon which industry can accelerate the development of innovative geothermal energy technologies. GTO supports research in key areas such as drilling, success probability, and new technologies that help reduce early-stage risk and cost. 2-4 years 1-2 years 1-2 years U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 12 Agenda • Why Geothermal? • About GTO • GeoVision Analysis • Geothermal in the Carolinas U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 13 GeoVision Analysis The GeoVision study addresses a fundamental question: On the basis of detailed assessments of • the geothermal industry, • barriers to deployment, • and both existing and improved technologies… …what level of deployment would be achievable and what would be the corresponding economic benefits to industry and the environmental impacts of those deployment levels on the United States? www.energy.gov/geovision Image: GeoVision Report U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 14 GeoVision Analysis The GeoVision report is the product of years of rigorous research and analysis, with contributions from a broad range of participants representing industry, academia, national laboratories, and federal agencies. Through increased geothermal deployment, America could… …strengthen its energy base, …achieve a more stable power grid, …and gain valuable economic and environmental benefits. Image: GeoVision Report U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 15 GeoVision Analysis Optimized permitting could cut development timelines in half, leading to a doubling of geothermal development (13 GWe by 2050) versus business-as-usual. District use could increase by orders-of-magnitude, from a current total of 21 geothermal district heating installations to as many as 17,500 nationwide. Geothermal heat pumps could increase from 2 million to 28 million. Deployment could reach 60 GWe by 2050 with aggressive technology improvements. Through increased geothermal deployment, America could… …strengthen its energy base, …achieve a more stable power grid, …and gain valuable economic and environmental benefits. Image: GeoVision Report U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 16 GeoVision Analysis Technology innovation is essential – it improves our understanding of subsurface conditions, helps to reduce risk, and accelerates growth of domestic geothermal power. Through increased geothermal deployment, America could… …strengthen its energy base, …achieve a more stable power grid, …and gain valuable economic and environmental benefits. Image: GeoVision Report U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 17 The GeoVision Roadmap Action Area 1: Improve exploration and achieve key technology advancements The four Roadmap Action Areas target the three key objectives of the Action Area 2: GeoVision analysis: Optimize regulatory 1. Increase access to geothermal processes resources 2. Reduce costs and improve economics for geothermal projects Action Area 3: Optimize revenue and 3. Improve education and outreach market structures about geothermal energy through stakeholder collaboration Action Area 4: Improve collaboration, education, and outreach U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 18 GTO Research Frontier Observatory for Play Fairway Analysis Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) Efficient Drilling for Geothermal Energy (EDGE) Action Area 1: EGS Collab Improve exploration and achieve key Zonal Isolation Waterless stimulation technology advancements Subsurface stress and Machine Learning: lost circulation Exploration Action Area 2: Action Area 3: Action Area 4: Improve Optimize regulatory Optimize revenue and collaboration, processes market structures education, and outreach U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 19 GTO Research Collaboration with Potential Dept of Interior / collaboration with Bureau of Land Mgmt state and local Action Area 2: governments Optimize regulatory Collaboration with processes U.S. Forest Service Collaboration with Dept of Defense Action Area 1: Improve Action Area 4: Improve exploration and Action Area 3: collaboration, achieve key technology Optimize revenue and education, and advancements market structures outreach U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 20 GTO Research Coordination with Advanced Energy Storage Strategic Priorities and Initiative; improved Impact Analysis team valuation of geothermal Action Area 3: Optimize revenue and market structures Critical Materials / Beyond LCOE Salton Sea Action Area 1: Improve Action Area 4: Improve Action Area 2: exploration and collaboration, Optimize regulatory achieve key technology education, and processes advancements outreach U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 21 GTO Research Potential technical Identify plan for assistance to stakeholders regular updates to interested in geothermal the GeoVision Roadmap Action Area 4: Improve Collaboration with collaboration, GEOTHERMICA New Zealand education, and Memorandum of outreach Collaboration with Understanding military bases, universities, others Action Area 1: Improve Action Area 2: Action Area 3: exploration and Optimize regulatory Optimize revenue and achieve key technology processes market structures advancements U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 22 Agenda • Why Geothermal? • About GTO • GeoVision Analysis • Geothermal in the Carolinas U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 23 Agenda • Why Geothermal? • About GTO • GeoVision Analysis • Geothermal in the Carolinas U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY 24 Geothermal in North Carolina According to a July 2015 report by the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association: “North Carolina’s soil is well suited for GHPs.” The report indicates that the geothermal industry already has an impact in North Carolina: • 12% of all clean energy firms in NC are geothermal. • NC geothermal businesses generated at least $143 million in revenues in 2014. • Geothermal accounts for 3% of North Carolina’s clean energy income. Source: North Carolina’s Geothermal Industry: Uncovering Impact and Opportunities (July 2015).
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