Originally published at Montara Energy Ventures.
Via Renewable Energy Access:
Question: I live near a geothermal hot spring. Does that mean that there are geothermal power resources underground? How do I go about finding out? — John from Moscow, Idaho
Karl Gawell’s Answer: Hi John. Thanks for your inquiry. I wish I could take a look at the spring. I came across one on a mesa just off a bike trail in the desert in New Mexico, and it was quite a beautiful sight. There was boiling water on the surface and all kinds of mineral deposits in and around the spring with patches of different colors.
The best answer I can give you to the first part of your question is a definite maybe. I would say that the chances are pretty good that you live near a geothermal resource. However, whether or not it is a resource that could be used for electrical power would require further exploration.
For a geothermal power resource you really need three things: 1. Hot water (do you happen to know the temperature of the spring?) 2. Permeability in the rock, and 3. Both of these attributes at a depth that is economically reachable.
There are a great many things one can do to assess resource potential including magnetic surveys, aerial photography, shallow temperature gradient grids (2m), fault mapping, and geothermal chemistry analysis (on springs like the one listed above.) Once the results from these activities are known, it may be worthwhile to invest in temperature gradient well(s) and if that checks out, you might move on to attempt to drill production wells. Geothermal resources have all the risk of petrochemical exploration and hopefully, as awareness and pricing adjust to meet the current state of power production, the reward will be similar as well. Until the reward more closely matches the risk, geothermal exploration and development will be hampered by lack of funding, particularly in the early stages of exploration and drilling.