Geothermal

Historically, sources of low temperature geothermal, such as hot springs and co-produced fluids, were considered uneconomical for power generation. However, thanks to advancements in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology, these sources can now cost effectively generate fuel-free, emission-free power.

In many geothermal zones, such as New Zealand and Indonesia, the geothermal sources present can not support the development of large scale infrastructure. With ElectraTherm’s heat to power solutions these sources can now be utilized with compact ORC systems leaving a minimal footprint.

Ideal applications have a water source that is easily accessible (i.e. hot springs) or has been drilled for another purpose (i.e. gas wells). All that is needed is connection to the grid and a heat exchanger between the source.

ElectraTherm’s systems use these more abundant, lower temperature geothermal sources to generate up to 150 kW of clean electricity. Taking advantage of micro-geothermal utilizes local resources for a reliable, clean baseload power supply.

Factors That Make A Successful Application

HEAT

For Geothermal applications, a heat exchanger is implemented between the system and source, the water must be clean for our system. In doing so, this reduces the amount of thermal energy, ideal geothermal applications will have source temperatures between 90°C and 150°C.

ACCESS

Ideal micro geothermal projects have easy access to their water source, easy connection to the grid, or are wanting to use ORC heat recovery as a compliment to an existing system. The benefits of having an expander-based system allows for reliable power generation through flow and heat fluctuations.

COST OF POWER

Installing an ElectraTherm ORC for geothermal heat recovery comes with several benefits from increasing efficiency to reducing energy dependence on the grid. Projects located in areas with high costs of power see the fastest payback. Operators may also be eligible for attractive incentives promoting renewable energy, further improving return on investment.

UTILITY

Companies looking to leverage sustainable technology that actively supports ESG initiatives can do so with the help of our ORC systems. From recycling wasted thermal energy and reducing emissions to serving as a micro-grid component providing electricity to remote regions, ElectraTherm’s solutions provide a range of benefits.

Co-Produced Fluids

A major source of geothermal power potential are co-produced fluids. Co-produced fluids contain a mixture of hot water produced as a byproduct during the extraction of oil and gas.

Our fuel? Hot water. While co-produced fluids have previously been considered a nuisance to operators due to their costly removal and inability to generate power using traditional steam processes, ElectraTherm’s ORC heat to power solutions can utilize heat as low as 70°C to generate clean electricity that can either be used to offset energy costs or sold to the grid.

This provides an excellent opportunity to innovative investors in the oil and gas industry. By taking advantage of this renewable resource with existing infrastructure you can extend the economic viability of oil and gas operations, improve your bottom line, and add a renewable source of energy to your power portfolio. With an estimated 7 barrels of hot water produced for every barrel of oil, the potential is real.