Los Alamos National Laboratory recently funded a series of scoping studies to explore the possibility of leveraging local facilities, infrastructure and resources to test clean-energy technologies. The team leading this effort is looking for feedback from the community and wants to hear from:
Tribal and community representatives
- Investors
- Developers
- Policymakers
- Utilities and facilities
The studies will help inform the Laboratory's decarbonization strategy and position researchers to compete for future funding opportunities focused on scaling up the deployment of energy technologies.
One of the scoping studies, "Geothermal for the Los Alamos Power Pool," focuses on the potential for developing geothermal energy in New Mexico. The study finds that there is a significant untapped opportunity for clean and stab.le geothermal power generation.
This potential could exceed 5 gigawatts, equating to 1% of the total demand of the United States. If sold at 10 cents per kilowatt hour, based on recent California purchase agreements, this would equate to $4 billion of annual income into New Mexico and the creation of more than 3,000 new, high-paying local jobs.
Until recently, local geothermal development remained difficult due to the lack of conventional hot, natural convection systems around the state. Today, key technological advances for well drilling, thermal-electric power generation, and geological engineering are enabling the next generation of technology to safely unlock a vast new frontier for clean energy at a lower cost. These new technologies can be placed anywhere, so the geothermal development would not disturb New Mexico's famous hot springs.
About the study
The Laboratory's Energy and Natural Resource Security group is leading the scoping study. In addition to investigating the technological and infrastructure requirements for a geothermal testbed, the scoping study seeks to solicit feedback from local stakeholders to better understand the potential interest, opportunities, benefits, and risks of geothermal development in the state.
For example, geothermal fluid can be used for cheap, zero-carbon heating for nearby residences, structures, agriculture, and recreational facilities. At the same time, engineered geothermal systems are not without uncertainty and risk, just as is also true for all other energy sources. For example, the temperature of a selected site could be hotter or cooler than expected, leading to uncertainty in the ultimate cost of electricity. Additionally, there is a risk of triggered earthquakes unless the development is completed responsibly and by qualified personnel.
This scoping study does not represent a funded project or any Laboratory plans to begin a geothermal project. The goal is to solicit feedback from the community to better understand local perspectives on geothermal power as a clean-energy option to help society transition away from fossil fuels.
