Thermoelectric Generator Application and Pilot Test in a Geothermal Field

Using thermoelectric generator technologies for geothermal energy production.

Grid Decarbonization and Decentralization Zero-Carbon Dispatchable Generation

AltaRock Energy, Inc.

Recipient

Seattle, WA

Recipient Location

beenhere

$869,706

Amount Spent

closed

Completed

Project Status

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Project Result

The project team deployed two small test units (about 100 and 500 watts each) at the geothermal site as a test run. The lessons learned helped the team make improvements to the design and process.

The Issue

Growth of the geothermal industry has been limited by the need for large and costly power plants and large-scale infrastructure to produce geothermal electricity economically. Typically, a geothermal project cannot produce electricity economically at a scale less than 5 MW. If smaller geothermal power plants could be economical, this would open up more opportunities to add geothermal power to the mix of supply resources.

Project Innovation

Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) technologies have the potential to produce geothermal electricity without as much infrastructure (turbines, steam piping, etc.), thus making small-scale production and geothermal-powered microgrids both practicable and affordable. Small (below 5 MW) geothermal projects could provide consumers with the same distributed power flexibility provided by solar and wind production with the additional benefit of being a more reliable baseload source of electricity. TEG technologies can also allow geothermal heat to provide balancing and grid support. This project is scaling up a TEG from the watt-level in the lab to a 20-kW unit for demonstration in a geothermal reservoir.

Project Benefits

This project will develop a means to expand use of low temperature and stranded geothermal resources by making small scale production both practicable and affordable.

Affordability

Thermoelectric Generator technologies have the potential to help small-scale geothermal power generation to be more cost-effective by requiring less infrastructure and a streamlined set of mechanical equipment.