Enel Green Power (EGP) has inaugurated two large geothermal plants in Churchill County, Nevada. Enel Green Power is the new company of Italy’s Enel Group (ENEL.MI).
The two new plants, called Stillwater and Salt Wells, have a total gross installed capacity of 65 megawatts (MW), the company said.
The entry of Stillwater and Salt Wells into service quadruples the amount of electricity generated from geothermal resources by EGP in the United States, thus making a significant contribution to achieving Nevada’s goal of generating 20% of its electricity from renewables by 2015.
Stillwater and Salt Wells are medium-enthalpy plants, meaning that they operate at temperatures between 130-150 °C (266-302 °F), using binary cycle technology that employs two fluids: hot water is extracted from the ground and brought into contact with a working fluid (in this case, isobutane) contained in a closed circuit.
The working fluid, which is rapidly heated to a very high temperature and pressure, drives the turbines to generate electricity. The geothermal water is returned below ground and the secondary liquid remains within the closed circuit, ensuring no emissions of greenhouse gases or any other negative impacts on the local resources.
Francesco Starace, President of Enel Green Power. said “Enel Green Power is today a driver of geothermal power in the United States, with a pipeline of advanced-stage projects with a capacity of 150 MW in this state, as well as in California and Utah.”
Construction of these two geothermal wells began in 2007 and employed roughly 300 people.
According to the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), the two new plants will have a positive impact on the area of over 4 million U.S. dollars and will create 25 permanent jobs for the next thirty years.
In Tuscany, Enel Green Power has 31 geothermal plants with a capacity of about 700 MW, capable of generating 5 billion kWh a year.
In Chile, in agreement with Enap, the national oil agency, Enel Green Power is exploring a number of promising areas with a potential capacity of over 100 MW.
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