There is increasing interest for geothermal energy spurring from all corners of the globe, and the number of geothermal energy countries is increasing according to the GEA (Geothermal Energy Association). 10,715 megawatts of geothermal power is currently being produced in 24 countries, and in 2010 it generated 67,246 GWh of electricity. This is a rise of about 20 percent since 2005. By 2015 the figure is expected to grow even more to 18,500 megawatts, since there is a variety of projects currently underway and many under consideration. Many of these projects are in areas that were before thought to have little resources to exploit.

The list of top 10 countries using geothermal energy is as follows (from highest to lowest):

The United States
Philippines
Indonesia
Mexico
Italy
New Zealand
Iceland
Japan
El Salvador
Kenya

It’s important to point out that even though Iceland is towards the bottom of the list, more than a quarter of this country’s electricity comes from geothermal sources. The United States is the leader by far in geothermal energy countries, and in 2010 its 77 power plants produced a total of 3,086 megawatts of installed capacity. A geothermal field in California called The Geysers holds the largest cluster of geothermal power plants on earth. The second country after the U.S. is the Philippines, with an online capacity of 1,904 megawatts. About 18 percent of the total electricity generated in the Philippines comes from geothermal power. You may nit have expect Kenya to have made this list, but this country is at the forefront in Africa when it comes to renewable energy. (To read about the main benefits of geothermal power, click here).

The current growth of geothermal power

The GEA found that while there was a lot of growth in existing countries using geothermal power, a huge increase in countries beginning to pursue projects with geothermal power has also occurred. There are currently 70 countries that have geothermal projects under consideration, which constitutes a 52 percent rise from the last GEA report in 2007.
Two regions of the world that are seeing the most growth in projects under development are Africa and Europe. In 2007, 6 African nations were identified, and now there are 11 that are working actively to produce geothermal energy. In Europe that number grew from 10 nations in 2007 to 24 nations in 2010, which is more than a two-fold increase.
The future of geothermal power

GEA’s executive director, Karl Gawell, says that we are only utilizing a small portion of our potential in geothermal energy. Even if the lowest possible projections were assumed for geothermal power, most nations do not utilize their geothermal energy resources to their fullest, if at all. In 1999 thirty-nine nations were identified, which could potentially provide 100 percent of their power from geothermal resources, which are domestic, clean, and renewable. However, only nine of these countries have geothermal power online. So, there is still a long way to go, but the development potential is huge. (To read about investing in geothermal stocks, click here).

For more information on geothermal energy, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power

There is a lot of heat under the surface of our planet. In fact, 47 percent of the solar energy received by the earth is stored under its surface. This is a great natural source for residential geothermal heating and cooling. Geothermal heating systems can also provide hot water that will cost you almost nothing, as well as superior dehumidification for your home. Geothermal home heating and cooling is a breakthrough on the renewable energy front, especially its cooling aspects.

The technology behind using geothermal to cool your home is much the same as that in your refrigerator. It is referred to as a geothermal system heat pump, and is also referred to as earth source heat pump or ground source heat pump. This system simply reverses the heating effects to provide cooling during the summer months, and it does so with twice the efficiency of a regular AC unit. This is a wonderful addition to climate control at home.

Geothermal heat pumps work in a similar way to traditional heat pumps, but rather than use the heat from air found outside, they use the earth’s heat, which is even and stable, and can provide heat, hot water, and air conditioning. A substance referred to as a refrigerant moves the heat. When this substance is compressed, it is a high-pressure liquid and results in high temperatures. If it expands, however, it turns into low-pressure gas, which results in low temperatures.

The principle behind residential geothermal heating and cooling is very similar to cave temperatures. The air in a cave is always the same temperature, no matter the season. So, in summer it feels cold when you enter it, but in winter it feels quite warm. Geothermal pumps also aim to keep the temperature in your home steady. So, in the winter when it is cold outside, they take the earth’s heat and move it into your home. In the summer when it is hot, they remove the earth’s heat from your home straight back into the ground.

