Exploring Utah Geothermal Opportunities - Invitation

The Utah Geothermal Working Group, the National Geothermal Collaborative, and the Geothermal Resources Council invite you to join us for a one day event, Exploring Utah Geothermal Opportunities on January 20, 2004 at the Marriott downtown at 75 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m., lunch is included (a draft agenda is attached). The purpose of the event is to engage the target audience in an information exchange/dialogue with some of the leading experts in the country, and individuals from your state with hands-on geothermal experience to explore issues and opportunities pertaining to geothermal development in Utah.

Who should come?

Targeted audience includes landowners, business owners/developers in the agricultural/industrial sector, public lands managers, policy makers and staff, energy efficiency advocates, utilities and government representatives including the Farm Bureau, and the USDA.

What will it cover?

The objectives for this event/dialogue include:

• increased awareness of geothermal energy and the opportunities available for direct use application in Utah;
• identification of issues/barriers to geothermal development in Utah; and
• provide examples and discussion of potential policy options that would advance geothermal development in Utah.

The morning session will focus on Keys to Using Geothermal Energy in Agriculture and Industrial Processing, (direct use opportunities). This session will target an agriculture/industrial audience, or others that might benefit from a greater understanding of geothermal for direct use purposes.

The afternoon session will focus on policy options that would facilitate direct use and electrical generation opportunities. Specifically, the afternoon will focus on what sort of Incentives to Reduce the Risk/Facilitate Development might be crafted at the state level. This session is targeted at both corporate and government decision makers, legislative staffers and others interested in exploring issues and opportunities around geothermal development for both direct use and electrical generation opportunities, including legislative committees, Farm Bureau Policy staff, utility commissioners, and energy efficiency policy advocates.

Invited Speakers include:
Roy Mink, Geothermal Program Manger, Department of Energy
Gordon Bloomquist, Washington State University/GRC/NGC
John Lund, Oregon Institute of Technology
Bill Gordon, Milgro Newcastle, Inc.
Paul Dunlevy, National Geothermal Program Lead, BLM
Jim Witcher, Southwest Technology Development Institute
Bob Henricks, BLM Utah State Office of Fluid Minerals Chief

Why this is important

Because of relatively low regional energy costs and lack of economic incentives, development of Utah’s geothermal resources has stagnated over the past 15 years. Renewed national interest in energy conservations and advances in clean, renewable energy technologies, however, has sparked legislative action at both national and state levels to identify and remove institutional barriers, and to foster economic incentives for geo thermal development. In addition, a number of recent highly successful geothermal direct-use and electric generation projects have suggested the economic value of geothermal use under the right conditions. Moreover, Utah’s geothermal-hydrothermal system may be vastly underutilized owing to their remote locations, mostly in western Utah, and because the majority of these systems are low – to moderate temperature (less than 120ºC (248ºF).

Background

The Utah Geothermal Working Group (Working Group) is an organization comprised of representatives form federal, state and local governments, utilities, renewable energy advocates, geothermal industry, environmental organizations, land owners, and other entities interested in development of geothermal energy in Utah. The Working Group’s mission is to promote innovative development and effective utilization of Utah’s geothermal resources for direct use, power generation, and cascading uses. The Working Group’s primary emphasis is to advocate geothermal direct-use applications and small-scale geothermal power projects to stimulate rural economic development opportunities.

The National Geothermal Collaborative (NGC) is a consensus-based collaborative, formed in 2002 to identify issues that impede the use of geothermal power, establish dialogues among key stakeholders, and catalyze appropriate activities to overcome obstacles to appropriate development. The NGC’s vision is that geothermal power is environmentally, economically and politically sustainable and fully integrated into mainstream energy markets. Steering Committee membership includes representation from investor owned and public utilities, academia, state energy offices, White House Task Force on Energy Project Streamlining, Water Resource Advocates, Council of Energy Resource Tribes, Geothermal Resource Council and Geothermal Energy Association, Departments of Interior, Agriculture and Energy, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), a geothermal association formed in 1970 with members in more than 20 countries, serves as a focal point for continuing professional development for its members through its many outreach, information transfer and education services. The GRC’s goals are to encourage the development of geothermal resources worldwide through the collection and timely distribution of data and technological information; to encourage and promote research, exploration and development of geothermal energy in ways compatible with the environment; serve as a public forum for the world geothermal community, and provide transfer of objective and unbiased information on the nature of geothermal energy and its development; and cooperate and communicate with academic institutions, industry and government agencies on economically and environmentally sound development and utilization of geothermal resources.

We look forward to adding your perspective, questions, and knowledge to our geothermal Event/Dialogue in Utah on January 20th. Please contact Lora Rees at 801-538-4791 by January 14, 2004 to ensure lunch!