The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is recruiting a geologist to help explore the geothermal potential of the Havelange site in Belgium.

In the 1980s, the site was drilled to a depth of 5648 (!) metres (in the hope to find natural gas). The job includes analyzing the drill cores and doing fieldwork in the Havelange area in the analogue fields encountered in the lower part of the Havelange borehole. The study is part of the European project H2020 MEET.

Details for the job see link below.

In the framework of the European project H2020 MEET (https://www.meet-h2020.com) the Geological Survey of Belgium (GSB) is seeking for a Geologist (m/f/x) to work on the project and in particular on the topics related to the Havelange borehole.

It is a 6 month contract extensible once.

Tasks

• Field and laboratory study of rock fracturation along cross-sections, outcrops and quarries in the analogue fields encountered in the lower part of the Havelange borehole.
• Petrographic/mineralogical analyses of samples collected in the field and in the collections. This task will include the use of the GSB analytical equipment (EDS, EBSD, Raman, XRD).
• Data processing of borehole logging and/or geochemical analyses of spring water samples.
• Contribute writing project deliverables.
• Attend project technical and general assembly meetings. These events will usually take place abroad (Germany, France,…).

Diploma

Our Spanish-language platform PiensaGeotermia participated in one of two interesting articles about the challenges and opportunities of geothermal development in Chile, published by NuevaMineria.

Two interesting articles about the challenges of geothermal development in Chile were published by the NuevaMinería magazine.

This includes a Geothermal Special (pages 44-48 of the pdf document) in two sections, Piensa Geotermia (Think Geothermal): Challenging Path to Carbon Neutrality (where we were invited to publish this note); and a huge energy source under our feet.

When analyzing electricity markets in Latin America with similar regulation to the Chilean one, it is quickly found that the development of geothermal energy is stagnant and that existing plants, such as in Mexico, were developed when the electricity sector was controlled by the state or with aid of the state. Everything we do today for geothermal energy will be realized in 5 to 10 more years.

The Geothermal Development Fund for Latin America (GDF), after 4 rounds of risk financing, with more than 50 geothermal projects reviewed in 10 countries in the region, recently addressed this issue and concludes that “the lack of compression of the attributes positive aspects of geothermal energy in Latin America, is a key aspect in the little support that energy policies have in the region ”, thus delaying the development of geothermal energy. Furthermore, this is reflected in the actions of governments, since in general, they do not have a policy that differentiates between the firm and intermittent power of renewable energy, which can also be extrapolated to differentiate in the total cost of operating the system. Reflection of this, is that in Chile the “costs of 1 MWh” in supply tenders for regulated customers does not deal with either the origin, the emissions, the impact on the operation of the electrical system, or even if it is required build more than 1,000 kilometers of network to bring this 1 MWh to the consumption centers of regulated customers, located in Santiago to the south.

At the international level, geothermal energy took another course after the Paris Agreement, as a key technology to enable the transition to carbon neutrality. Cities such as London, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam and many others in Europe are developing geothermal energy in cities, in order to take advantage of the remaining heat (cogeneration), reduce emissions by replacing fossil fuels, improve people’s quality of life and improve the local economy. The classic concept of geothermal energy that we know in Chile is far from this new concept. Here we have a tremendous opportunity with future generations: we can decontaminate cities, replace firewood and improve the quality of life.

The extraction of lithium from geothermal fluids is a matter that must be urgently addressed in Chile. The Geothermal Law does not allow the extraction of minerals from the geothermal fluid and with this we are losing a tremendous opportunity and market position as a leading country in the production of lithium with low water footprint, low CO2 footprint and not drying salt flats. In Chile, we are currently detained.

Finally, Chile’s geothermal potential is underestimated, as it is limited to certain very specific places in the mountain range between Arica and Pto Montt and with insufficient information, consistency in the development of energy policy is lost.

A Huge Energy Source Under Our Feet

Diego Morata, Director of CEGA, together with Jerónimo Carcelén, President of the Geothermal Council of Chile, refer extensively to the geothermal potential of 3,500 MW and the challenges in its development. This potential to be exploited represents about 20% of the total installed capacity globally and with it Chile would become a leader in the industry.

The most memorable milestone in the sector and in South America, is the commissioning of Cerro Pabellón in 2017, the first plant on the continent, with 48 MW of installed capacity and which is currently under construction in the expansion of 33 Additional MW. The industry has invested nearly $ 500 million over the past 10 years, and projects with advanced exploration include Mariposa from the Energy Development Corporation; and Peumayén from Transmark Renewables.

Diego Morata states that although 6o0 MW could be developed by 2030, there is still no certainty that this milestone can be met, the main obstacle being the lack of a public policy that favors this technology.