Studies have been conducted, which demonstrate that 70 percent of geothermal home heating and cooling in the U.S. could viably come from renewable energy from underneath the earth. It does of-course cost a significant sum to install a geothermal system, but in the long run it can save you a lot of money, providing 30 to 40 percent savings on your monthly energy bills. Geothermal energy pumps have low maintenance costs because the outside parts of the system are located well underground so they are protected from harsh weather conditions, and also because they are very simple mechanically.

For more information on geothermal energy, go to:
en.wikipedia.org,
geothermal.org

Power plants are designed to convert heat to electricity, whether they are fueled by gas, nuclear power, coal, or geothermal energy. In the case of geothermal energy, the earth’s heat is accessed by drilling steam or water wells (‘geo’ means ‘earth’ and ‘thermal’ means ‘heat’). This process is quite similar to oil drilling.

Geothermal power plants are quite similar to traditional power-generating stations. Many of the same components are used, like transformers, generators, turbines, and various other equipment for generating electricity. There are various types of geothermal power plants, but the underlying concept is the same for all of them, much like for nuclear power plants, for example.

Geothermal energy power plants provide a promising future. There is a huge amount of geothermal energy available in the United States, and water and steam reservoirs cover only a small bit of the all the geothermal resources available. Hot dry rocks and the earth’s magma will provide clean, cheap, and virtually unlimited supply of energy, as soon as the technology to convert is properly developed.

However, before this happens and geothermal energy becomes a key component in the energy infrastructure of the United States, it has to be competitive in terms of costs with traditional energy forms. This should not be difficult to accomplish, since the U.S. geothermal activity is very high and deserves consideration. In 2010, 77 geothermal power plants in the U.S. have generated 3,086 megawatts of installed capacity, making it a world leader in geothermal electricity production.

The Geysers, which is California’s largest geothermal field, is the location of the largest cluster of geothermal energy power plants worldwide. An average of 15 billion kilowatt hours of geothermal electricity is generated by the United States annually, compared to burning 25 million barrels of oil annually, or burning 6 million tons of coal. The western states hold the largest concentration of geothermal power plants, which are currently the fourth larges renewable energy source after hydroelectric, wind energy, and biomass. Geothermal resource assessments that have been recently conducted show that the nine western states put together could potentially supply more than 20 percent of the total electricity needs of the country.

However, the United States is not the only country where geothermal power plants are the new big thing. In the U.K., although a relatively new concept, geothermal power plants are in the pipeline, with engineers drilling deep into the Earth’s crust for this clean unlimited energy. There is a huge amount of natural heat buried deep under Britain’s surface – about three miles. Experts say that the geothermal potential under Cornwall alone could be used to supple about 10 percent of the electricity needs of the whole country.

For more information, go to:
en.wikipedia.org,
www1.eere.energy.gov

There is a large number of geothermal energy uses, such as to heat and cool homes and offices, and to provide the energy to run power stations. One of its lesser known uses is in the food processing industry. This energy intensive sector can benefit greatly from this renewable energy source. The immediate question most people ask is what kind of geothermal applications this industry has.

The heated steam that geothermal provides can be used to sterilize rooms and equipment. In addition to being a green source of energy, this geothermal application would negate the need to use nasty chemicals to do this job, as is common practice now. Mainly though, the endless heat from geothermal energy can be put to a whole variety of good uses, such as to dry out plants, and then make powders and concentrates, as well as to cook foods as part of the preparation process. This would otherwise be more expensive to do with traditional energy forms.

The reality:

In Gunion, in the middle of nowhere, Nevada, there is an unexpected surprise. The company Integrated Ingredients is operating a spice processing plant there, which is running on geothermal energy. The company has 76 employees, which work round the clock to dehydrate onion and garlic. The plant is located very far from any towns, as there is an abundance of geothermal energy, and this is utilized to provide clean and green power to the entire factory. Hot water is pumped up from underground (via two 700 meter wells) and then used in the dehydration process. After being used in this process, it is then released back into the ground. The onion and garlic is the milled into powder and sold.

