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Ore. town is poster child for geothermal energy

Los Angeles Times -- A combination of hot rocks and water like those that created Yellowstone's geysers have been tapped by the city to keep the sidewalks toasty since the early 1990s. They also heat downtown buildings, kettles at a brewhouse, and greenhouses and keep the lights on at a college campus.

With more than 600 geothermal wells heating houses, schools and a hospital as well as turning the turbine on a small power plant, Klamath Falls shows what everyday life could be if stimulus grants and venture capitalists turn geothermal energy from a Western curiosity to a game-changing energy resource.

A 2007 Massachusetts Institute of Technology report estimates that EGS, with support, could be producing 100 gigawatts of electricity -- equivalent to 1,000 coal-fired or nuclear power plants -- by 2050, and ha

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Submitted Mar 21, 2010 By: fordmexico

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tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:24,632 Points:1,877,535 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:09:10 PM Ignore tomok Report Abuse Klamath Falls has been doing this long before the 1990’s, I was there in the early 70’s and this was already in place. Some warmed sidewalks and streets in the winter to melt ice and snow and supplemental building heat. But, building a geothermal generator is something new, there wasn’t enough hot, hot water with a good supply before.
my2002m Champion Author Tulsa Posts:3,774 Points:1,204,420 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:01:17 PM Ignore my2002m Report Abuse Nearly free energy (cost of infrastructure), great for them.
my3sons Champion Author New York Posts:4,455 Points:1,506,535 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 8:26:18 PM Ignore my3sons Report Abuse I would switch to geothermal
soakmonkey All-Star Author Nevada Posts:702 Points:744,280 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 3:12:10 PM Ignore soakmonkey Report Abuse cool
fordmexico Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,525 Points:306,425 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 12:53:50 PM Ignore fordmexico Report Abuse Geothermal energy can also come from smaller installtions that do not require drilling wells. From earthercomfort.com. "The earth is a wonderful source of heat. Just ask the burrowing animals that depend on it for warmth in the winter. In fact, the earth stores 47 percent of the solar energy that reaches us, making it a natural source of heat for our homes, if we can get it out. And we can. Geothermal heating and cooling systems -- also called geoexchange, earth-loop, or ground-coupled heat pumps -- move the heat from the ground into your home using the same technology your refrigerator uses to remove heat from food. When a cat curls up at the bottom vent of a refrigerator, it simply is enjoying the warm result of the refrigeration process. That explains the heating process, but the system simply reverses to provide cooling during the hot months twice as efficiently as any other air conditioning system. It's an elegant solution to home climate control." See how it could work for you! How Geothermal Heating and Cooling Works
genef01 Champion Author Nashville Posts:2,611 Points:834,680 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 12:11:15 PM Ignore genef01 Report Abuse DC could be a poster child for geothermal energy also with all the hot air generated in the general area. Maybe that's where Al Gore conceived his global warming theory. =) [Edited by: genef01 at 3/21/2010 12:11:45 PM EST]
AuburnTim Champion Author Indiana Posts:5,701 Points:1,284,955 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:57:55 AM Ignore AuburnTim Report Abuse Not feasible for all areas but good for them
mooneagle Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:7,087 Points:1,292,560 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:46:27 AM Ignore mooneagle Report Abuse Keep the government or they will ruin it
I10Express Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,306 Points:1,173,945 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:45:29 AM Ignore I10Express Report Abuse With what a water well costs, I can't imagine drilling for geothermal around here.
unicornpmb Champion Author Buffalo Posts:6,112 Points:1,161,400 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:38:37 AM Ignore unicornpmb Report Abuse Every little bit helps when trying to conserve on energy.
emptytank08 All-Star Author Pennsylvania Posts:662 Points:1,055,430 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:38:23 AM Ignore emptytank08 Report Abuse OK
