Geothermal resources in California: potentials and problems

Technical Report · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1971

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7253675· OSTI ID:7253675

Goldsmith, M

The technology, cost and potential of geothermal resources in California are examined. The production of power from dry stream fields is expanding in Northern California, at The Geysers, at costs that compare favorably with alternate means of generation. The possibility exists that economic production of power can be started in the Imperial Valley, but numerous issues remain to be resolved; chief among them is the demonstration that commercially valuable aquifers indeed exist. The production of demineralized water from the geothermal fluids of the Imperial Valley depends, among other things, upon the identification of other sources of water for power plant cooling, or for reservoir reinjection, should it be necessary to avoid subsidence. It would appear that water production, without the income-producing capability of associated power generation, is not economically reasonable. The pace of geothermal development at the Geysers could probably be accelerated perhaps offering the opportunity for maintenance of adequate generating reserves should their nuclear construction program be delayed. The unknown factors and risks involved seem to preclude the Imperial Valley resource from being immediately effective in improving the power generation picture in Southern California. However, in the next decade, geothermal power could provide a useful energy increment, perhaps 10 percent of peak load. Associated water production could offer relief for the Imperial Valley in its predicted water quality problem. The pace of public and private development in the Imperial Valley seems incommensurately slow in relation to the potential of the resource. Geothermal power and water production is not intrinsically pollution-free, but appropriate environmental protection is possible.

• Research Organization: California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA). Environmental Quality Lab.
• OSTI ID: 7253675
• Report Number(s): EQL-Report-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
CALIFORNIA
COOLING
COST
DEMINERALIZATION
DESALINATION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLASHED STEAM SYSTEMS
FORECASTING
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FIELD
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
Geothermal Legacy
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IMPERIAL VALLEY
LIQUID WASTES
LONG VALLEY
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
POWER POTENTIAL
PRODUCTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
USA
VAPOR-DOMINATED SYSTEMS
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WESTERN REGION