Jerónimo Carcelén complements the above, indicating that “there are geological and financial risks that hinder the initial stage of these projects, related to the high costs of exploration and the low probability of finding the geothermal reservoir.”

In the last public account in Chile, he noted the pending amendment to the Geothermal Law that seeks to modernize it, including direct uses other than electricity generation such as heating, greenhouses, tourism projects, fish farms, among others.

Source: PiensaGeotermia/ NuevaMineria

IGC has scheduled another interesting new webinar with Dr. Maren Brehme of TU Delft on Geothermal in the Netherlands, the country’s experience, potential and targets.

The webinar is scheduled for June 26, 2020, 14:00 to 14:30 CEST.

„Netherlands to halt Groningen gas production by 2022” states the energymarketprice.org in September 2019. But how to replace the largest energy provider in the Netherlands?

Geothermal energy became the focus of the energy and climate politics in the Netherlands in recent years. The Netherlands are world leaders in ATES with >2500 systems installed. The goal for deep geothermal is to drill 700 doublets until 2050 to provide 135PJ of geothermal heat.

However, geothermal operation also faces several challenges. Decreased injection or production due to clogging of wells and surface infrastructure, geological heterogeneities and induced changes at subsurface put risk on geothermal projects. Recently, TU Delft has been granted two geothermal projects that tackle those challenges during operation and links them to geothermal exploration. International consortia will work on new scientific approaches as well as European-standardized education of a new generation of geothermal experts.

Register for the webinar here.

InfraCo Africa, with funding from the Private Infrastructure Development Group Technical Assistance (PIDG TA), is upgrading medical facilities near the company’s Corbetti Geothermal project site in rural Ethiopia to enhance preparedness for managing COVID-19 and for meeting the area’s longterm healthcare challenges.

Working with the team at Corbetti Geothermal in Addis Ababa and Awassa, the funding will support the training of local people to provide public health and awareness training in communities near the project site. The funding will also enable the installation of solar PV systems with battery back-up to provide light and power to clinics in Corbetti village and Shala district. Once power is installed, the initiative will supply medical refrigeration equipment to keep vaccines and other medicines cool. These clinics will also receive medical equipment and supplies of consumables such as personal protective equipment and hand sanitiser.

The Corbetti Geothermal project continues to explore options to address the quality and availability of water in the area in the mid to longer term, and indeed to support local communities in developing healthcare, education and transportation solutions.

Cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia have, to date, been limited and are largely confined to urban areas; providing an opportunity to upgrade medical facilities to meet the challenge of disease by enhancing healthcare provision and education to build resilience.

InfraCo Africa’s CEO, Gilles Vaes said ““Working with PIDG TA, we are pleased to be able to support the efforts of our local colleagues and communities to prepare for the challenge of COVID-19 and to deliver initiatives in and around the Corbetti project area which will support the health of these communities in the longer term.”

The US$50,000 PIDG TA grant will be joined by US$10,000 of support in kind from the Corbetti Geothermal team and work on installing the solar PV systems is expected to commence in the coming months, subject to national guidelines.

More information about the Corbetti project can be found here.

The California Energy Commission (“CEC”) furthered its commitment to support geothermal renewable energy development and the state’s emerging lithium industry by awarding Controlled Thermal Resources’ (“CTR”) Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal LLC, two grants totalling $US 4.46 million.

The grants were funded through the CEC’s Electric Program Investment Charge(EPIC) program, the state’s premier public interest research initiative which drives clean energy innovation and entrepreneurship to help California meet its 100 percent clean electricity goals.

The grants include:

• $US 3 million for Improved Silica Removal for Enhanced Geothermal Plant Performance; a novel technology that has the potential to lower both capital and operating costs of brine management at geothermal plants.
• $US 1.46 million for CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen Geothermal Lithium Extraction Pilot; the design of a pilot-scale process for pre-treatment of geothermal brine to prepare the brine for lithium extraction.

“The CEC’s commitment to support improvements in geothermal engineering and lithium recovery in California is a critical step in the right direction,” Rod Colwell, CTR’s Chief Executive Officer said today. “Taking action to invest in technologies that unlock these immense clean energy resources will encourage further private investment in sustainable projects. This is the kind of initiative and leadership we need to get clean energy projects off the ground and boost economic stimulus, improve air quality, strengthen environmental responsibility, propel electric vehicle growth, stabilize electricity grids, and most importantly, create new jobs.”

The state of California boasts some of the world’s most abundant geothermal resources with more than 40 geothermal power plants operating in the state, providing over 2,700 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. That capacity is set to grow more than 60% over the next ten years with a further 1,700MW new geothermal power slated for procurement by 2030.

