Did you know that Europe’s installed capacity was over 3.5 GWe in geothermal electricity among 143 operational plants and delivered electricity to 11 million consumers in 2023? Geothermal heating and cooling continued its steady growth to 401 systems with a total installed geothermal heating and cooling capacity of 6 GWth and serviced 20 million people and 400 cities and factories. This information comes from the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) which recently released its EGEC Geothermal Market Report of growth during the year 2023. The key findings from the report are publicly available here.
Additionally, the European Technology & Innovation Platform on Geothermal (ETIP-Geothermal), released its “Geothermal Horizons: from Cities to Regions,” laying out its new vision to achieve the EU’s climate-neutral milestone by 2050.
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GreenFire Energy Update
GreenFire Energy at Climate Week NYC: A Geothermal Experience Like No Other
Join us at Geothermal House during Climate Week NYC on September 24th for an exclusive dive into the future of geothermal energy. This fully immersive geothermal-themed environment will showcase cutting-edge geothermal startups and feature a day full of engaging geothermal programming.
Don’t miss Rob Klenner, President of GreenFire Energy Inc., as he takes the stage in the panel discussion, “Perspectives on the Role of the Oil & Gas Industry in the Growth and Development of Next Generation Geothermal.”
Panel Details
Date/Time: September 24th, 2:15 PM ET
Location: Hall Des Lumières, 49 Chambers Street, NYC
Register: Here
Our View of the Industry
Asia
In Indonesia, Star Energy Geothermal, one of Indonesia’s largest geothermal operators, is in discussions with data center operators to supply geothermal power. Also in Indonesia, a community project launched by PT Geo Dipa at the site of the Patuha geothermal site is improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions of fertilizer production. Additionally, the Just Energy Transition Partnership is contributing USD 21 million to spur more geothermal projects.
In the Philippines, Energy Development Corporation (EDC) will supply electricity from geothermal sources to Holcim Philippine plants. EDC’s geothermal energy will provide 22% of the energy needs for Holcim’s manufacturing facilities. Separately, GreenFire Energy is working with EDC to boost geothermal power production in EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field.
In Singapore, Energy Market Authority (EMA) is visiting geothermal plants overseas and embarking on a two-year, island-wide study to determine the potential of geothermal energy to help the Republic reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
In Japan, Tsuchiyu Onsen, on the outskirts of Fukushima City, is a test case for how Japan could tap into an abundant source of geothermal energy, while preserving the country’s cultural identity. Tsuchiyu Onsen built a geothermal plant in 2015, which demonstrates how geothermal energy production and onsens can co-exist.
In New Zealand, with the handover of the 184-MW Tauhara Geothermal Power Plant, Japan-based Sumitomo has contributed to 17% of the global installed geothermal power capacity.
Europe
In Germany, drilling for geothermal heating has been completed in Polling in Bavaria. The project includes a new energy center to supply 30 MW of thermal energy to two greenhouses and the towns in the region.
In the UK, the cross-party initiative UK Day One, which crowdsources policy ideas, has released a comprehensive report “Britain’s Buried Power: The Case for Geothermal” outlining a plan for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNEZ) to accelerate the UK’s transition to clean energy, while addressing pressing energy security concerns.
In Sweden, Baseload Capital closed a €53M funding round to scale up geothermal projects and advance the commercialization of existing initiatives.
In the Netherlands, 20 of 32 geothermal wells were operational in 2023. Twenty eight of the 32 wells are for greenhouse horticulture.
What if all of Paris were air-conditioned using geothermal energy? Recall that the Olympic Athlete Village was air-conditioned by a geothermal cooling system. The French Association of Geothermal Professions (AFPG) analyzed the cost-benefit ratio of using geothermal air-conditioning throughout France.
In South America
In Colombia, the Colombian Geological Service has launched SIGT°, a GIS web-based tool that displays geothermal and other related information in the country.
Africa and Middle East
In Kenya, the world’s first geothermal direct-use cement project in Menengai, Kenya, sets the model for industrial applications of geothermal.
North America
In the U.S., Meta looks to clean up its data centers with geothermal energy. The company has struggled to keep its carbon pollution down since it pledged in 2020 to reach net zero emissions by the end of the decade. Meta and Sage Geosystems will partner to jointly develop new geothermal energy systems.
Fervo Energy obtained a $100M project construction loan to finance Project Cape. A recent 30-day flow test at the 400 MW Cape Station broke records by demonstrating that 10 MW can be produced at a single well.
Also in the U.S., while AI-driven data centers are turning to geothermal energy to reduce carbon emissions, surging data center water consumption is a serious issue. For Google, 15%, and Microsoft, 42%, of their freshwater usage from data centers came from areas with high water scarcity. Amazon AWS has pledged to be water positive. (Separately, GreenFire Energy’s technology has the capability to extract heat while preserving reservoir mass and pressure, which preserves water by keeping it in the reservoir while extracting the heat downbore.)
In Framingham, Massachusetts, Eversource Energy has commissioned the U.S.’s first networked geothermal neighborhood operated by a utility.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, dozens of large buildings have moved to geothermal for heat. TheGerman Society of Pennsylvania’s large 20,000-square-foot Victorian building built in 1829 has ditched natural gas for geothermal heat.
In Utah, a long-term circulation test at the Utah FORGE site confirms good connectivity and stable temperatures across the stimulated geothermal reservoir.
California is targeting up to 2 GW of long-duration storage as part of a 10.6 GW clean energy procurement, which includes up to 1 GW of geothermal energy.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding six projects to receive up to $31 million to advance geothermal energy. The projects will improve the construction of enhanced geothermal systems and demonstrate how reservoir thermal energy storage can reduce energy needs for industry.
The Cascade Institute and CATF have published a report identifying technological gaps in harnessing energy from superhot rock geothermal systems.
Conferences
Indonesia International Geothermal Convention & Exhibition 2024
September 18-20, 2024
Jakarta, Indonesia
GreenFire Energy and Baker Hughes have a joint booth.
Climate Week – Geothermal House
September 24, 2024
New York, NY
Visit GreenFire Energy at the Geothermal House, Hall de Lumières, NYC, NY.
5th Philippine International Geothermal Conference
September 25-26, 2024
Makati City, Philippines
GreenFire Energy is a Gold Sponsor.
Program
Geothermal Rising
Oct 27-30, 2024
Waikoloa, HI
See Rob Klenner, President, GreenFire Energy in this panel:
October 30th, 10am HST
Panel 5A: Geothermal for the U.S. Department of Defense
Register
Contact us at info@greenfireenergy.com to discuss your geothermal experience.