Federal policy documentation and geothermal water consumption: Policy gaps and needs

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 84; no. C; pp. 58 - 68
• Main Authors: Schroeder, J.N., Harto, C.B., Clark, C.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2015; Elsevier Science Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Consumption; Documentation; Energy consumption; Energy policy; Environmental policy; Estimates; Geothermal; Geothermal energy; Geothermal power; Life cycle assessment; NEPA; Nevada; Policies; Policy; Power generation; Power plants; Production; Studies; U.S.A; Water; Water consumption; Well drilling; United States > US; Nevada; USA, Nevada; Water; Policy; Life cycle assessment; Water consumption; NEPA; Geothermal
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2015.04.022

With U.S. geothermal power production expected to more than triple by 2040, and the majority of this growth expected to occur in arid and water-constrained areas, it is imperative that decision-makers understand the potential long-term limitations to and tradeoffs of geothermal development due to water availability. To this end, water consumption data, including documentation triggered by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, production and injection data, and water permit data, were collected from state and federal environmental policy sources in an effort to determine water consumption across the lifecycle of geothermal power plants. Values extracted from these sources were analyzed to estimate water usage during well drilling; to identify sourcing of water for well drilling, well stimulation, and plant operations; and to estimate operational water usage at the plant level. Nevada data were also compared on a facility-by-facility basis with other publicly available water consumption data, to create a complete picture of water usage and consumption at these facilities. This analysis represents a unique method of capturing project-level water data for geothermal projects; however, a lack of statutory and legal requirements for such data and data quality result in significant data gaps, which are also explored. •Water consumption data for various stages of geothermal development is analyzed.•Aboveground operational water consumption ranged from 1.2 to 18.4m3/MWh.•Geothermal definitions vary and the geothermal permitting process is circuitous.•Lack of publicly available water consumption data for geothermal needs to be addressed.