“Geothermal is a clean and sustainable power source, and we are fortunate to have such vast resources in the state,” said CEC Vice Chair Janea A. Scott. “Nearly half of the known resources remain untapped mainly because of the high initial costs. EPIC funding can help address those barriers by finding technical solutions that reduce costs, increase productivity, and encourage future commercial investments in geothermal.”

Clean Energy and Critical Minerals – A Powerful Combination.

In California’s Imperial Valley, the Salton Sea Geothermal Field (SSGF) has a total inferred lithium resource of 15 million tonnes. According to a recent report entitled “Selective Recovery of Lithium from Geothermal Brines” from the CEC’s Energy Research and Development Division, it is estimated that the SSGF can produce more than 600,000 tons (545,000 metric tonnes) per year of lithium carbonate with a value of $US 7.2 billion based on the lithium carbonate price of $US 12,000 per ton.

As clean energy resources rapidly replace fossil fuels in the transportation, building, and energy sectors, global annual demand for lithium is expected to increase from 300,000 tonnes today, to over 2 million tonnes by 2030.

“California is at a remarkable turning point as the world pivots toward a clean energy future,” Colwell said. “With ongoing support, I have no doubt that California has the potential to reach its 100% clean energy goals by 2045 and become a world leader in the supply of clean, battery-grade lithium and other high-profile critical minerals.”

Source: Company release by email

Our Spanish sister publication PiensaGeotermia has published a webinar invitation on “Geothermal energy: new energy efficiency solution for Brazilian industry and buildings in Brazil”, June 26, 2020 at 4:30pm (Brazil)

The webinar will feature the results of a study on geothermal for Brazilian industry and buildings and is organised by I Care & Consult Brasil.

A few weeks ago PiensaGeotermia reported on the study (we shared it) of the use of geothermal energy in Brazil in an interview with Hélène Hofmann.

Continuing with the study carried out by I Care & Consult Brazil, on the potential of geothermal energy in Brazil, together with researchers from the National Observatory and the University of Sao Paulo.

The seminar aims to share the results of the study for the actors in the Brazilian energy transition and jointly define the next steps for the development of the geothermal market in Brazil.

Register at the following link to access the webinar: https://forms.gle/PiwGKgysY1oUU9Ts5

Statement sent via email by I Care & Consult Brasil

Source: Statement sent via email by I Care & Consult Brasil via PiensaGeotermia

Reported this morning from New Zealand by the NZ Herald, energy utility Contact Energy is said to have signed an early works contract for the development of the planned Tauhara geothermal project with Japanese Sumitomo Corp.

The project has an estimated investment volume of NZ$600m (around USD 387 million). Sumitomo Corp. will be working with NZ-based construction company Naylor Love for civil engineering components, while the steam turbine will be provided by Fuji Electric.

With the contract signed, Sumitomo will be able to commence plant design and advance site investigation and planning, according to Mike Fuge, CEO of Contact Energy.

“It also provides the contractual basis to procure long-lead time turbine and generator components. The Tauhara development is now technically shovel-ready and only subject to a final investment decision as soon as market conditions allow,” Fuge said in a statement.

With the geothermal project at Tauhara, Contact aims to decrease its gas-fuelled power generation in efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

The Tauhara geothermal project was initially planned as a 250 MW project and received the relevant consent for it, but is now planning smaller development.

New Zealand is still facing the exit of a large smelter from the country, which is the largest electricity offtaker of the country. So Contact has been waiting for a decision to either continue or cancel plans, but is now aiming for the geothermal plant to fill in for a 377 MW gas-fired combined cycle plant it aims to shut down in 2023.

Contact Energy drilled four appraisal wells with MB Century that confirmed a great geothermal resource for the project. Furthermore the CO2 content of the wells indicate its important role to help in New Zealand’s decarbonisation efforts.

Further details about the Tauhara geothermal project (Contact Energy)

Source: NZ Herald

Corbetti Geothermal PLC has issued a pre-qualification notice for geothermal drilling in the area of Corbetti in Ethiopia, to identify potential drilling contractors that are interested in participating in the Project.

Corbetti Geothermal PLC is developing a geothermal power project in the Corbetti caldera in Ethiopia. Berkeley Energy (BE), which is fund manager of the African Renewable Energy Fund, along with Reykjavik Geothermal (RG) are the principal participants in the project.

