Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1993
A 23-MW binary power plant was completed at Steamboat Springs, Nevada.
1995
In Empire, Nevada, Integrated Ingredients dedicated a food-dehydration facil-
ity capable of processing 15 million pounds of dried onions and garlic per year.
A DOE low-temperature resource assessment of 10 western states identified nearly
9000 thermal wells and springs and 271 communities collocated with a geothermal
resource greater than 50.
2002
Organized by GeoPowering the West, geothermal development working groups were
active in five states—Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. Group
members represented all stakeholder organizations. The working groups began iden-
tifying barriers to geothermal development in their states and bringing together all
interested parties to arrive at mutually beneficial solutions.
2003
The Utah Geothermal Working Group was formed.
G
eothermal
e
nerGy
as
a
r
enewable
e
nerGy
s
ource
Table 6.1 shows geothermal energy's ranking as a renewable energy source. The
0.360 geothermal quadrillion Btu figure is expected to steadily increase, which
should be reflected in later figures when they are released.
TABLE 6.1
U.S. Energy Consumption by Energy Source (2008)
Energy Consumption
(quadrillion Btu)
Energy Source
Total
99.438
Renewable
7.367
Biomass (total)
3.852
Biofuels
1.372
Waste
0.436
Wood and wood-derived fuels
2.044
Geothermal energy
0.360
Hydroelectric conventional
2.512
Solar thermal/PV energy
0.097
Wind energy
0.546
Source:
EIA,
U.S. Energy Consumption by Energy Source
, Environmental
Investigation Agency, Washington, DC, 2007 (http://www.eia.
doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/trends/table1.html).