yukonjack Champion Author Georgia Posts:5,123 Points:1,465,775 Joined:Oct 2004	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:37:20 AM Ignore yukonjack Report Abuse Wonder where else one could find geothermal activity like that?
DirtDauber Champion Author San Antonio Posts:4,410 Points:1,161,275 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:36:44 AM Ignore DirtDauber Report Abuse And why not?
repeater1 Champion Author Topeka Posts:6,038 Points:1,913,470 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:36:30 AM Ignore repeater1 Report Abuse Keep the government out of it and it will work. But we all know that isn't possible.
BWD Champion Author Charleston Posts:3,116 Points:1,760,940 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:36:09 AM Ignore BWD Report Abuse Geothermal is good but also pricey.
mickealo Champion Author Spokane Posts:3,904 Points:1,697,015 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:34:37 AM Ignore mickealo Report Abuse way to go ore. town
jayrad1957 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:14,548 Points:1,128,315 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:34:09 AM Ignore jayrad1957 Report Abuse Good for them. We need more towns like them.
MRED3 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:3,626 Points:803,345 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:33:40 AM Ignore MRED3 Report Abuse Sounds good but like eDon keep our eye on those taxes the government likes our money.
HawaiianGuy Champion Author Idaho Posts:7,171 Points:2,617,065 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:33:39 AM Ignore HawaiianGuy Report Abuse Also, check out Lakeview, Oregon. There's a lot of untapped geothermal potential there.
eDon Champion Author Long Island Posts:2,058 Points:856,490 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:29:22 AM Ignore eDon Report Abuse Wait till Washington figures out how to tax this!
rocket_ron Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,913 Points:1,527,945 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:28:06 AM Ignore rocket_ron Report Abuse Places which have this kind of formation available should use it.
baitmn Champion Author New Orleans Posts:6,627 Points:1,639,625 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:27:11 AM Ignore baitmn Report Abuse Ya how many of us reading this now will be living by then, what a joke
DrivingFool2 Champion Author Appleton Posts:6,172 Points:1,144,115 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:26:40 AM Ignore DrivingFool2 Report Abuse All alternative sources are good
pdcarver Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,289 Points:252,370 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:23:26 AM Ignore pdcarver Report Abuse smart move
fedex09 All-Star Author Missouri Posts:626 Points:686,380 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:23:09 AM Ignore fedex09 Report Abuse This sounds great. But politicians will figure a way to mess it up.
Cyberkedi Champion Author Atlanta Posts:11,960 Points:2,030,390 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:22:38 AM Ignore Cyberkedi Report Abuse This is the trend we need to be following. If geothermal isn't practical, maybe wind or wave power is.
adr47 Champion Author Saskatchewan Posts:4,840 Points:1,016,830 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:22:15 AM Ignore adr47 Report Abuse A local alternative that works Good on 'em. Others with similar resources will also benifit.
Retowered Champion Author Colorado Posts:6,203 Points:2,217,460 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:22:13 AM Ignore Retowered Report Abuse Hey it's a good idea and save all that you can. Money in the pocket.
Tutootin Champion Author Toronto Posts:7,756 Points:2,611,405 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:20:24 AM Ignore Tutootin Report Abuse Awesome!!
bbreff Champion Author Atlanta Posts:7,642 Points:2,127,990 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:18:56 AM Ignore bbreff Report Abuse Great for a small town. Spread the knowledge.
Diesel_Ram Champion Author Dallas Posts:4,217 Points:1,054,230 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:18:55 AM Ignore Diesel_Ram Report Abuse Hey it's a good idea and a good use of a natural resource.
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:5,898 Points:1,091,400 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:17:36 AM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse Nice work. I wish we had toasty warm sidewalks here in Cleveland! lol...
knot2swift Champion Author Calgary Posts:2,433 Points:413,335 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:15:48 AM Ignore knot2swift Report Abuse Yellowknife is thinking of doing the same thing with one old deep mine. The Con Mine is an exhausted gold mine that produced 5 million ounces over 65 years that's just within city limits. The air temperature deep in the mine is 30C (86F) and over 50C (>122F) in some areas. The city is in the North West Territories and winters are long and cold. 70% of the energy consumed is used to heat buildings so the mine is still worth a lot without it's gold.