The Company has a license that will allow it to develop up to 500 MW of electrical generating capacity in the Corbetti caldera (the Project). Numerous surface studies have shown that this caldera has significant geothermal potential that permits an overall project of this size. The Company has negotiated a PPA with Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and a support agreement (IA) with the Government of Ethiopia (GoE), signed in March 2020. The PPA sets out the commercial terms for a project of up to 150 MW split into two phases of 50 MW and 100 MW. The PPA also grants the Company a right of first refusal over further geothermal expansion up to 500 MW. The contracts are in the process of being made effective by GoE through satisfaction of a number of conditions precedent. Swift resolution is expected.

Interested drilling contractors are asked to send information about their company, their capability of performing the drilling of geothermal wells as described in this paper and their experience in international drilling. A reference list of similar drilling projects that the candidate has performed earlier, especially on the international market, is required.

Based on the information contained herein, candidates are invited to express their interest in making an integrated drilling contract with the Company for at least three geothermal exploration wells, and up to 26 productions wells.

The information provided is strictly confidential and solely for use in this pre-qualification and through the further development stages / phases.

Detailed tendering documents will be issued at later stage to selected bidders after the results from this pre-qualification. It is estimated that the drilling contract will be awarded in Q4 2020.

The Company is seeking information from qualified drilling contractors with the capability to drill geothermal wells of similar design to detailed specifications.

The 3 initial wells will be of standard diameter and drilled deviated to maximize the information gathered from drilling of such wells. Depending on the outcome of the Corbetti exploration drilling a go/no go decision will be made on the drilling of additional production wells in the area for the future geothermal power plant targeted up to at least 150 MWe.

Find details and the full announcement in this document (pdf).

CAS Exploration & Development of Deep Geothermal Systems (DEEGEOSYS), 5th edition 2020-2021 at the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland is open for registration. Great opportunity to deepen your knowledge in geothermal.

Since 2009, a new Master’s degree of Science in Hydrogeology and Geothermics is available at the University of Neuchâtel, organized by the Centre for Hydrogeology and Geothermics. A common-core syllabus covers basic domains in hydrogeology and in geothermics, then the specialization intervenes for the last part.

As specialists are missing for exploration and exploitation of the geothermal reservoirs in Switzerland and Europe, a continuing education programme in deep geothermal systems still corresponds to a real need.

Today, a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS DEEGEOSYS) is available at the University of Neuchâtel and presented here. Four editions took place successfully since 2011 with more than 20 participants for each session.

The CAS DEEGEOSYS includes four one-week long modules separated by a two-month break. Each module covers a specific topic : 1. Geothermics and Geophysics / 2. Geochemistry and Hydrochemistry / 3. Drilling and Logging / 4. Reservoir evaluation and Production

On the website it is said that deadline for application was June 15, 2020, but it seems registration for individual models is still possible.

Source: CAS Deep Geothermal Systems/ Université de Neuchatel

With the opening of the Geothermal Development Facility (GDF) for Latin America for Mexican geothermal developers, it now seems that actually five different Mexican companies with seven different projects have submitted expressions of interest.

The GDF program launched its fifth call to Expressions of Interest in March 2020.

With the evaluation of projects now going on, applicants for the funding will learn in about 6 weeks time if they have moved on to the next state of the process.

With all the challenges to geothermal energy development in Mexico, this shows at least some movement.

We thank Michelle Ramírez Bueno for keeping us updated on geothermal activities in and around Mexico.

Source: Michelle Ramírez Bueno via LinkedIn

The Geothermal Association (API/ INAGA) hopes the rules regarding incentive schemes for the development of geothermal power plants (PLTP) can accommodate the economics of the project and provide certainty for developers.

The Chairperson of the Geothermal Association, Prijandaru Effendi, said that the tariff for buying electricity in accordance with the economics of the project is non-negotiable. The gap between the economics of the project and the affordability of electricity tariffs is the duty of the government to find a solution.

“If there is an affordability problem, it is the government’s obligation to be able to bridge how the affordability and economics of the project meet. It cannot be left to PLN or the industry,” he told local news lat week.

In order to boost development and attract renewable energy investors (EBT), the government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is currently drafting regulations related to the purchase price of EBT-based power plants that will be set forth through a Presidential Regulation (Perpres).

This includes an incentive scheme regarding tariff arrangements that takes into account the economics of the PLTP project.

According to Prijandaru, there are two options that the government is considering related to the geothermal tariff scheme, namely the feed in tariff scheme and the highest benchmark price. He assessed the two schemes as having their own strengths and weaknesses.

Also Read: The Draft Regulation on New and Renewable Energy Is Still Discussed at the Ministry Level
However, if he wants geothermal development to progress, he considers the feed in tariff scheme option as the most appropriate. With feed in tariff, it means that the purchase price of PLTP electricity will be based on the economics of the project.

“With feed in tariff, once we get (permission), all settle up front. The problem is there is no negotiation with PLN, assignments are immediately given. If the highest benchmark price is still negotiating. PLN is definitely negotiating to lower the price,” he said.

In addition, according to Prijandaru, the government also offers a number of other incentives to developers. The incentives offered, such as tax exemption incentives, reimbursements, cheap interest offers, and others. He hopes the incentive does not require complicated procedures so as to give uncertainty to developers.

“Do not let the government promise [many things] to get the procedure very long and there is a possibility it cannot be too. Finally, if one of the incentives cannot, the [project] economy will fall,” said Prijandaru.

Therefore, he continued, one of the keys to the development of geothermal energy is the purchase price of electricity in accordance with the economics of the project and the certainty of the government to obtain the incentives offered.

EBT Perpres is highly expected and awaited by EBT developers. The new policy will replace the current EBT power plant price formula which is calculated based on the cost of supply (BPP) set by PLN as stipulated in the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 50 of 2017.

Source: Bisnis.com

An interesting report published in May 2020 by the Yale Center for Business and the Environment and the Wilderness Society shares details on the “Key Economic Benefits of Renewable Energy on Public Lands” [in the United States]. The report is available here (pdf).

“America’s federal public lands have been an important source of energy for over a century, along with providing other important resources and amenities like clean air and water, recreation opportunities, and sustaining wildlands and wildlife habitat. Our nation’s energy needs continue to grow and evolve, and renewable energy generation on public lands has now also become a contributor to a diverse and sustainable national energy portfolio. Renewable energy generation on public lands makes important contributions to our economy.”, so the report.

The report highlights that “increased renewable energy development has many benefits, it is not without its impacts and challenges”, but pointing that continued investment in and commitment to the smart approach for renewable energy development can achieve the goals of more efficient project permitting and responsible use of public lands.

Solar, wind, and geothermal energy reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, protecting clean air and water and addresses the threat of climate change.

The report shows that “there is immense value in continuing to support the responsible development of renewable energy on public lands.”

“In 2019, there were 96 utility-scale solar, wind, and geothermal projects operating on public lands with a total generation capacity of over 5,000 megawatts (MW), enough energy to power over two million homes.”

The report highlights the important role of geothermal power generation on public lands in the U.S.

Of the 5,041 MW of renewable energy power generation capacity, geothermal represents 1,299 MW with 47 of 96 projects in total.

Interesting is the evaluation of the federal revenue from renewable energy sources on public land. The federal government collects and deposits in the federal treasury several different fees pertaining to the use of federal lands for the production of renewable energy by private industry. These fees vary by energy type and location. The main types of fees are: 1. Per-acre land rental fees; 2. Royalties (for geothermal) or MW capacity fees (for solar and wind); and 3. Minimum and bonus bids as part of the competitive leasing process.

It seems to have been difficult to get the numbers together, but nevertheless it highlights the important funds generated from geothermal, both for the federal government, but likely more importantly on the state and county level.

Between 1982 and 2019, a total of revenue from geothermal energy of around $460 million (in 2019 dollars) was achieved. For the period of 2006 to 2019, the revenue collected included $79 million  distributed to countries, $158 million to states and $79 million to the federal government (in 2019 dollars).

Capital invested in geothermal energy development on public lands since 1996 (in 2019 dollars) was estimated at around $1.1 billion.

Another aspect highlighted in the report is job creation from renewable energy development and operation on public lands. This highlights the great job creation capacity of geothermal, as its much more a local resource with implications for local communities than the other renewables.

Particularly interesting is the fact that geothermal energy provides not only temporary construction jobs, but long-term operations and maintenance jobs that local economies can profit from.

For number nerds, the jobs/ MW for geothermal project construction is estimated at 3.1 jobs/ MW installed capacity. Jobs/ MW for geothermal project operations and maintenance is 1.17 jobs/ MW installed capacity.

With the particular importance of renewable energy development and operation in the State of Nevada, specifics are provided for this state. “Geothermal energy revenue collected between 2006 and 2019 in Nevada included $32,405,623 distributed to counties, $64,811,245 distributed to states, and $32,405,623 retained by the federal government in 2019 dollars.”

The report closes with concrete proposed action items to support further renewable energy development on public lands with clear opportunities for growth.

Source: Yale Center for Business and the Environment & The Wilderness Society

In a release this morning, ASX-listed Vulcan Energy Resources announces it is has received firm commitments to raise gross equity proceeds of AU$4.8m (before costs) or around USD 3.4 million through the issue of 12,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of 40 cents per share.

The Placement was significantly oversubscribed and strongly supported by ESG-focussed sophisticated investors, as well as new institutional and sophisticated investors based in Australia and Europe.

