Promoting Geothermal Energy: Air Emissions Comparison and Externality Analysis

Promoting Geothermal Energy: Air
Emissions Comparison and Externality
Analysis

April 2013
Geothermal Energy Association
209 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003, USA

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Promoting Geothermal Energy: Air
Emissions Comparison and Externality
Analysis
Written by Benjamin Matek, Geothermal Energy Association

© April 2013
Geothermal Energy Association
209 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003, USA
Acknowledgments: GEA would like to give a special thank you to Blaise Sheridan from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI); Karl Gawell from the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA); Charlene
Wardlow from Ormat Nevada Inc.; Sean Hillson, Erin Camp, and Jefferson Tester from Cornell University; and William Glassley from California Geothermal Energy Collaborative (CGEC) for their invaluable insight on this project.
Photo courtesy of EnergySource

Contents
Brief Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Historical Context and Recent Developments .............................................................................................. 4
Geothermal Technology................................................................................................................................ 5
Capacity Factor.............................................................................................................................................. 6
Geothermal Air Emissions ............................................................................................................................. 7
Benefits of Geothermal Power ..................................................................................................................... 9

References: California Energy Commission (CEC). 2013. “Total Electricity System Power.” Accessed March 21st, 2013. Accessed March 19th, 2013. http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/reporting/ghg-rep/reported_data/ghgreports.htm#registering_specified Climate Registry.org Washington DC: EIA. Accessed March 2nd, 2013. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data.cfm _____ 2nd, 2013. http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data.cfm _____ EIA. Accessed March 2nd, 2013. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/er/index.cfm 17 _____. 2013d. “Table 1.1. Net Generation by Energy Source: Total (All Sectors), 2003-February 2013.” Washington DC: EIA DC: EPA. Accessed March 2nd, 2013. _____. 2013b. “ANNEX 2: Methodology and Data for Estimating CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion.” Washington DC: EPA Gehringer, Magnus and Victor Loksha. 2012. “Geothermal Handbook: Planning and Financing Power Generation.” Washington DC: World Bank Group, Energy Sector Management Assistance Linvill, Carl, John Candelaria and Catherine Elder. 2013. “The Value of Geothermal Energy Generation Attributes: Aspen Report to Ormat Technologies.” Agoura Hills, CA: Aspen Environmental Group. Marten, Alex and Stephen C. Newbold. 2011. “Estimating the Social Cost of Non-CO2 GHG Emissions: Methane and Nitrous Oxide.” Washington DC: EPA National Center for Environmental Muller, Nicholas Z., Robert Mendelsohn. 2007. “Measuring the Damages of Air Pollution in the United States.” New Haven: Yale University. National Research Council (NRC). 2010. “Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use.” Washington, DC: The National Academies Press Sullivan, J.L., C.E. Clark, J. Han and M. Wang. 2010. “Life-Cycle Analysis Results of Geothermal Systems in Comparison to Other Power Systems.” Argonne: Argonne National Laboratory: Energy Tol, Richard. 2008. “The Social Cost of Carbon: Trends, Outliers and Catastrophes.” Dublin: Economics EJournal www.economics-ejournal.org.