| Abstract |
Pagosa Springs, Colorado has a long history of using geothermal resources to heat much of the down town area. They were pioneers in the direct use of geothermal fluids in late 1980s when the city drilled two wells which were used to heat a number of buildings and supply geothermal water to a major spa complex in the city. Recent development of low temperature binary technology has allowed the city of Pagosa Springs and a private investor, Pagosa Verde, to consider the potential of generating electrical power from the resource. Investigations have defined the potential of a larger resource than previously thought with a predicted geo-thermometer temperature of over 120°C. Recently, Pagosa Verde, in cooperation with the Colorado School of Mines, have conducted extrusive geologic and geophysical studies identifying significant structural controls on the system. These structures are potential targets for geothermal gradient drilling followed by exploration drilling scheduled for the spring and summer of 2014. Given positive results of the exploration drilling, a program of production drilling, power plant engineering, and construction will occur in 2015. A unique portion of the Pagosa Springs project is the collaboration of public and private sectors to develop a project. The city of Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County and a private company, Pagosa Verde, have joined together to develop this project. They have also developed a team consisting of the State of Colorado, United States Department of Energy, and private equity to provide funding support. Because of the remote location of Pagosa Springs, small increments of power to their system would be beneficial. This project could be an example of the potential of geothermal to serve small rural communities throughout the Western United States as well as remote areas throughout the world utilizing lower temperature resources, new binary technology and innovative funding partnerships. |