The multibillion dollar geothermal power industry uses natural steam created by the intense planetary-scale heat of the earth to produce reliable clean electric power.  Geothermal now supplies 2,800 megawatts (MW) in the United States, sufficient for 2.8 million Americans, and 8,500 MW worldwide supplying tens of millions of people in 24 countries.

Geothermal is believed to now be the largest renewable power source west of the Mississippi (non-hydro). The US Department of Energy (USDOE) has estimated there is sufficient geothermal in the United States for massive growth and proposes geothermal increase by 4,300 MW to supply 10% of all power in the West.  This would nearly triple current output.  Such growth would dwarf other new renewables.  By way of example 7,100 MW of geothermal equals an estimated 21,000 MW of wind output at 33% capacity factor.

As described elsewhere, Vulcan led the passage of new "green power" laws in some states and assisted their passage in others. The new state laws created massive new green power markets in the West. The laws require electric utilities to add an estimated 4,200 MW of new renewable "green" power in the Far West where Vulcan conducts business.  Vulcan estimates it has about a 27% market share of 2,000 MW of the selected new power supply contracts which it plans to develop on a phased basis over the next 5 years.

Proven Technology

Typical Steam Flash Plant: Water Vapor Cooling

Geothermal technology is proven.  Geothermal development employs exploration techniques adapted over 40 years from the oil and gas industry.  Initial exploration includes geologic reports, geophysical evaluation and water geochemistry tests to determine reservoir temperatures at depth. Drilling techniques were developed through hundreds of millions of dollars of industry and government steam drilling expenditures.

Geothermal power plant technology has also evolved.  There are multiple international power plant suppliers providing off-the-shelf power plants designed for a range of temperatures and fluid conditions.  Billions of dollars of geothermal plants are in operation worldwide.  There are several public or recognizable geothermal companies in operation in the United States, including Ormat Technologies, CalEnergy (a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings), Calpine Corporation (The Geysers Project), and Caithness Energy.

When properly developed and monitored, geothermal steam resources are renewable.  Cooler fluids exiting power plants are reinjected and reheated in subsurface reservoirs on a sustainable basis. Modern geothermal power projects have minimal impacts on air, land and water ecosystems. Some consider geothermal to be the lowest impact power source. It has much lower environmental impacts than hydro, nuclear, coal, oil or gas fired or windpower plants. Geothermal plants are relatively small in size and have been permitted in national forests and fragile high desert valley environments where other power plants are not allowed.

Vulcan Earth Plant

An innovative "Vulcan Earth Plant" design is considered by some to be the lowest impact power plant design of any power plant ever. In addition to the low impact benefits of typical geothermal projects, the Vulcan Earth Plant design is literally nearly invisible from any direction. The design has been well received by land use activists in areas of plant visibility concerns.

Premium Power Source

Plate Tectonic Process

Geothermal competitive advantages include being considered "The Premium Power Source."  It is clean renewable power which provides reliable “around-the-clock” baseload power with capacity factors above 95%. 

Geothermal power also provides many environmental and economic benefits.  USDOE estimates that geothermal already offsets (eliminates) coal fired power plant air pollution of 44 billion pounds of CO2, and 400 million pounds of SOx and 160 million pounds of NOx every year.  It provides industrial wage jobs and tax base in rural areas.  As a result diverse major public interest groups support geothermal power and it historically has enjoyed bipartisan political support of favorable policies.

USDOE GeoPowering the West

The US Department of Energy sponsors an initiative called “GeoPowering The West”.  Its initial objective is to add four new geothermal states.  USDOE sponsors Geothermal Working Groups in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, and Oregon which bring together power policy stakeholders to advance geothermal and green power market share in those states.

The Vulcan CEO originally suggested the formation of these multi-state geothermal working groups to USDOE and was the 2005 recipient of a GeoPowering The West program Certificate of Commendation for outstanding effort. This program has become an effective forum for geothermal developers, utilities, regulatory agencies and policy leaders to discuss and plan further expansion of the geothermal industry.

Worldwide Geothermal Potential

Geothermal Regions

The worldwide potential of geothermal power is very large.  A USDOE study estimated that geothermal power can provide all electricity for 865 million people, over 15% of the planet’s population.  This would be an increase to 138,000 MW, up from 8,500 MW worldwide today.  USDOE estimated 39 countries could be 100% geothermal powered, a population of 621 million. 

In addition to major global warming and air pollution reductions, geothermal will hold down overall power prices significantly by reducing new natural gas fuel use.  Increasing gas fuel use drives up power prices at the “economic margin”.  Higher gas use means higher gas power fuel prices. Reducing gas use holds down power costs.