This factory is a state-of-the-art facility, which works on minimal energy costs, and which provides a product which would be difficult to produce in urban centers due to the smell is causes.

The potential:

India’s food industry is huge. The total market including processing is estimated at $70 billion a year, and is growing fast as export demands increase. The country is attracting billions of dollars in investment in order to streamline the industry, which is suffering from high wastage due to lack of lack or infrastructure. The storage and processing facilities are completely inadequate.

It takes an enormous amount of energy to minimize wastage and produce a finished product. If India is going to be able to compete with the international market, it needs to reduce the costs of this energy. This could be done by utilizing the country’s vast geothermal potential. For instance, to dehydrate a kilo of pineapples, it would cost 90 units using geothermal energy, and 4950 units using conventional energy (figures from the food processing industry in Guatemala). Most food processors agree that using geothermal saves about 80 percent of the costs on fuel, and out 5-8 percent of total costs.

India is a good example of a country which could have the potential to benefit greatly from the use of geothermal applications in food processing. The question is though, will there be the will to actually realize this potential? I truly hope so.

As you can see, there are many geothermal energy uses in the food processing industry, and in certain parts of the world, such as Nevada, is a reality which is with us right now and which is reducing the impact of the indusry on the environment, and reducing costs! In other parts of the world, such as India, the potential is there and is vast, but it remains to be seen if it is utilized in the next few years.

For more information on geothermal energy, go to:
en.wikipedia.org,
www1.eere.energy.gov

A very promising geothermal energy usage is in agriculture, as this is an energy intensive sector. Many farmers in geothermal regions are now waking up to the vast potential of geothermal technologies.

Geothermal water is very useful for agriculture. A variety of agricultural applications use geothermal water directly, and they use it to warm greenhouses, to water and heat plants, and to dry crops. Another geothermal energy usage is in irrigation pipes, which can deliver hot water to ground that is otherwise cold. This means that crops can grow which could not normally grow on that land. Geothermal water can also be piped into greenhouses, which maintains humidity and keeps them warm.

To provide heat and water to crops, irrigation pipes are placed under the soil by farmers. If the temperature of the soil is maintained at 70 F or 21C, then trees and cool-weather root crops grow more abundantly and a lot faster. If geothermal water is used for irrigation, the plants can be saved from low temperature damage, and thus the growing season can be extended.

Geothermal energy usage in agriculture can also sterilize the soil, which eliminates fungus, pests, and various diseases that may damage crops. For this process to work best, the water must be very hot, and the steam from it must be applied to the soil directly. The way farmers do this is by either trapping the heat under a plastic sheet covering the crops or by using pipes underneath the soil to heat it.

Geothermal technologies in greenhouses can be used in several ways. These include finned pipes, plastic tubes, unit heaters, soil heaters, and finned coils. It is possible to combine these parts according to the temperature of the water and the grower’s preferences, taking the plants into consideration, of course. Greenhouses that are heated with geothermal are very useful in areas with an unreliable climate. Vegetable and plant production is much more efficient because of them, as the seeds germinate faster. There are also fewer losses for farmers because they can grow crops in more controlled conditions. This way farmers can make more precise commitments for crop deliveries.

Of course, there are also drawbacks to geothermal technologies in agriculture. The biggest one is, of course, the money factor. It can be very expensive to install equipment that will be used to pipe geothermal water into a farm or a greenhouse. It is also very time-consuming. In addition, geothermal energy is not available everywhere. It is impossible for many farming operations to even take advantage of it, either because there is none available in the region or because it is too hard to reach it.

Of course, it is only possible to use geothermal in agriculture in certain areas that have access to geothermal resources. There are only a few countries in the world that have taken advantage of their geothermal resources for the purposes of agriculture. These are the U.S., Guatemala, Kenya, Israel, Greece, and Mexico.

