Greenearth Energy (ASX: GER) is a diversified Australian renewable energy company that has interests in conventional geothermal resources in Australia, Indonesia and the wider Pacific Rim.
The company also has technology opportunities and project applications in the waste heat recovery, energy efficiency, combined heat and power solar, and CO2 to fuel conversion markets.
Greenearth Energy secures contract with Newcrest Mining for geothermal operations
Greenearth Energy (ASX: GER) has been awarded a services contract with Australia's largest gold producer Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM), aimed at maximising the electrical output from its geothermal operations on Lihir Island.
The geothermal brine testing services contract secured by Greenearth subsidiary Pacific Heat and Power Pty Ltd (PHP) is designed to assist in producing further emissions-free power at the site in New Ireland province of Papua New Guinea.
The contract involves evaluating the low temperature brine that is currently under-utilised, using a specially designed test rig. PHP will provide a lead coordination role between international equipment suppliers and local geothermal experts.
On completion, the test results will provide critical information required to select and design a Turboden Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system that maximises the geothermal power production, whilst minimising maintenance requirements and ensuring high reliability.
Mark Miller, managing director of Greenearth Energy, said "this activity strengthens our belief that there is a substantial future for ORC technology in the Pacific Islands."
"Our range of power generating systems, complementary services and associations with skilled engineering companies have the potential to efficiently deliver significant megawatts of emissions free, or low emissions power in Australia and the wider Pacific Rim.”
Turboden has been a Pratt and Whitney Power Systems Company since 2009, part of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX).
Turboden specialises in the applications of Organic Rankine Cycle technology, a technology which allows the producuction of electric power efficiently and in a user friendly way, from low temperature and/or low power heat sources.
Significantly, Turboden’s ORC equipment has a proven track record. The company recently completed contracts for three 5MWe geothermal systems to customers in Germany.
The systems operate on temperature sources similar to the temperature of brine at Lihir island, brine from separators in high temperature geothermal systems, or to be found in Australian geothermal applications.
Turboden’s range of equipment includes modular ORC units with high efficiency, ranging in sizes from 1MWe to 10MWe and scalable solutions for larger plants.
Geothermal Turboden ORC can produce electricity from geothermal sources with medium to low temperature, ranging between 90°C – 180°C.