mooneagle Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:7,087 Points:1,292,560 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:15:29 AM Ignore mooneagle Report Abuse gas to high might be right
ronsimonil All-Star Author Texas Posts:734 Points:157,975 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:14:43 AM Ignore ronsimonil Report Abuse Another alternative to be used. We have to use what is available to each of us wisely.
rasprout Champion Author Tacoma Posts:2,610 Points:832,855 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:11:15 AM Ignore rasprout Report Abuse Ya gotta expect the Government to tax the usage... They are probably chomping at the bit... Let's see $5 for every cubit meter of Geothermal heat used... That tax rate puts it right in line with what everyone else is paying...
gas_too_high Champion Author Columbus Posts:8,177 Points:1,477,945 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:10:53 AM Ignore gas_too_high Report Abuse Sounds great and maybe it is a good thing, but check out this excerpt from the article: "The major problem with EGS is the potential to create earthquakes. Pumping water into the ground to open numerous tiny fractures in the rock for a reservoir makes the earth move — what scientists call induced seismicity. Earthquakes stopped an EGS project in the middle of Basel, Switzerland, last year, and an international protocol has been developed for monitoring and mitigating earthquake problems. As long as the wells are not close to major earthquake faults, "it is not damaging, but very upsetting to the community that lives literally on top of it," said Ernie Majer, a seismologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, and lead author on the protocol." GTH
twiper1 Champion Author San Diego Posts:5,472 Points:1,138,460 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:09:57 AM Ignore twiper1 Report Abuse Good for Oregan
tbgasmizer Champion Author Ontario Posts:3,775 Points:788,295 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:06:44 AM Ignore tbgasmizer Report Abuse they are lucky they can tap into the geysers.
04tang Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,244 Points:494,325 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:05:27 AM Ignore 04tang Report Abuse No such luck around here.
connbrown Champion Author Corpus Christi Posts:1,517 Points:361,175 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:05:14 AM Ignore connbrown Report Abuse interesting
gabbygusIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:4,876 Points:1,091,900 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:04:34 AM Ignore gabbygusIN Report Abuse That is great for them!
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:8,511 Points:1,664,925 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:04:05 AM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse A typical coal fired power plant is 0.5-1.0GW, so 100-200 of them equals 100GW, not 1,000 as claimed (Elm Road Power Plant just starting operations is 2 units of 625MW coal fired base load each). Nuclear plants are bigger and run 1-1.6GW per unit (reactor) which cuts that down to 60-100 reactors.
napermike79 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,037 Points:1,367,845 Joined:May 2001	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:02:20 AM Ignore napermike79 Report Abuse might as well use what is available
uglytom Champion Author Florida Posts:5,673 Points:1,187,885 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:01:41 AM Ignore uglytom Report Abuse Not too many places can tap such a resource!
DeepInOhio Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,024 Points:656,560 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 11:00:39 AM Ignore DeepInOhio Report Abuse "stimulus grants and venture capitalists" Again, people spending other people's money. sigh
katiejayWV Champion Author West Virginia Posts:1,858 Points:713,225 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:59:18 AM Ignore katiejayWV Report Abuse This is pretty outside the box eddyp94.
greysquirrel Sophomore Author Cincinnati Posts:191 Points:61,280 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:55:36 AM Ignore greysquirrel Report Abuse I like this.
eddyp94 Champion Author Ontario Posts:6,748 Points:1,380,810 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:54:29 AM Ignore eddyp94 Report Abuse we need to think more out side of the box...
tankneverfull Champion Author Charlotte Posts:6,364 Points:1,299,015 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 21, 2010 10:54:12 AM Ignore tankneverfull Report Abuse I like it!