| Abstract |
The application of geothermal energy to direct heating applications is being aided by twenty three field experiment projects funded on a cost haring basis by the U.S. Department of Energy, Division of Geothermal and Hydropower Technologies. The projects, started in 1978 and 1979, are completed or nearly competed. They provide a current experience base against which the private and municipal sectors can evaluate potential projects and on which they can base their project plans. Thirteen of these projects were administered by the DOE Idaho Operations Office with technical support form EG&G Idaho, Inc. The results of these projects are presented with emphasis on : energy replaced, economic payback, system designs and resource assessment and development. The thirteen projects currently replace about 58,000 barrels of oil per year and avoid an imported oil cost of $1.7 million/year. They have a future potential of 84,000 barrels/year and $2.5 million/year. |