RICO – Colorado School of Mines Professor Professor Masami

Nakagawa comes to Rico Saturday, Dec. 12, for a “Geothermal Academy Kickoff in Rico,” Rico Mayor Barbara Betts reported this week.

The event, essentially a forum for announcing the creation of a Geothermal Academy in Rico, and a discussion of the Rico area’s overall geothermal potential – begins at 9 a.m. in the Rico Courthouse, with a break for lunch, and ends at 4 p.m.

Topics include Ground Source Heat Pumps and Civil Applications; Direct Use and Small Power Generation; National Renewal Energy Laboratory Geothermal Program; Renewable Energy Policy; San Miguel Power and a roundtable discussion/wrap-up.

Earlier this month, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the availability of up to $338 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies. The grants will support 123 projects in 39 states; recipients range from private industry to academic institutions, tribal entities, local governments, and the DOE’s National Laboratories. The grants will be matched more than one-for-one with an additional $353 million in private and non-Federal cost-share funds. “The United States is blessed with vast geothermal energy resources, which hold enormous potential to heat our homes and power our economy,” said Secretary Chu. “These investments in America's technological innovation will allow us to capture more of this clean, carbon free energy at a lower cost than ever before. We will create thousands of jobs, boost our economy and help to jumpstart the geothermal industry across the United States.” These grants are directed towards identifying and developing new geothermal fields and reducing the upfront risk associated with geothermal development through innovative exploration and drilling projects and data development and collection. In addition, the grants will support the deployment and creative financing approaches for ground source heat pump demonstration projects across the country.

Collectively, these projects will represent a dramatic expansion of the U.S. geothermal industry and will create or save thousands of jobs in drilling, exploration, construction, and operation of geothermal power facilities and manufacturing of ground source heat pump equipment.

If you are interested in attending, please call Betts at 970/967-3541.