Geothermal energy

October 29, 2009 -- Berkeley, CA -- As the world’s energy needs grow ever greater, scientists are charged with finding new ways to expand clean-energy resources and tap new ones. One such resource is geothermal energy, or heat mining, in which the heat acquired by fluid circulation deep in the Earth’s crust is tapped for conversion to electricity.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been awarded $7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for four projects that seek to advance Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), which is capable of harnessing the Earth’s heat where conventional geothermal technologies cannot. The funding is part of a $400 million investment that the Department of Energy has made in geothermal energy thanks to the Recovery Act.    » read more »

Makes Loan to Indonesia’s Biggest Geothermal Power Plant

JAKARTA, Indonesia--Wednesday, November 04, 2009-- Tapping into growth in Asia and in renewable energy, GE (NYSE: GE) unit GE Energy Financial Services announced today it has loaned US $50 million to Indonesia’s biggest geothermal power producer, a 220-megawatt emissions-free plant set in a volcanic region of tea and quinine plantations.

The loan for the Wayang Windu plant -- near the town of Pangalengan, 200 kms southeast of Jakarta – represents the first geothermal power investment by GE Energy Financial Services outside the United States, as well as the continued execution of its global growth strategy.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has released over $10 million for four New Mexico projects aimed at exploring and developing new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies. Funding comes from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

“Geothermal energy can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly form of energy production. This funding will help New Mexico take advantage of the current technology, and make investments in advancing this important technology, as well,” Bingaman said.    » read more »

Innovative geothermal projects are funded in support of project deployment, technology development, and data collection

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $338 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies.

These grants will support 123 projects in 39 states, with recipients including private industry, academic institutions, tribal entities, local governments, and DOE’s National Laboratories. The grants will be matched more than one-for-one with an additional $353 million in private and non-Federal cost-share funds.    » read more »

Grants for Innovative Projects will Harness Oregon's Resources

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Continuing efforts to advance alternative energy resources and break our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced nearly $40 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of geothermal energy technologies in Oregon.

“This funding will literally help to bring Oregon’s geothermal energy potential to the surface,” Wyden said. “It will create and sustain jobs improving alternative energy technology to better tap into Oregon’s unique set of renewable energy resources.”    » read more »

NV gets nearly one-third of national grant funds, estimated to create nearly 1,100 jobs

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today that Nevada will receive nearly 1/3 of $338 million in grants coming from the Economic Recovery package.The Silver State will receive more than $90 million for 25 projects to advance geothermal energy technology.

The funding is expected to create nearly 1,100 Nevada jobs while making geothermal power an even more readily available source of clean energy in our state.Of the funding being allocated, 20 projects in Nevada will receive $72.4, while an additional five projects being run by Reno-based companies outside Nevada will receive $20.5 million.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 – Today, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy that a Lincoln company will receive $5 million to install a ground source geothermal heat pump demonstration project in Lancaster county. The funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“Today’s announcement by the Department of Energy represents a dramatic expansion of US geothermal capacity,” said Nelson. “The Lincoln demonstration project will help jump-start this new industry while increasing our use of renewable sources of energy.”    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today praised the release of $4,414,494 to two Connecticut Corporations and the University of Hartford for domestic geothermal energy research. The grant will be used for a number of research projects ranging from testing costs of future use and development of geothermal energy to research and development of new technologies to locating and drilling into deep hot rock formations, to convert the heat to power. The funds were released by the U.S. Department of Energy as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has released over $10 million for four New Mexico projects aimed at exploring and developing new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies. Funding comes from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

“Geothermal energy can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly form of energy production. This funding will help New Mexico take advantage of the current technology, and make investments in advancing this important technology, as well,” Bingaman said.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Mark Begich today announced the award of over $15 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for development of geothermal fields and research into new geothermal technologies for three Alaska based entities.

"Alaska already leads the nation in producing electricity from the lowest temperature geothermal waters. However, our efforts to use this abundant energy source have barely broken the surface of potential energy production," Sen. Begich said. "The Department of Energy is right to look to our state when developing new clean energy technologies. Alaskans have as much to gain from the development of affordable and clean energy technology as anywhere in the United States."

The awards include:    » read more »

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 1, 2009 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking long-term purchases of up to 1,100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy resources.

Proposals must include commercially proven renewable energy technologies such as wind, certified low-impact hydro, commercial-scale solar, geothermal, biologically derived methane gas and certain biomass and biofuels energy projects. The generation must be interconnected to PJM Interconnection (PJM) or Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and be operational no later than Dec. 31, 2011.

Pre-bid webinars for potential bidders will be conducted June 16 for bidders in PJM and June 18 for bidders in SPP. RFP information can be found at http://www.AEP.com/go/rfp.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – President Obama today announced over $467 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to expand and accelerate the development, deployment, and use of geothermal and solar energy throughout the United States. The funding announced today represents a substantial down payment that will help the solar and geothermal industries overcome technical barriers, demonstrate new technologies, and provide support for clean energy jobs for years to come.

Today’s announcement supports the Obama Administration’s strategy to increase American economic competitiveness, while supporting jobs and moving toward a clean energy economy.    » read more »

Rell Administration Develops Broad-based Plan For $38.5 Million in Stimulus Energy Funds

April 23, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the state has developed a comprehensive energy plan that uses $38.5 million in federal stimulus funds to expand fuel cell initiatives, improve energy efficiency of state buildings and provide incentives to homeowners and businesses for alternative energy technologies to reduce energy costs.    » read more »

NextEra Energy Resources Announces Wind Expansion Plans with Total State Investment Exceeding $1 Billion

March 19, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, along with Sens. Curtis Olafson and Robert Erbele, and Reps. David Monson and Michael Brandenburg, signed into law today Senate Bills 2031, 2032 and 2033, legislation that extends existing tax credits for wind energy development in North Dakota. The bills are part of a comprehensive renewable energy plan that legislators in both houses are working to fund to drive continued growth and investment in the state's renewable energy industry.    » read more »

Energy Zones a Key to New Initiative

March 11, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Citing the critical need to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, build a clean energy economy and create new jobs, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today issued a Secretarial Order making the production, development, and delivery of renewable energy top priorities for the Department.

“More so than ever, with job losses continuing to mount, we need to steer the country onto a new energy path,” Salazar said. “One that creates new jobs and puts America out front in new, growing industries, one that promotes investment and innovation here at home and one that makes wise use of our domestic resources.”    » read more »