Scopenergy has been granted $3,982,855 for a proof-of-concept project in the Limestone Coast region, which will lead to a 50MW power plant.
“The project will better define prospects for more than 1000MW of geothermal power in the region,” AusIndustry said.
If successful, it will lead to an estimated greenhouse gas abatement of almost 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Meanwhile, Geodynamics has been awarded a grant of $5 million for the construction and operation of Australia’s first hot fractured rocks (HFR) geothermal demonstration power plant – a high-efficiency Kalina cycle generation plant in the Cooper Basin near Innamincka, South Australia.
The demonstration HFR power plant, to be known as the Innamincka Power Project, will use the existing deep geothermal wells Habanero-1 and 2.
It is planned that hot geothermal brine will be drawn up from the existing deep underground reservoir previously developed by Geodynamics for zero emission power generation using a high efficiency Kalina cycle generation plant. The cooled brine will then be re-injected into the reservoir, making a closed loop system.
Before getting final clearance for the demonstration plant, Geodynamics must complete the reservoir testing program, which in turn is subject to the well intervention program in Habanero-2.
The company must also finalise the design criteria, performance parameters and scale of the demonstration plant, and execute the REDI Grant Agreement with AusIndustry.
These steps are expected to be completed in the first half of 2006, according to Geodynamics.
“The construction phase of the Innamincka Power Project is expected to run in parallel with progressive step-out drilling by Geodynamics to further convert the known HFR geothermal resource in the Cooper Basin into proven geothermal reserves,” the company said.
“Successful demonstration of HFR power generation on a small scale together with proven geothermal reserves will provide the basis for Geodynamics progressive plans for large scale, zero emission base-load power generation.”
Scopenergy’s project is different from Geodynamics’ in that it is attempting to develop a conventional geothermal resource.
"Conventional geothermal power is derived from naturally occurring sources of hot water in naturally permeable geological formations," managing director Roger Massy-Greene said.
“HFR relies upon artificially creating an underground heat exchanger to extract heat from high-temperature, low-permeability rocks. It is not yet a source of commercial production of electricity.”
In contrast, conventional geothermal power has been proved to be capable of delivering reliable and renewable baseload energy with no emissions and a low environmental impact.
There are currently about 250 conventional geothermal electricity plants worldwide producing 8900MW, but none of these are in Australia. Scopenergy aims to set up Australia’s first such plant.
“Approval of the REDI grant is an important milestone in the development of the project which has the potential to generate large supplies of reliable baseload power to the South Australian and national electricity markets,” Massy-Greene said.
“The project has the potential to produce electricity at a cost that is comparable with conventional sources, but this grant is important because it helps finance 3D seismic and drilling that are critical to proof of concept.”
Scopenergy has secured a first mover advantage in the Limestone Coast region of the Otway Basin in South Australia with 2,634 square kilometres of Geothermal Exploration Licences. It claims this is Australia’s most prospective region for conventional geothermal power.
“Scopenergy has identified large conventional geothermal resources in the Otway Basin in South Australia that are believed to be analogous to resources in California that have been in production for 20 years,” the company said.
“Initial estimates by the world’s largest geothermal consultancy, US based GeothermEx, indicate the generating potential of these leases at more than 1,500MW. The company’s aim is to be generating 50MW by 2009 and thereafter to expand its generating capacity to 250MW in the medium term.”