For more information on geothermal energy, go to:
en.wikipedia.org,
www1.eere.energy.gov

Geothermal energy and its extraction have been very much in the spotlight the last few years, as we are looking for more sources of alternative energy with depleting oil resources and the dangers of burning fossil fuels. While hugely beneficial, this process is not perfect, and here are some of the geothermal environmental impacts it may result in.

1) Depletion of resources. Geothermal fluid extraction for the generation of electricity typically involves the removal of heat from reservoirs, at a rate that is about 10 times of their replenishment rate. This includes removing water, steam, and gases. However, it is possible to improve the resulting imbalance by injecting the geothermal system with waste fluids. This impact can therefore be mitigated.

2) Geothermal features damage. This is one of the biggest environmental impacts of geothermal energy. Geothermal development can damage natural features like geysers, mud pools, hot springs, sinter terraces, steaming ground and fumaroles (steam vents). This damage can be irreparable. For example, the great Wairakei Geyser has already vanished in Geyser Valley, which once shot up to a height of 42 meters.

3) Subsidence. When geothermal fluids are extracted, the underground reservoir pressure is reduced, which makes the land sink. When this happens, the ground also tends to tilt toward the center, as it moves sideways. This puts a strain on pipelines and could cause damage to roads and buildings. It could also change patterns of surface drainage. This is not normally a big problem though as geothermal energy is extracted in rural areas.

4) Waterways pollution. Another one of the environmental impacts of geothermal energy is the potential pollution factor. Geothermal fluids contain mercury, boron, lithium, and arsenic at elevated levels. This is because of the contact geothermal water has with underground rocks. If this water gets released into lakes and rivers, there may be damage to aquatic life, and the water may become unsafe for irrigation and drinking.

5) Air emissions. There are dissolved gases in geothermal fluids that may be released into the atmosphere. The main toxic gases are hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). These gases are classified as a hazard for urban areas, and especially for workers in bore fields and geothermal stations.

6) Issues with water and wells. Another concern with geothermal energy is the potential depletion of aquifers if they are not reinjected with water. Also, there is an issue with wells that are not properly installed, which may create a surface run-off path that may carry fertilizers, pesticides, and various contaminants into aquifers.

7) CFC and refrigerant issues. Geothermal heat pumps on the current market use modern refrigerants, which are potential leak sources. These leaks may be harmful to the environment, as refrigerants should never be released into the atmosphere. They are a hazard when not handled carefully and correctly.

Having said all this, it is still important to acknowledge the endless benefits of geothermal energy. These environmental impacts are minor compared to the advantages geothermal energy has over fossil fuels (which are much more hazardous than geothermal fluids). In addition, the majority of these impacts can be mitigated, and their actual impact can be very small. Geothermal remains quite possibly the source of renewable energy with the most potential as of now.

For more information on geothermal energy, go to:
en.wikipedia.org,
geothermal.org

Looking to invest in geothermal energy stocks? You will need all the geothermal energy information you can get. I have written this article to give you some background knowledge on what you should be looking at in the search for geothermal stocks. There are two key things a company you are looking to invest in should have: pending agreements or solid contracts with major utilities and access to high geothermal potential land. Unfortunately, right now there are only a few geothermal companies that are publicly traded which meet these two requirements. But even though it may be slim pickings for investors, potentially profitable geothermal stocks are not that difficult to find.

In the U.S., it is the western part that has the big geothermal potential, and the single state that holds the majority of it is Nevada. This state has always been referred to by experts as a ‘geothermal activity hotbed’. The geothermal companies that have access to the ‘hot spots’ in the U.S.’s western parts, especially those in Nevada, are the ones that are bound to make some serious cash in the next few years. You should look for companies that have access to the actual geothermal area, often referred to as “ground zero”. This is the spot where they can tap the majority of the underground heat.

