Geothermal Energy in the North Bay – Jon Udell

I was aware of The Geysers, a geothermal field about 35 miles north of my home in Santa Rosa, but I never thought much about it until my first bike ride through the area. Then I learned some interesting things.

It is the largest geothermal field in the world and produces more than 700 megawatts.

It accounts for 20% of California’s renewable energy.

The naturally occurring steam was used up nearly 30 years ago, and steam is now replenished by pumping 30 million gallons of sewage every day through a 42-mile pipeline from the Santa Rosa Plain.

That daily replenishment is involved in the region’s frequent small earthquakes. (But no one seems to worry too much about that, and maybe it’s a good thing? Lots of little ones, better than one big one?)

An article in today’s newspaper reports that AB-1359, signed last week by Governor Gavin Newsom, paves the way for new geothermal development in the region that could add 600 megawatts of geothermal production.

How much electrical power is that? I like to use WolframAlpha for quick and rough comparisons.

So 2/3 of a nuclear power plant. 4/5 of a coal-fired power station. These types of comparisons help me contextualize so many quantitative aspects of our lives. They are the main reason I visit WolframAlpha. I wish journalists would use it for that purpose.