LaGeo, a Salvadoran geothermal company, has decided to start geothermal exploration in El Salvador in order to find new geothermal wells for power generation. After a pause of several years, LaGeo has allocated USD 41 million for this purpose in 2012. The investment plan includes exploration, recovery and maintenance of the wells. The main focus areas of the exploration are the fields of Chinameca and St. Vincent.
Toshiba has been awarded the contract to supply steam turbines and generators to be installed at the Olkaria I and Olkaria IV geothermal power plants in Kenya. This is the first geothermal equipment supply contract for Toshiba. A total of four steam turbine and generator sets, each with 70 MW of capacity, is to be delivered and installed at the two power plants.
Siemens unveiled its new steam turbine aimed at the geothermal power industry sector, at the GEA Geothermal Energy Expo in San Diego, California. The new SST-400 GEO model is rated at 60 MW of power generation capacity, and combines a casing and turbine-generator package (including gearbox, generator and base frame).
The Chilean Ministry of Energy has recently released the results of a tender for awarding 20 geothermal development concessions. Five of these concessions have been awarded to Ormat Technologies. The awarded concession areas are Aroma, Quinohuen, Marimar, San Jose II and Sollipulli.
Ormat Technologies has received a letter of committment for USD 310 million which will be used for refinancing and expanding the Olkaria III geothermal project in Kenya. The complex currently has 48 MW of installed capacity, but this will be expanded by another 36 MW, and then optionally by another 16 MW.
Alterra Power, a company formed through a merger between Magma Energy Corporation and Plutonic Power, announced the company has received permission for expanding the Reykjanes geothermal power plant on Iceland, with an additional 80 MW of capacity. The company is going to put into service a new 50 MW steam turbine, to be followed by another low pressure 30 MW steam turbine.
The US Deparment of Energy has allocated up to USD 38 million for advanced geothermal energy technology research. Over the next three years, 32 innovative projects in 14 states will be developing and testing new geothermal resource location methods, including resoure characterization, drilling, reservoir engineering techniques, all with the goal to advance the geothermal energy sector in the US.
Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica (BCIE) and Instituto Constarricense de Electricidad (ICE) have inaugurated the 42 MW Las Pailas geothermal power plant in Costa Rica last week. The power plant was designed and manufactured by Ormat Technologies, under a contract with BCIE. ICE did field development and construction of the project.
Enel is going to invest USD 127 million in El Salvador's energy sector next year, as part of the original plan from three years ago. The original investment was stalled due to arbitration proceedings against ENEL Investment Energy (INE) and the Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive (CEL), which wouldn't allow the funding to take place. This would have given Enel a 50% stake in LaGeo, a Salvadoran geothermal development company. Since the arbitration proceedings have been concluded, Enel is back to make the investment.
Earth Heat Resources has completed the environmental impact study for the Copahue geothermal project, which the company is planning to develop in Argentina. The study was completed by SKM, and has been submitted to the Argentian authorities for review. This EIA is going to help both the company and the authorities to determine whether there are any major issues and the corresponding mechanisms for minimizing the impact of project activities on the environment.
