Chena Geothermal Power Plant - Chena Hot Springs Resort, Alaska

http://www.yourownpower.com/Power/

 This project is spectacular in its use of off-the-shelf Carrier-branded HVAC components in a reverse-cycle configuration designed to generate power instead of cooling supply. Apparently, it also uses a low-cost refrigerant to achieve power output from a geothermal resource that never reaches the boiling point of water. Water normally boils at 212 degrees Farenheit at sea level atmospheric pressure. the water in the Chena Hot Springs geothermal well reaches a max temperature of 165 degrees Farenheit at the power unit.

Two units were installed at Chena, for a net power production of 400-440KW at a price of approximately five cents per KWh. That is comparable with coal and the best wind power resources in the U.S. on land, from a moderate geothermal resource. Better geothermal heat sources could feasibly produce power even cheaper.

The article linked above includes links to status and data papers in .PDF format that give an excellent report of the project's history and usage data,. The system was initially installed in 2006, so it has now been operational for four years.

After the system was in use for just over a year and the second unit was brought online, expected output was to displace approximately 244,000+ gallons of diesel fuel for the year 2007.

Chena Hot Springs was previously operating on diesel power olone in a remote, off-grid setting at a price of approximately 30 cents/KWh. The diesel generators remain in place as an emergency backup power source. I can only imagine that Chena Power was very grateful not to have to use diesel power through the huge price spikes for petroleum products that came just after they installed their geothermal units. I would imagine that 30 cents per KWh price would have nearly doubled.

There are vast, un-tapped moderate and excellent geothermal resources available throughout the continental United States, not to mention the potential in a state like Hawai'i, which is essentially a string of volcanic islands.

Thank you for reading, and happy New Year!

Dan