The funds raised from the Placement will be used to accelerate the advancement of the Company’s Zero Carbon LithiumTM Project, in particular:

• Completion of a PFS at the Project, including engineering studies and bench-scale lithium extraction testwork.
• Engineering, construction and operation of a pilot plant.
• Purchase of seismic data to fast-track siting and development of geothermal
  production wells.

The Placement price represents a nil discount to the 15-day Volume Weighted Average Price (“VWAP”), and an 8% premium to the 30-day VWAP up to and including 19 June 2020. Merchant Group and Viaticus Capital were Joint Lead Managers to the Placement.

Vulcan Managing Director, Dr. Francis Wedin, commented: “We would like to welcome a number of new ESG-focussed and institutional investors, and to thank our existing shareholders for the support shown. We are excited to be joined by investors who share our commitment to decarbonising the battery raw materials supply chain as part of the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

The last few months have been transformational for the Zero Carbon LithiumTM Project, as we saw Europe’s leadership in EV and lithium-ion battery production growth really take off. The EU is now the fastest growing lithium battery production centre in the world and has an unparalleled commitment to making this supply chain carbon neutral. Vulcan is positioned right at the epicentre of this very rapid growth, with a globally peerless product, process, and project, to produce Zero Carbon LithiumTM hydroxide for EV batteries.

We have a highly active 6-12 months ahead as we accelerate our project development further, and look forward to keeping our shareholders, old and new, well informed of our progress.”

Source: company release 

For the recently established Helmholtz Young Investigator Group “Advanced reservoir engineering concepts for a controlled utilization of deep geothermal energy in urban areas (ARES)” in Section 4.8 “Geoenergy” we invite applications for a PhD position – induced seismicity in geothermal reservoirs, Reference Number 4320.

The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany is the national centre for geosphere research. As a member of the Helmholtz Association we are part of the largest German scientific organization. With around 1,300 employees (including our guests) we develop a sound understanding of the systems and processes of the solid Earth as well as strategies and options for action to face global change and its regional impacts, to understand natural hazards

As a partner in Geo.X, the GFZ has access to an excellent network of other geoscience institutions in Potsdam and Berlin. This largest regional concentration of geoscientific competence in Europe offers first-class cooperation and development opportunities.

The research group develops concepts and workflows for enhancing the hydraulic performance of deep geothermal reservoirs while minimizing environmental impacts such as induced seismicity (“soft stimulation treatments”). Research methods include experiments at laboratory, mine, and field scale as well as numerical modelling studies. We pursue our research in tight interdisciplinary collaboration across scales and across disciplines together with national and international partners.

The PhD student (m/f/x) will improve numerical modelling codes and workflows and perform numerical proof-of-concept studies of hydraulic soft stimulation treatments. This involves quantification of the hydraulic, mechanical, and seismic response of specific geological settings to different fluid injection schemes and other operational constraints. Emphasis will be put on the differentiation between the effects of individual engineering parameters and geological boundary conditions and the upscaling of the results from laboratory scale to field scale. The results will improve the physical understanding of hydraulic stimulation treatments and associated fracture development, permeability increase and injection-induced seismicity. This will support the improvement of reservoir stimulation concepts to develop Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) in a safe and economic manner.

Your responsibilities:

• improve an existing numerical code and develop a tailor-made modelling workflow to study hydraulic fracturing, shear stimulation, and the resulting induced seismicity and hydraulic performance increase in geothermal reservoirs at multiple scales
• validate the developed code and workflow by history matching of selected fluid injection experiments at laboratory, mine and field scale
• investigate the physical processes dominating the mechanical, seismic and hydraulic response of geothermal reservoirs to different hydraulic stimulation treatments and improve the physical understanding by upscaling
• publish in international peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific meetings
• Co-supervise B.Sc. and M.Sc. students

Your qualifications:

• M.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in reservoir engineering, applied geosciences, geophysics, or equivalent
• background in geothermal reservoir engineering, hydraulic fracturing, rock mechanics and seismology
• experience in Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical reservoir modelling (preferably MOOSE, OpenGeoSys or equivalent) and/or modelling of hydraulic stimulation treatments and/or earthquake modelling
• programming skills for code development and pre-/postprocessing (e.g., C++ and python)
• excellent communication skills
• willingness and ability to work in an interdisciplinary and international team
• proficiency in spoken and written English

Start date: as soon as possible
Fixed-term: 3 years
Salary: This position has been assessed as being salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group will be determined by the conditions of the collective wage agreement and the appropriate personal qualifications.
Working hours: part-time 75% (currently 29.25 h/week)
Place of work: Potsdam, Germany

What we offer:

• ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• state-of-the-art equipment
• public service benefits
• extensive training opportunities
• professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
• flexible working hours and conditions
• support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
• institute day-care centre on site
  
• working at the Albert Einstein science park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
• good public transport connections by being in walking distance of Potsdam main station

Did we pique your interest?

