Alcoa Signs Agreement to Support Geothermal Power Research Project in Iceland.Success of Project Could Yield Abundant, Clean, Naturally Renewable Energy Renewable energy utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and biofuels for transportation. Worldwide NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Alcoa announced today that it has made a significant contribution to a research and development program in Iceland that if successful could lead to a major step forward in the economics of developing high-temperature geothermal resources worldwide. Geothermal energy geothermal energy: see energy, sources of. geothermal energy Power obtained by using heat from the Earth's interior. Most geothermal resources are in regions of active volcanism. is derived from underground water heated naturally by contact or close proximity to molten rock, deep beneath the earth's surface Noun 1. Earth's surface - the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water" surface . Supported by Alcoa, the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP IDDP International Day of Disabled Persons IDDP Iceland Deep Drilling Project IDDP Interface Design Definition Paper ) consortium will collaborate on a deep drilling pilot project which will investigate the economic feasibility of producing energy and useful chemicals from geothermal systems at what are known as "supercritical Adj. 1. supercritical - (especially of fissionable material) able to sustain a chain reaction in such a manner that the rate of reaction increases critical - at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass conditions". Essentially, these are natural systems where underground water becomes super-heated by close proximity to almost molten rocks. Supercritical (high-temperature) geothermal systems could potentially produce up to ten times more electricity than the geothermal wells typically in service around the world today. In signing the agreement with the research consortium, Bernt Reitan, Alcoa Executive Vice President, said, "We are drilling towards the future. Geothermal energy is exactly what the world needs to tap into almost limitless, clean, natural energy and to substantially reduce greenhouse emissions Noun 1. greenhouse emission - a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation greenhouse gas CFC, chlorofluorocarbon - a fluorocarbon with chlorine; formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans; "the . For Alcoa's part, if we could connect supercritical geothermal energy to our world class aluminum smelting smelting, in metallurgy, any process of melting or fusion, especially to extract a metal from its ore. Smelting processes vary in detail depending on the nature of the ore and the metal involved, but they are typified in the use of the blast furnace. expertise, and the metal's unrivaled ability to reduce greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas emissions generated by such things as transportation, then we are really beginning to make a difference that will be beneficial all over the world. The technology we hope to develop in Iceland should be applicable where ever there is high temperature geothermal potential," he said. The IDDP consortium is composed of three leading Icelandic power companies: Hitaveita Sudurnesja Ltd.; Landsvirkjun; and Orkuveita Reykjavikur; together with Orkustofnun (National Energy Authority) and Alcoa. To produce energy from supercritical fluids, requires drilling to depths of 4 to 5 km (13,000-16,000 ft) in order to reach fluid temperatures of 400-600[deg]C. (750-1100[deg]F). Today, typical geothermal wells are about 2 km deep, (8,000 ft), produce steam at about 300[deg]C, (570[deg]F) -- a rate sufficient to generate about 5 megawatts of electricity. It is estimated that producing steam from a well penetrating a reservoir at or above 450[deg]C (840[deg]F) temperature and at a rate of 0.67 cubic meters (24 cubic feet) a second, could generate 40-50 megawatts of electricity. Each of the power companies, which financed the pre-feasibility study completed in 2003, have committed to drill at their own costs one 3.5-4.0 km deep well in a geothermal field they operate. These wells will be designed for deepening to 4.5-5.0 km. One of the wells selected for further deepening is a joint IDDP-project funded by the consortium with additional funds from the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program is a multinational program to further and fund geosciences in the field of Continental Scientific Drilling. Scientific drilling is a critical tool in understanding of Earth processes and structure. , an international foundation based in Germany that supports drilling on land for scientific research, as well as the U.S. National Science Foundation. The first wells will be drilled in 2008 at Krafla in north-east Iceland and tested the following year. Two new wells, 4 km deep, will then be drilled at Hengill and Reykjanes geothermal fields during 2009-2010, and, subsequently, deepened. Pilot plant testing is expected to be completed in 2015. About Alcoa Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated fab·ri·cate tr.v. fab·ri·cat·ed, fab·ri·cat·ing, fab·ri·cates 1. To make; create. 2. To construct by combining or assembling diverse, typically standardized parts: aluminum and alumina alumina (əl  `mĭnə) or aluminum oxide, Al2O3, chemical compound with m.p. about 2,000°C; and sp. gr. about 4.0. facilities, and is active in
all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace,
automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial
transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering,
production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to
customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including
flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also
markets Alcoa[R] wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment
castings, structures and building systems. The company has 116,000
employees in 44 countries and has been named one of the top most
sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com
|
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion