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VOLUNTEER

Geothermal Energy Visuals

  • 12:01 pm
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Here in San Diego, we have not only a lot of sunshine for solar energy, but also an exceptional potential for geothermal energy based on the heat that flows up from deep inside the earth.

Last spring, SD350’s Peg Mitchell was given a tour of the John Featherstone Facility, a geothermal energy plant located within the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area in the Imperial Valley. Peg has written about what she learned for SD350’s October column in the San Diego Free Press.

In case you’d like to learn a little more, we’ve shown below a few presentation slides provided by a company developing this renewable energy resource in our region.

You can link here to Peg’s report in SD350’s monthly article in the environment section of San Diego Free Press.

The Salton Sea area of the Imperial Valley has the largest known California has the largest known geothermal potential of any state in the U.S.
The Salton Sea area of the Imperial Valley has the largest known California has the largest known geothermal potential of any state in the U.S.  Its 1800MW potential electric generating capacity is 80% as much as the recently shut-down nuclear power plant at San Onofre.
Historically, California has tried to make use of this energy resource, but it's had challenges. Many attempts have been abandoned.
Historically, California has tried to make use of this energy resource, but it’s had challenges. Many attempts have been abandoned.
A local newspaper clipping from 1957 documents one early attempt.
A local newspaper clipping from over half a century ago documents the enthusiasm accompanying attempts to make this resource work for California.
The steam that emerges contains many impurities that have posed challenges to those who have tried to use this energy resource.
The steam that emerges contains many impurities that are among the challenges to those who have tried to use this energy resource.
This list shows the kinds of compounds found in the brine.
This list shows the kinds of compounds found in the brine.
The most recent installation uses a modern technique called "flashing" to
The most recent installation, built by EnergySource uses a modern technique called “triple flashing” to gather energy from steam produced by underground geothermal reservoirs.
This flow chart shows the how the triple flashing process works.
This flow chart shows the how EnergySource’s triple flashing process works.

 

These slides and many more comprise a visual array used for the Borrego Springs Energy Day presentation about the history and potential of geothermal energy in the Imperial Valley.  If you’re interested in seeing the Energy Day slides, you can link to it here:  2015 Borrego Energy Day Presentation

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