If so, we are looking forward to receiving your application including (a) a full CV, (b) a cover letter detailing point by point how you meet the required qualifications, (c) your University certificates and (d) names and contact details of two referees by the 15^th July 2020. Please use our online application form only.

Apply

Equal opportunities are an integral part of our personnel policy. We therefore very much welcome applications from qualified women. In the case of equal aptitude, severely disabled persons are given preferential consideration in accordance with the Code of Social Law IX.

Your personal data will be treated in line with Art. 6 (1b) and Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with § 26 BbgDSG during the selection process. After the selection process has been concluded, your application documents will be deleted, in line with data protection regulation.

In case of any further queries relating to the role’s responsibilities, please contact Dr. Hofmann on +49 (0) 331 288-28739. If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact Ms Buge on +49 (0) 331 288-28787.

Source: GFZ Potsdam

Last week, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) revoked geothermal permits for three geothermal working areas (WKP), namely Guci, Cisolok Cisukarame, and Tampomas.

The Guci geothermal block in Central Java has been managed by PT Spring Energi Sentosa, Cisolok Cisukarame by PT Jabar Rekind Geothermal, and Tampomas by PT Wijaya Karya Jabar Power.

Director of Geothermal Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Ida Nurhayatin Finahari said the licenses for the three companies were revoked because they did not extend the exploration period of the three geothermal blocks. This is because the company’s performance is not good enough.

“The reason is there has not been significant progress,” she said to Investor Daily.

The Guci Block was initially planned to be developed with a geothermal power plant (PLTP) capacity of 55 megawatts (MW), Cisolok Cisukarame 50 MW, and Tampomas 45 MW.

After termination of the permit, Ida admitted, the three geothermal regions will not be directly offered back to investors. “It will be explored by the government first, then offered to developers,” he explained. The government’s geothermal exploration program, he said, is one of the government’s breakthroughs so that geothermal development is more attractive to investors.

Thus, the geothermal block offered to investors has been equipped with exploration data collected by the government. That way the risk of geothermal development in the upstream that has been borne by the developer is taken over by the government.

Furthermore, she added, the exploration costs that have been disbursed by the government do not need to be replaced by geothermal developers. But in exchange, the price of electricity from the developer’s PLTP will be lower. Her office is preparing a regulation for this program. Ida added, termination of licenses for the three companies will not interfere with geothermal development plans. The reason is that the development of these three geothermal blocks has been stopped in the 2020-2030 Geothermal Development Roadmap.

“So the target [geothermal development] remains in accordance with the roadmap,” she said. Referring to the roadmap, geothermal capacity is projected to reach 8.008 MW in 2030. The installed capacity of national PLTP is currently only 2,130.7 MW and is targeted to reach 2,270.7 MW by the end of this year. Indonesia has geothermal resources reaching 28,508 MWe with reserves of 17,435 MWe.

Source: Investor Daily

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland has entered into a new agreement with the United Nations Environment Agency (UNEP), which has been working in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, as reported in local news yesterday.  The main emphasis of the agreement is continued cooperation and coordination in the field of geothermal projects in eastern Africa, as well as new partnerships in the field of land reclamation, sustainable land use and equal opportunities in Africa.

The agreement is based on another key objective of Iceland’s development cooperation policy on the protection of the earth and sustainable use of natural resources, and is a direct continuation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNEP in the field of geothermal energy since 2012 and the signing of UNEP’s voluntary declaration by the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources in September 2019.

The new agreement will emphasize the utilization of Icelandic expertise in development cooperation and experts in the areas of focus of the agreement, i.a. with collaboration with GRÓ GEST (Gender Equality Studies & Training), GRÓ GTP (Geothermal Training Program) and GRÓ LRT (Land Restoration Training Program) – Knowledge Center for Development Cooperation.

“Environment and sustainability are the guiding principles in all our development cooperation. For years, we have shared Icelandic expertise in the interests of sustainable development in developing countries, and the agreement with the United Nations Environment Agency is part of further enhancing this cooperation, “said Gudlaugur Thórðarson, Minister for Foreign and Development Cooperation.

According to Gudmundur Inga Gudbrandsson, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, it is gratifying to see that land reclamation is now entering into a government agreement with UNEP.

“The degradation of forests and habitats in Africa threatens ecosystems and climate, and therefore, natural solutions, including the recovery of lost land and sustainable land use, are an important part of improving people’s livelihoods and reducing global environmental change.”