Here is some more geothermal energy information when it comes to investing in geothermal energy stocks. Of course, you already know it’s important to do your research when investing in anything, but it is especially important when it comes to geothermal energy. You have to know the company, and, more importantly, understand the technology involved. You should also look at the history of the company and its past earnings to see the financial state of the company. You should only put your capital in a company that is solid and that has experienced and knowledgeable executives and managers.

The future of geothermal energy is predicted to be a bright one, especially as more people will be seeking to eliminate or reduce fossil fuel use and to be more conscious about environmentally friendly products, such as renewable energy. Geothermal energy, in particular, is predicted to soar, because there are many ‘hot spots’ that can be used to generate energy, which will not be dependent on weather conditions like in the case of wind and solar energy. As a result, in the long term, geothermal power is predicted to have massive returns on investment.

Of course, like with any investment, there are risks to investing in geothermal energy. But it also gives us an optimistic future where we are not dependent on harmful fossil fuels and foreign oil – a life full of clean energy derived from alternative sources of energy – one of which is geothermal. And the returns you could be enjoying in the end also make the risks worth it ten-fold!

For more information, go to:

eere.energy.gov,
en.wikipedia.org

Out of all geothermal companies, Ormat Technologies is a giant. The only company that even comes close to matching Ormat is Calpine (CPN), in terms of being an independent power producer (IPP). However, Calpine cannot rival Ormat in any other way. The main business of Calpine is power production, and geothermal energy accounts for less that one percent of that. Ormat, on the other hand, is the standard for the turbines ‘Organic Rankine Cycle’, which are used in producing electricity from the lower temperature geothermal resources.

Ormat Technologies was built around core technology – the Ormat Energy Converter (OEC). It all began in 1972, with the company commercializing Organic Rankine Cycle technology. Also referred to as ORCs, this technology has been tested and customized to various real weather conditions, and it has a proven track that is decades long in remote power, waste heat recovery, and geothermal power. The most recent quarterly report that Ormat Technologies released states that 90 percent of installed binary generation is done through OECs, and this number includes all ORC generators.
The large size of Ormat Technologies, as well as its extensive experience of managing and developing geothermal reservoirs definitely play in the company’s favor over other geothermal developers. The current credit environment is tough, and Ormat is much less dependent on loan guarantees from the Department of Energy so that it can get geothermal project financing, which is not the case with smaller players. Ormat also has internal expertise that encompasses all stages of generating geothermal energy, like development, exploration, and operation. The smaller companies can only get such expertise through hiring outside contractors, and Ormat is often one of the contractors they hire. The scale of the company, as well as its significant number of developing geothermal projects allows for some diversification, so not all of Ormat’s capital is invested in one risky development prospect.

With all this being said, keep in mind that Ormat Technologies is already large and prominent in the industry. Especially with its listing in the NYSE, Ormat is not one of those companies that will increase in stock price because it will be the latest discovery by any new investors. Increase in stock value will be forced to come from internal changes resulting in the growth of the company. Also, there are some investors that are finding it difficult to justify Ormat’s current stock prices and don’t think it is worth the investment with little to show the dollars will grow soon. Although this article give you the basics, you should do some additional research into this company in order to decide whether it is worth it for you.

Looking into geothermal as a possible investment? Excited about the recent advances in the field and the interest the industry is generating? Massive geothermal investments are being made across the world as we speak, and the more you know about such investment projects the better a position you will be in to invest wisely. Here are 2 important events happening in the geothermal world at the moment:

Twenty different nations, including the populous country Indonesia, have made a commitment to make large-scale investments in geothermal via Climate Investment Funds. These countries were divided into two different groups and the first group consisting of fourteen countries promised to bring about substantial changes in the sector of clean energy, as well as decrease carbon emissions from power plants.

Indonesia in particular has great geothermal potential. The United Arab Emirates are researching into geothermal investments they could make into the industry in Indonesia, based on what the Indonesian government has told the UAE representatives in Jakarta. As it was reported from the UAE, the country is stepping up plans to participate in geothermal investments in Indonesia.

