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September 13, 2007 – Vol. 12 No.25 Alcoa to Support Supercritical Geothermal Systems Research in Iceland. 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. Alcoa has announced that it will support the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP). A consortium of three leading Icelandic power companies: Hitaveita Sudurnesja Ltd.; Landsvirkjun; and Orkuveita Reykjavikur; together with Orkustofnun (National Energy Authority), and Alcoa 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 Success of project could yield abundant, clean, naturally renewable ene 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. For Alcoa’s part, if we could connect supercritical geothermal energy to our world class aluminum smelting expertise, and the metal’s unrivaled ability to reduce 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 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. According to 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イ. (750-1100ェ). Today, typical geothermal wells are about 2 km deep, (8,000 ft), produce steam at about 300イ, (570ェ) -- 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イ (840ェ) temperature and at a rate of 0.67 cubic meters (24 cubic feet) a second, could generate 40-50 megawatts of electricity. (9/12/07)
Links: Alcoa http://www.alcoa.com Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) http://www.iddp.is
Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No
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