Several green projects have received a financial boost from the US Department of Energy as it attempts to bring their ideas to life.
In total, $43.1million is to be spent over four years and distributed among 21 awardees, including 13 first-time recipients, in order to fund research, development and demonstration of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) for next-generation energy technologies.
A total of 17 awards are to be handed out to component technologies research and development. Among them, up to $987,739 will be awarded to Composite Technology with Wood Group ESP and New England Wire Technology based in Lafayette, Colorado, in order to develop an electric submersible pump motor coil that utilises inorganic insulation materials. It is hoped that these materials can be applied to motor coil winding conductors and provide superior electrical performance at elevated temperatures.
In addition, four awardees have been selected under the heading of systems demonstration which tests and validates stimulation techniques that improve productivity of wells or inter-well connectivity.
It is hoped that this focus on geothermal energy could help to supply a substantial portion of US electricity in the future at competitive prices with minimal environmental impact. This could help to address the issue of electricity used as a ‘fuel’ for green cars – many critics highlight that using electric cars merely displaces the carbon emissions as much of the energy currently comes from non-renewable sources.
