Renewable Energy Technology Assessments - Kauai Island Utility ...

Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative
Renewable Energy Technology Assessments 3.0 Renewable Energy Technology Options
Applications
In addition to generation of electricity and direct space heating applications, hot
water and saturated steam from a geothermal resource can be used for a wide variety of
process heat applications such as fish hatching, mushroom growing, refrigeration,
washing and drying of wool, drying and curing of light aggregate cement slabs,
evaporation in sugar refining, canning of food, drying of timber, and digestion of paper
pulp. 44
Resource Availability
Geothermal power is limited to locations where geothermal pressure reserves are
found. Well temperature profiles determine the potential for geothermal development
and the type of geothermal power plant installed. High energy sites are suitable for
electricity production, while low energy sites are suitable for direct heating.
Cost and Performance Characteristics
For representative purposes, a binary cycle power plant is characterized in Table
3-34. Capital costs of geothermal facilities can vary widely as the drilling of individual
wells can cost as much as four million dollars, and the number of wells drilled depends
on the success of finding the resource.
Table 3-34. Geothermal Technology Characteristics.
Performance
Typical Duty Cycle Baseload
Net Plant Capacity, MW 30
Capacity Factor, percent 70-90
Economics
Capital Cost, $/kW 3,300-5,200
Fixed O&M, $/kW-yr 260-390
Levelized Cost, $/MWh 84-128
Technology Status
Commercial Status Commercial
Installed US Capacity, MW 2,216
Kauai Potential Very Poor – No Resource
44 Geothermal Resources Council, 2003.
21 March 2005 3-75 Black & Veatch