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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: June 26, 2008

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DOE Offers $90 Million for Enhanced Geothermal Systems

DOE issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) last week for the research, development, and demonstration of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), an advanced geothermal technology that drills deep wells into hot rocks, fractures them, and circulates a fluid through the fractures to extract heat. EGS technologies can be used to create new geothermal reservoirs or to stimulate existing geothermal reservoirs that are underperforming.

The FOA offers up to $90 million over four years, of which $40 million will go toward research and development (R&D) projects for the technologies needed to commercialize EGS and $50 million will go toward demonstration projects that stimulate existing unproductive geothermal reservoirs.

The R&D projects will target the technologies needed to create reservoirs at temperatures up to 300 degrees Celsius (572 degrees Fahrenheit) and depths as great as 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). They will address specific needs identified in a recent DOE report, "An Evaluation of Enhanced Geothermal Systems Technology."

According to a recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a reasonable R&D investment in these technologies could create the opportunity to develop 100,000 megawatts of geothermal power in the United States by 2050, an amount equal to 20% of the current U.S. generating capacity. See the reports from DOE and MIT in the EGS technology section of DOE's Geothermal Technologies Program Web site.

Of the $90 million in funds, $10.5 million are ready for immediate award, while the remainder is subject to congressional appropriations, with an estimated $30 million expected to be available for 2009. Under the FOA, R&D projects must carry a minimum 20% cost share and demonstrations will require up to a 50% cost share, depending on the phase of the award. The FOA is open to industry and academia, and DOE anticipates selecting up to 26 awardees, including 5-20 R&D projects and 2-6 demonstration projects. Applications are due by August 12. See the DOE press release and the FOA on Grants.gov.

40 Teams Compete in Solar Boat Race in the Netherlands

The second running of the Frisian Solar Challenge is now underway in Friesland, a northern province in the Netherlands. The 137-mile solar boat race started on Monday in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland, and follows the classic route of the Eleven City Tour, which is typically taken on skates in the winter. Following canals, rivers, and lakes, with the occasional portage, the race features 40 teams from eight countries, including Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the one long-distance entry, a team from the Federal University of Rio in Brazil.

The race is divided into three classes: the A class is for one-person boats, the B class is for two-person boats, and the open or C class can have a crew of any size. To keep costs down, entries in the A and B class can borrow solar panels from the race's sponsors, Sharp and The Sun Factory. As of Tuesday, two Dutch teams appear to be competing for the prize, as the Technical University of Delft (running in the C class) won the first stage and preliminary results show the Hanze Solar Team (running in the A class) winning the second stage. The six-day race concludes on Saturday back at its starting point in Leeuwarden. See the Frisian Solar Challenge Web site.

Meanwhile, a biodiesel-fueled boat is zeroing in on the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by a powered boat. The Earthrace is on the final leg of its round-the-world journey, with only the Mediterranean Sea between it and its goal. The current world record of slightly less than 75 days was set in 1998; the Earthrace is currently on day 59 of its journey and is passing south of Greece. If all goes well, the ship should reach its destination in Spain by Friday, beating the record by about two weeks. Unlike Earthrace's previous attempt, this time the crew has managed to fuel the boat with 100% biodiesel for its entire journey. For the current location of the ship, see the Earthrace Web site and press releases.

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