Sonoma Clean Power soliciting private partners for geothermal opp. zone
Geothermal plant at The Geysers, California (source: Calpine)
Alexander Richter
14 Mar 2022
Sonoma Clean Power has issued a Request for Information to identify entities for SCP to consider entering into a public-private partnership agreement to accelerate development of geothermal resources in the GeoZone.
Sonoma Clean Power (SCP), the public power provider for Sonoma and Mendocino counties in the State of California is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to select entities to enter a public-private partnership.
The purpose of this partnership will be to accelerate development of incremental geothermal resources in a Geothermal Opportunity Zone (GeoZone) spanning Sonoma and Mendocino counties. SCP ultimately seeks to enable 500 MW of incremental local geothermal development while maintaining existing regional geothermal capacity. We reported on the planned GeoZone earlier this year.
The goal of this solicitation is to identify entities for SCP to consider entering into a public-private partnership agreement to accelerate development of geothermal resources in the GeoZone. While SCP is interested in moving as quickly as possible, the agency recognizes that this effort is not on the same timeline as the State’s current procurement orders providing reliability or backfilling capacity when Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant closes. The timeline for reaching 500 MW is not yet established.
A recent article in the North Bay Business Journal provides a good backgrounder on energy projects in the region, including GeoZone.
SCP has an interest in entering into a partnership agreement with selected entities to collaborate on transmission planning, community engagement, regulatory advocacy, public education, and state and federal grants to enable development of additional geothermal capacity in the GeoZone.
SCP is also interested in opportunities that sustain the longevity and efficiency of existing resources. SCP’s intent is to be the off-taker for as much as 150 MW of the capacity from resources developed through the partnership and will leverage its relationship with other load-serving entities to assist marketing all GeoZone output.
Join an information webinar set up for March 31, 2022
- GeoZone RFI Webinar for Solicitation Respondents on March 31, 2022 10:00 AM in Pacific Time (US and Canada) – Registration here.
Geothermal Opportunity Zone (GeoZone)
In October 2021, the SCP Board of Directors passed a resolution creating a GeoZone that invited local counties to join SCP in exploring the opportunity to accelerate regional geothermal development. The County of Mendocino passed a resolution formalizing their membership in the GeoZone in December 2021 and Sonoma County passed their resolution to join the GeoZone in February 2022.
Member counties will be engaged in the solicitation of private partners to proactively identify compatibility with community values. The initial extent of the GeoZone spans the county boundaries of its members, although it is subject to significant technical, practical and political refinement.
Figure 1 (below) shows an overview of the boundary overlaid on modeled temperature data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), current transmission lines, the current Geysers plants, and existing well penetrations. The GeoZone includes part of the existing Geysers field and other prospects with the permeability and temperature required for conventional hydrothermal development. It also encompasses areas with elevated geothermal temperatures and diverse characteristics that make it an inviting location for evaluating emerging geothermal technologies.
SCP’s objective for the GeoZone is to adequately address the environmental, transmission, permitting, water and public education needed to enable 500 MW of incremental geothermal development in the region. This will require close coordination with the local jurisdictions, air quality boards and wastewater districts, technical evaluation of regional transmission constraints with CAISO, and significant private and public investment.
Given its favourable geothermal characteristics, the GeoZone has been the focus of significant technical study and exploration.
Learn more about the Sonoma-Mendocino GeoZone here.
Source: Sonoma Clean Power (pdf)
