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To: NVDave
The areas most viable for geothermal power are in the Great Basin (ie, northern NV, southern ID, northeast CA, etc), perhaps northwest WY.

IIRC, there's a new-ish geothermal plant near Reno that's producing power. A few years back I was somewhat involved with a pilot geothermal plant in southern Idaho but they were having many problems with corrosion and mineral deposits in the plumbing.

Believe me, it isn't as easy as just tapping into the hot water and letting it do its thing. Geothermal water is loaded with all sorts of goodies: gold, silver, copper and many other minerals, some quite nasty. They can really plug up the "works" in elaborate heat-exchange equipment. They're the source of many ore deposits, like the famous Comstock Lode. In the U.S. geothermal energy remains one of those vague unproven "alternative" energy sources that the enviros claim will replace oil quickly -- not!

47 posted on 07/03/2008 10:09:57 AM PDT by Bernard Marx
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To: Bernard Marx

Yes, it is on the south side of the Truckee Meadows. Used to live near it. Take “Old 395” south from the intersection of NV-341/NV-431/US-395 towards Carson City. On the right hand side, you’ll see the geothermal plant up on the hill.

It is pulling the heat off “Steamboat Springs.”

Across 395 (ie, east of 395) there is a hot spring resort using the geothermal water as it comes out of cooling ponds.

As you indicate, the direct use of the geothermal water is possible for only “mineral hot springs” - for anything like a turbine system, it would deposit so much mineral stuff so quickly that the turbine would be ruined in a very short time.

There’s another geothermal power plant in Beowawe, at the north end of Eureka County, and another one near Rye Patch, along I-80, east of Lovelock.


61 posted on 07/03/2008 1:35:18 PM PDT by NVDave
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