Marty Natalegawa, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, said that there is huge geothermal potential in Indonesia and it could become the largest geothermal energy user in the world, and that the International Renewable Energy Agency’s chairman in the UAE is willing to promote this concept to the world. The government of Indonesia wants to attract about 12 billion dollars for its geothermal sector investments, and it is countries like the UAE that can help Indonesia reach this goal.

Chile is another country with massive geothermal potential. Because Chile is a very seismically active country that has various volcanoes from north to south, as well as frequent earthquakes, there is huge potential to capture the heat of the earth there for geothermal energy. Over the next year, the goal of the Chilean government is to grant 50 geothermal concessions, and over the following two years – to grant 120 new concessions. All of these concessions will roughly equal to $200 million in investments. At this time there are 24 concessions in Chile for geothermal exploration. The Chilean government has also granted six concessions for geothermal exploitation.

Enel Chile is developing the most advanced geothermal project in the Andean nation. This company is a unit of Enel SpA, which is an Italian power utility. In northern Chile, the Apacheta geothermal project has a goal to supply 40 megawatts of electricity generated from geothermal energy to the SING northern grid by the year 2014. A large percentage of Chile’s copper mining industry is connected to the SING power grid, as it is located in northern Chile, so it is sure to benefit from the geothermal potential in the area.

The Apacheta project is actually a joint venture that is being developed under the name of Geotermica del Norte S.A. Enel holds 51 percent, and Empresa Nacional del Petroleo S.A., which is an oil and gas company, holds 46 percent. The remaining 3 percent is held by Corporacion Nacional del Cobre, which is a state copper-mining company (also referred to as Codelco).

For more information, go to:
eere.energy.gov,
en.wikipedia.org

Over the last number of years, the U.S. government has focused on wind and solar as the main sources for renewable energy. Other forms of renewable energy went veritably unnoticed.  The US government’s green energy attention is finally turning to geothermal energy and it’s getting the respect it deserves. For 2011, the Department of Energy  unveiled a budget request topping $28 billion, $2.4 billion will be devoted to renewable energy (5% more than the previous year), and out of that the advanced geothermal energy program will receive a 25% increase over the previous year. The Department has found that geothermal has yielded the biggest returns per dollar invested compared to all of the types of green energy, and in addition $3-5 billion was set aside for loan guarantees for advanced geothermal projects such as ETS. 

If you are interested in investing in the geothermal energy industry, you should know as much as you can about the problems associated with the current technologies, and what is being done about it. In short, you need to know where the industry is going. Here are two recent advancements in geothermal technology that point to what I believe, and that is that geothermal is going to be the biggest green energy source for future generations.
Geothermal technology advance 1 – Money from the Department of Energy helped U.S. scientists at the Pacific National Lab make a geothermal breakthrough, in which a new method of capturing a lot more energy from “weak” (lower temperature) geothermal resources was found. The method makes use of the properties of a new biphasiv fluid, which expands and contracts rapidly. Moderate heat brought to the surface is sufficient to enable this fluid to power a turbine.

This is of particular importance as there are a limited number of areas with higher temperature geothermal resources, but many more areas with low to medium temperature geothermal resources. The amazing thing is this was achieved with funding of just $1.2 million. Compare that to the $12 billion spent every month by the U.S. government in  Iraq at that time.

Advance 2 – In summer 2010, a Canadian company called Heatline introduced breakthrough geothermal technology. The company has developed highly efficient geothermal transfer systems which can supply heat pumps with fantastic geothermal energy transfer capability. This system is about 1/600 the size of the traditional loop system (which can involve the installation of hundreds of feet of piping). The larger systems have such high ecosystems effects that they have been banned in some areas. The Heatline system overcomes theses hurtles.

Research has suggested that $1 billion invested over the next 15 years, and 100 gigawatts of energy could be supplied by geothermal by 2050. With the appealing interest of the government towards investing in geothermal energy, this just might be the best time to add this to your portfolio.