Geothermal well-field and power-plant investment-decision analysis

Technical Report · Sun May 31 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6484954· OSTI ID:6484954

Cassel, T A.V.; Amundsen, C B; Edelstein, R H; Blair, P D

Investment decisions pertaining to hydrothermal well fields and electric power plants are analyzed. Geothermal investment decision models were developed which, when coupled to a site-specific stochastic cash flow model, estimate the conditional probability of a positive decision to invest in the development of geothermal resource areas. Quantitative decision models have been developed for each major category of investor currently involved in the hydrothermal projects. These categories include: large, diversified energy resource corporations; independently operating resource firms; investor-owned electric utilities; municipal electric utilities; state-run resource agencies; and private third-party power plant investors. The geothermal cash flow, the investment decision analysis, and an example of model application for assessing the likely development of geothermal resource areas are described. The sensitivity of this investment behavior to federal incentives and research goals is also analyzed and discussed.

• Research Organization: Technecon Analytic Research, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-79ET27242
• OSTI ID: 6484954
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/27242-T1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150500* -- Geothermal Energy-- Economics
Industrial
& Business Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Geothermal-- (-1989)
DECISION MAKING
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
INVESTMENT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RELIABILITY
STATE GOVERNMENT
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WELLS