Investor Presentaiton
Geothermal Energy 101 3
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Geothermal energy extracts an infinitesimally small proportion of
the earth's heat and is 'renewable'.
Individual Geothermal plants have been producing electricity for >50
years: the power is sustainable.
Binary geothermal plants such as planned for Lemont have zero
emissions. (Some other types have near-zero emissions.)
Geothermal power is dispatchable with both base-load and rapid
load-following capabilities.
Like wind and pv_solar, but unlike coal and nuclear, geothermal is
scalable: i.e., it can start small and expand as demand and finances
dictate.
Like coal and nuclear, but unlike wind and pv_solar, geothermal
generators are synchronous, providing stability to the grid.
Geothermal has the highest capacity factor of any electricity
generator; i.e., it is reliable. https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/electricity_generation.pdf
In part because of its 24/7 output, geothermal in California is
forecast to be the most affordable of all generators; it is already
more profitable than solar. http://cacurrent.com/subscriber/archives/30936
MINUS
Spa*ark Energy_20
Projected LCOE in the USA by 2020 (EIA, 2015 & 2018)
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Geothermal
Solar Thermal
Wind
offshore
Natural Gas
Conventional
Combustion
Solar PV
Turbine
IGCC
Integrated
Coal-
Gasification
Combined
Natural Gas
Biomass
Advanced Conventional
Nuclear
Hydro
Coal
Wind
onshore
Advanced
Combined
Cycle
eathermal
Cycle)
Minimum
174
170
107
98
106
90
92
87
69
55
69
44
Average
Maximum
240
197
142
125
116
101
95
95
$4
74
73
48
383
270
156
193
136
117
101
119
107
82
82
$2
Geothermal has the lowest projected Levellised Cost Of Electricity
since, like hydro, wind and solar, the energy is 'free' but unlike
them, has a very high capacity and does not need storage.
20,000
18,000
16,000
Global Geothermally Generated Electricity
Added capacity for
plants with announced
completion dates
m²/GWh
4000-
3500
3000-
2500-
2000
1500
1000-
500-
Coal
Solar Thermal
Solar PV
Wind
Geothermal
0
(sq. MYGWH
Coal
3842
Solar
Thermal
3561
Photovoltaics
3237
Wind- Geothemal
1335
404
Source: GEA
Geothermal power plants
have the smallest footprint.
Globally, ~15GW of geothermal
power is installed across 25
countries, with steady growth.
MW
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
8,000
4,000
2,000
Added capacity
for plants under
construction
1950-2013: Earth Policy
Inst. (after IEA-GIA)
2010-2021 GEA
0
1950
1980
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020View entire presentation