DOE R&D funding to help in research on eliminating pumps and motors in binary systems

Raft River plant - binary power plant, Idaho, (source: Ormat)

Alexander Richter 24 Tem 2011

The Department of Energy has selected GeoTek Energy, LLC, a geothermal power technology company, to receive $450,000 for the initial design of its Gravity Head Energy System (GHES) with the potential for up to $2.4 million in additional funding to validate the design and further develop the GHES.

GeoTek has developed the system which uses the force of gravity to eliminate pumps and motors typically needed in binary geothermal energy production. Once validated, the gravity-based technology allows geothermal providers to sell as much as 35 percent additional electricity over traditional technology and realize a better return on investment.

“GeoTek was one of only eight projects nationwide recently approved for a total of $11 million funding by the Geothermal Technologies Program to advance geothermal power technology,” said Kenneth Fryrear, GeoTek’s chief operating officer.

GeoTek will supplement the DOE funds with private capital to complete its energy saving Gravity Head Energy System.

Geothermal is a renewable energy source that uses the heat from the earth to produce steam or hot water which can be used to drive a turbine to generate electricity. Geothermal power is produced twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, which makes geothermal a reliable source of renewable baseload energy for utilities.

GeoTek, based in Midland, Texas, was formed in 2004 to advance geothermal power technology. GeoTek has spent several years and significant private resources to re-design the GHES originally developed in the 1970s. GeoTek has used advanced computer modeling to engineer a more compact and efficient system. Upon completion of the DOE design validation program GeoTek will test a pilot well using the patent-pending GHES technology.

Successful implementation of GHES technology will result in higher cycle efficiency and increased energy generated from a given geothermal resource. GeoTek offers advantages beyond the elimination of these parasitic pump loads in efficiencies, reduced environmental impacts and accelerating the initial production of electricity. GeoTek’s geothermal technology supports a distributed generation system by producing the electric power at each well-site. This compact, well-based power system disturbs less surface area by eliminating the large central power plants and associated piping. GHES also supports development of isolated geothermal resources, which is important for developing countries. ”

Source: Company release via PR Web