Geothermal Energy Program

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

Ted ClutterGeothermal Resources Council530.758.2360tclutter@geothermal.org | www.geothermal.orgKarl GawellGeothermal Energy Association202.454.5264karl@geo-energy.org | www.geo-energy.orgMarilyn NemzerGeothermal Education Office800.866.4436mnemzer@aol.com | geothermal.marin.org

U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Wind and Geothermal Technologies1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20585

Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy LaboratoryDOE/GO 102002-1559

April 2002Printed with renewable-source ink on paper containing at least50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste.

to the overall increased use of domesticrenewable energy resources, asrecommended in the National EnergyPolicy, by:

- Doubling the number of states with 

geothermal electric power facilities from four to eight by 2010, and

- Supplying the heat or power needs 

of 5 million Western homes andbusinesses by 2015.
conomic 

 area

ation 

wer.

ortunity by:

al

mal

nd rural

eothermal

hermal

evelop

d

orkshops.

Geothermal plants are among the cleanest sources of electric power available. 

Direct use applications directly pipe hot 

water from geothermal resources to provide heat for industrial processes, crop drying, greenhouses,aquaculture, recreation, sidewalk snow-melting, andbuildings. Geothermal district heating systems supplyheat to multiple buildings through a network of pipescarrying the hot geothermal water.

combined 48-MWcapacity.

Heat and Power for the 21 Heat and power for the 21st Century st Century

tivities
conomic 

 area

ation 

wer.

ortunity by:

al

mal

nd rural

eothermal

hermal

evelop

d

orkshops.

g

y, p

companies, industrial and residential consumers,and federal, state, and local officials to providetechnical and institutional support and limited,cost-shared funding to state-level activities.By demonstrating the benefits of geothermalenergy, GPW increases state and regionalawareness of opportunities to enhance localeconomies and strengthen our nation’s energysecurity while minimizing environmental impact.By identifying barriers to development andworking with others to eliminate them, GPWhelps a state or region create a regulatoryand economic environment that is morefavorable for geothermal and otherrenewable energy development.

Electricity is produced using expanding steam or

very hot water from the underground reservoir to spin a conventional turbine-generator. Geothermal powerplants operate at high capacity factors (70-100%), with availability factors typically greater than 95%.Geothermal plants are among the cleanest sources of electric power available. 

Direct use applications directly pipe hot 

water from geothermal resources to provide heat for industrial processes, crop drying, greenhouses,aquaculture, recreation, sidewalk snow-melting, andbuildings. Geothermal district heating systems supplyheat to multiple buildings through a network of pipescarrying the hot geothermal water.

e many uses

onsume

y heated fish

r products. These two geothermal power plants in

Steamboat Springs,Nevada, have acombined 48-MWcapacity.

Each year,

thousands of

tons of onion

and garlic are

economically

dehydrated with

geothermal waters at

this plant in Empire, Nevada.

Heat and Power for the 21 Heat and power for the 21st Century st Century

tivities
ratory

ratory
Geothermal Energy Program

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy

Ted ClutterGeothermal Resources Council530.758.2360tclutter@geothermal.org | www.geothermal.orgKarl GawellGeothermal Energy Association202.454.5264karl@geo-energy.org | www.geo-energy.orgMarilyn NemzerGeothermal Education Office800.866.4436mnemzer@aol.com | geothermal.marin.org

U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Wind and Geothermal Technologies1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20585

Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy LaboratoryDOE/GO 102002-1559

April 2002Printed with renewable-source ink on paper containing at least50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste.