Lithium Extraction and Geothermal Power Could Happen in Cornwall

The Express News Line highlights a discovery that is occurring all around the world that geothermal areas exude a brine that is often very rich in Lithium. In this case, Cornish Lithium is exploring a 15 mile stretch of a peninsula to explore the extent of the Lithium. They are consulting with companies like MGX Minerals and Canada and Pure Energy Minerals, which appear to extract the lithium using evaporation ponds. The companies also suggesting that they might also strike oil or gas should the drilling not hit brine with lithium in it. At the same time in the same area, may projects are planned to create electric power plants from the same brine.
I am not sure whether the two groups are talking to each other or not but they might want to look at what is going on at the Salton Sea where they have not only managed to create a large geothermal electric plant but used some its power output to power a lithium extraction plant.
The geothermal plant the Salton Sea requires a very small surface area to operate, this is true of all geothermal plants the smallest foot print of any energy plant clean or dirty. The way it operates is the hot brine is brought to the surface in a closed pipe and then put through a heat exchanger which heats as a secondary liquid that flashes into steam powering large electric turbines.  The brine is then sent in a closed pipe to the extraction plant, which extracts the lithium and other minerals from the brine. Once the extraction process is completed the brine in a closed pipe is reinjected into the mineral rich area it came from to be recycled.
It seems to me that it would be in the better interest of everyone to combine lithium extract with the production of geothermal energy, for a myriad of reasons.

Image from Renewable Energy World

Fossil Fuels Still Subsidized $3.80 per gallon?

A study published in the World Development journal has found that 6.5 percent of the worlds GDP goes to subsidizing fossil fuel. If we were to put this subsidy towards green energy imagine how quickly we could transition. Imagine if the fossil fuel companies put their profits toward green energy rather than more exploration or expansion. If we were to include the costs of pollution into the cost of fossil fuel you would have to add $3.80 to every gallon of gasoline and $4.80 to every gallon of diesel according to a study by Drew T. Shindell (former NASA, now Professor at Duke University). Similar costs are associated with coal and gas.
What does this mean in terms of electric cars? Even if an electric car was power through a coal plant the cost of operation would be less than half that of a gas car.
A good article on this report and be found through this link.

Fight Methane Crisis by Making Green Energy

Why We Need to Act

Methane our most dangerous greenhouse gas is 85 times worse than carbon dioxide. Reducing methane emissions is the fastest and cheapest way to reduce climate change. Not only that but with the Methane leaks, there are also carcinogenic chemicals being released as well, such as benzenes. 

We know from research in BC that the leakage is 2.5 times higher than what the Government reports list. In Alberta, the research indicates a 60% higher rate of release than the industry claims. 

What are the Benefits

Aside from the obvious benefit that we are going to reduce one of our worse greenhouse gases thus making an effort toward trying to slow down climate change, there are other benefits to this as well:

• In Alberta alone regulating methane would create 1,500 jobs immediately in the province. The only opposition against this at the moment is from the industry.
• The Canadian government estimates that the regulation of methane would result in a net benefit of 11.7 billion dollars, resulting from lower climate change impacts. The net saving to the health system is not included in this figure.
• The current methane loss per year is 55 million tons, enough to heat 200,000 homes for one year.

What Needs to be Done

The Minister can make this change by simply modifying the existing regulations to move that dates of compliance forward, no legislation required. They can also increase the frequency of inspections so they are as rigorous the US or better. Also, this regulation should apply to all wells currently single wells are exempt and well as oil facilities, both should regulate these serious omissions in the regulation.  

The Best Solution

This article from Green Energy illustrations how you can create 100 Megawatts from one abandoned oil well and stop the methane leakage at the same time. Even marginal wells can be used to produce one to three Megawatts. Of course, the power is produced 24 hours a day seven days a week.

This technology does the following:

• Taps energy that conventional technology can not use.
• Delivers scalable electric power
• Provides continuous yet flexible power for grid stability
• Provides green energy with no gas emissions, waste stream, explosives, dangerous chemicals, visual obstructions, and no possibility of ground water contamination.

To read article click here.

Illustration courtesy of Green Energy

The Enormous Potential for Geothermal Power Plants in British Columbia

The Canadian Geothermal Energy Association has a number of reports on the extensive energy potential of British Columbia, we never need to build a dam again and the costs of using this energy are less than a 1/3 of the cost of building a dam and with no environmental impact.

• British Columbia Geothermal Resource Estimate Key Findings.
• Geothermal Resource Estimate Maps of BC following a Global Protocol.

Geothermal Energy: The Renewable and Cost Effective Alternative to Hydro Dams

The Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) has produced a 60-page report assessing the geothermal potential of British Columbia. The report highlights how the provinces geothermal reserves are a much more cost effective alternative to the site C dam.

This report builds upon Joint Review Panel (JRP) of the Site C Clean Energy Hearings. The hearings concluded that: “a failure to pursue research over the last 30 years into B.C.’s geothermal resources has left BC Hydro without information about a resource the BC Hydro thinks may offer up to 700 megawatts of firm, economic power with low environmental costs.” 

CanGEA was granted interested party status at the JRP hearings, and this conclusion largely stems from CanGEA’s submissions. CanGEA considers this number, or 700 megawatts, low. To ensure the true value of geothermal energy is assessed, CanGEA has released The 10 Advantages of Geothermal Energy not Considered by BC Hydro or the Joint Review Panel. Seven of these are economic considerations and the other three address socioeconomic and environmental considerations.

Massive Green Energy Find in Abandoned Alberta Oil Wells!

The Canadian Geothermal Energy Association has just produced a report on the geothermal potential of existing oil wells in Alberta. Alberta alone has 60,000 wells with geothermal potential, to produce electricity for our grid, as well as heat towns and greenhouses.
The report lists the well sites who owns them and what towns they are near the wells.

The report can be read by clicking here.

Produce 100 Megawatts of Electricity from One Abandon Well

This technology does the following:

• Taps energy that conventional technology can not use.
• Delivers scalable electric power
• Provides continuous yet flexible power for grid stability
• Provides green energy with no gas emissions, waste stream, explosives, dangerous chemicals, visual obstructions, and no possibility of ground water contamination.

To read article click here.

Illustration courtesy of Green Energy