Source: Visir.is

As reported locally, German aircraft engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines AG targets the exploration if the company can use geothermal energy to supply its plants with geothermal heat. The first and significant step would be test drilling.

Reported by the relevant authorities locally, the engine manufacturer has submitted an application to the government of Upper Bavaria for a “mining permit”. Sufficient hot thermal water is to be sought. The exploration permit is limited to five years. (not the actual drilling permit as initially reported)

The government of Upper Bavaria and authorities such as the Mining Authority, the State Office for the Environment and the District Office in Dachau are expected to comment on the project. The application was initially sent to the municipalities in the drilling area for information, including the municipality of Karlsfeld. These communities are involved in location-based measures such as seismic surveys or drilling in the later planning process.

The study area bears the name “Karlsfeld Ost”, extending from the highway A8 in the southwest over parts of Munich to the local border of Oberschleissheim in the northeast. In the north of Karlsfeld it extends to the city limits of Dachau and further east almost to the Haimhausen district of Ottershausen.

The use of geothermal energy saw also some discussions in Karlsfeld around 15 years ago. In view of the investments in the millions, which would have been necessary for further investigations and later for use, the local council then decided not to use this energy alternative. Should MTU actually make use of geothermal energy at some point, opportunities for cooperation should be sought, so the local authorities.

Source: Merkur

Attention: we updated the article due to some incorrect information that found itself into the original article.

PPC Renewables, the renewable energy focused subsidiary of state energy company PPC, is now entering the decisive stage for the utilization of the geothermal potential that has been granted to it by the Greek state.

According to energypress, the company decided yesterday to officially complete the international tender for the selection of a strategic partner for the energy utilization of the four geothermal fields of high enthalpy, a competition that took place but was “frozen” two years ago.

The completion was made by awarding the “highest bidder”, the company ELECTOR of the ELLAKTOR group, the position of strategic partner. The second consortium that had submitted a binding tender to the tender, TERNA Energy, had been declared an “alternative bidder”.

The object of the cooperation is the energy utilization of the well-known four geothermal fields (Lesvos, Milos-Kimolos-Polyaigos, Nisyros and Methana) for which PPC is licensed (the lease period was recently extended by the leases exclusively for the Greek state management in specific areas).

PPC Renewables has set up a special purpose public limited company (with the distinctive title “Geothermal Target Two – Single Person SA”), with the approval of a recommendation to be provided by RIS about three months ago. In the share capital of the special purpose company, the strategic partner will “enter” with a majority percentage.

The special purpose company will undertake the financing, construction, but also the management of power plants, 8 MW in Lesvos and 5 MW in each of the other three areas, which will be supplied with geothermal fluid from the drillings. Lesvos is an island just off the coast of Turkey between Canakkale and Izmir.

The goal is to start the first exploratory drilling in the geothermal field of Milos by the end of the year, provided that the local community is informed and informed in a timely manner. According to the schedule, the power plant will be built and operational by 2025.

It should be noted that PPC Renewables does not assign to its subsidiary a special purpose, but retains under its ownership the contracts of exploitation. This is, after all, the one that will carry out the drilling and all the necessary work to ensure the supply of geothermal fluid to the power plants.

The liquid will be sold to the unit manager at a price that will be determined at a later stage.

For the remaining three geothermal fields (Lesvos, Nisyros and Methana) the development will take place in the second year and in consultation with the local communities.

Source: EnergyPress.gr

Already announced May 14, 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has announced a competitive internet lease sale (Notice Document, pdf)

In accordance with the Geothermal Steam Act, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (final rules issued May 2, 2007), and the BLM regulations at 43 CFR 3200, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is offering 2 parcels containing 8,482.72 acres in the State of Washington for internet-based competitive geothermal leasing.

Attached is a list of lands we are offering by serial number, parcel number, and land description. We have included any stipulations, lease notices, special conditions or restrictions that will be made a part of the lease at the time we issue it. We have also identified those parcels where the United States owns less than 100% interest in the geothermal mineral rights.

For your convenience, additional sale documentation is located on https://nflss.blm.gov/

When and where will the sale take place?

When: The sale date is Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The open bidding period will begin at 11:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT) (or 9:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Each parcel will have its own unique open bidding period, with start and stop times clearly identified on the auction website. The open bidding period for each parcel will run for one hour from start to finish, and bids will only be accepted during a parcel’s open bidding period.

Where: The sale is held online at https://www.energynet.com/.

Click on the Government Lease Sales icon to view this online lease sale. Parcels may be viewed online at the EnergyNet website approximately 10 business days after the posting of this Notice of Competitive Geothermal InternetBased Lease Sale on the BLM website.

Location of the parcels:

Source: Energynet