Raser Chosen To Develop 110,000 MW Geothermal Plant in Indonesia

Indonesia holds the world's 2nd largest reserves of geothermal power with the world's 4th largest population. Raser Technologies, Inc. was chosen to develop, in conjunction with Indonesia Power, over 100,000 acres of geothermal resources to build an estimated 110 MW of geothermal power in West Java, Indonesia's most populated island. read article

The 412 square kilometers (159 square miles) concession surrounds the Tangkuban Perahu volcano, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Bandung, the capitol of the West Java Province. Bandung has over 2 million people and is the largest city in the West Java Province, which has over 35 million residents.

Indonesia Power is a unit of PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Indonesia's state owned utility and has 127 power plants producing 8,888 MW of power. Indonesia Power will hold 51 percent ownership in the venture with Raser, while Raser will own 49 percent. It is expected that the capital to fund the development of the project in West Java will be independently financed.

PLN is expected to purchase the geothermal power in an effort to reduce its exposure to rising oil prices. Due to growth and rising fuel costs, Indonesia is experiencing an energy crisis and is actively pursuing a plan to grow geothermal power.

Indonesia has a stated goal to more than double its current 838 MW of geothermal power output by 2010 and to further grow its geothermal power generation to 9,500 MW by 2025. Outside of the United States, Indonesia has the world's largest geothermal power generation potential.

"We have studied this resource along with The Energy and Geoscience Institute and believe that it could potentially support 200 MW to 300 MW of clean renewable power," stated Michael Hayter, Raser's Director of Geothermal Development. "We anticipate that the initial phase of development will be a rapidly deployed binary plant with additional phases potentially including larger flash geothermal plants."

"We are excited about working with Indonesia Power to expand our geothermal development," stated Brent M. Cook, Raser's chief executive officer. "We recognize their expertise in geothermal power operations and applaud their commitment to further develop Indonesia's significant geothermal resources. We are honored to be their partner and look forward to working with them closely over the next several years."

Using New Geothermal Technology, Raser Could Tap 120,000 MW of Clean Power

The project will be one of the first geothermal plants in the nation to incorporate the new breed of low-temperature technology featured in Raser’s proprietary modular power plants. Each individual generation unit is manufactured off-site, delivered to the location, and rapidly installed to create, in essence, a geothermal farm with multiple 450 kW units. read article

Raser Feaured on Front Page of Digg.com

Raser Technologies made the front page of the popular new inernet news site Digg.Com featuring its new geothermal power plant and new technology at its first site in southern Utah.

Raser Discovers Nation's Largest Geothermal Resource in 25 Years

Raser discovers nation's largest geothermal resource in past 25 years in southern Utah. Raser is nearing completion of their first power plant at the site to provide electricity for Mickey Mouse's home town. read more

"We call them 'heat farms' because we're just extracting heat out of the earth," says Michael Hayter of Raser Technologies.

The heat farm has sprouted quickly near Minersville. In the last several weeks, construction crews for Raser Technologies have installed 50 individual modules that produce electricity from steam.

According to Raser, the units can be installed and making power within three to five days of delivery. They make 10 Megawatts, enough for 8,000 homes already sold to the city of Anaheim, California.

"We knew we had enough for 10 megawatts when we started the development," says Hayter. "And as we went on we found a much larger resource."

They found it hundreds of feet below ground where water is heated by molten rock. They started drilling into it about a year ago.

Now, some experts believe the underground hot water reservoir could produce as much as 238 MegaWatts, enough for a metropolis of 200,000 homes.

Raser's project in Utah was stimulated partly by a California mandate to get more electricity without adding to global warming. Dave Tabet, with the Utah Geological Survey, says, "It was a known geothermal resource area. But its potential hadn't been proven until Raser went in and did some more exploration."

At least a half dozen other places in Utah look promising for geothermal development.

But Tabet says until there's more drilling they won't really know the true potential of all those areas.

Raser hopes to eventually develop the full potential in Beaver County with hundreds more modules. To do it they need to sell a lot more electricity. But they claim their price is now competitive with coal.

Among the advantages of geothermal; the resource doesn't get used up over time and there are no fuel costs. Raser hopes to eventually sell power to utilities in Utah as well as California.