A: List the major ideas, concepts or key points- point by point
Santa Rosa and Calpine Corporation, an energy company are partners in the world's largest geothermal wastewater-to-power project. They are using urban effluent to generate clean energy, improving life not only for humans but also for fish. Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge Project pumps 12 million gallons of treated wastewater through a pipeline to a mountaintop 40 miles from the city. $250 million Santa Rosa project presented daunting technical challenges. To get wastewater from Santa Rosa to the Geysers, a pipeline passes underneath city streets, residential developments and open field. Partnership of Calpine and Santa Rosa and Lake county fixed problems of depletion of underground resources, plants running out of steam, and to find a way to dispose.
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your views
By using treated wastewater as energy seems to be much better than burning of coal or oil for the same purpose. I believe that the benefits of the plant outweigh the cons. The Russian River is much healthier with less wastewater, the air is cleaner for the residents, and the energy can help supply the residents of the city. I personally would not mind small earthquakes as long as the damage was not to a large extent. I think a way to solve this is to not have the piping underground, so there is less risk of earthquakes.
So what?:
Says who?:
What if?... people used geothermal more:
What does this remind me of?: Our aquaponics. By useing fish waste as nutrients and reusable water to help plants grow, were saving water.
- Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge Project pumps 12 million gallons of treated wastewater through a pipeline to a mountaintop 40 miles from the city.
- Injects it down into an aquifer. Hot rocks boil the water into steam, which is piped to the surface to drive electricity-generating turbines
- A sister project in Lake County recycles 8 million gallons of wastewater a day.
- Together, installations generate 200 megawatts of electricity-equivalent to the output of a modest-size power plant without discharging greenhouse gases or pollutants in the atmosphere
- Electricity is sent as far as San Fransisco
- Technique could supply 10% of nation's electricity by 2050
- To succeed, plans to expand drilling here to start elsewhere will have to take into account small earthquakes from extracting steam
- Benefits are many says Dan Carlson
- Other communities are exploring various styles of geothermal energy
- For Santa Rosa, the unique something is the Geysers.
- Partnership of Calpine and Santa Rosa and Lake county fixed problems of depletion of underground resources, plants running out of steam, and to find a way to dispose groundwater while meeting state environmental requirements.
- Solution was to move wastewater to where it was wanted
- First recycled-water-to-electricity project in Lake County and Santa Rosa are poised to expand
- Lake County plants to extend pipeline beyond Clear Lake to accept wastewater from Lakeport and other communities.
- Calpine entered the geothermal business in 1989 and operates 19 of 21 Geysers power plants, spread across 40 square miles of steep slopes pocked with hundreds of steam walls
- $250 million Santa Rosa project presented daunting technical challenges.
- To get wastewater from Santa Rosa to the Geysers, a pipeline passes underneath city streets, residential developments and open fields
- The first geothermal power plant finished completion in 1921
- By 1960 advances made geothermal power viable on a larger scale
- Water goes through filtration, bacteria decomposition, and UV lights
- Since effluent has been injected into the ground, earthquake risk has increased
- Calpine has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by two billion pounds a year
Santa Rosa and Calpine Corporation, an energy company are partners in the world's largest geothermal wastewater-to-power project. They are using urban effluent to generate clean energy, improving life not only for humans but also for fish. Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge Project pumps 12 million gallons of treated wastewater through a pipeline to a mountaintop 40 miles from the city. $250 million Santa Rosa project presented daunting technical challenges. To get wastewater from Santa Rosa to the Geysers, a pipeline passes underneath city streets, residential developments and open field. Partnership of Calpine and Santa Rosa and Lake county fixed problems of depletion of underground resources, plants running out of steam, and to find a way to dispose.
C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using specific citations from the article to support your views
By using treated wastewater as energy seems to be much better than burning of coal or oil for the same purpose. I believe that the benefits of the plant outweigh the cons. The Russian River is much healthier with less wastewater, the air is cleaner for the residents, and the energy can help supply the residents of the city. I personally would not mind small earthquakes as long as the damage was not to a large extent. I think a way to solve this is to not have the piping underground, so there is less risk of earthquakes.
So what?:
- This type of technology is a good way to help the environment
Says who?:
- Jane Braxton Little
- Dan Carlson
- Mike Sherman
What if?... people used geothermal more:
- Less pollution
- Still having energy
What does this remind me of?: Our aquaponics. By useing fish waste as nutrients and reusable water to help plants grow, were saving water.