Megan Geuss reports that most people think of Iceland when they think of geothermal power. On that island, approximately 90 percent of homes are heated by geothermal energy. But some 12 gigawatts of geothermal power are generated worldwide, and the US is one of the largest producers of it, generating nearly 3.4 gigawatts in 2013.
The Ormat Steamboat Complex is within the Reno city limits, and it is made up of seven smaller plants that collectively generate 78 megawatts of power. A typical coal-fired power plant can generate around 660 megawatts of power, so the Ormat 78 megawatts are not a lot by comparison. But when compared to other renewables, geothermal has some advantages. Also in Nevada is The Dixie Valley Caithness plant which is the largest single geothermal power generating facility in Nevada. It is located in the northern end of Dixie Valley about 100 km northeast of Fallon, Nevada and is currently producing 66 MW of electricity wheeled to the California power grid.
In California, it has solar, in Texas, it has wind, natural gas, and uranium, but only wind is an intermittent power sources. Geothermal as well as natural gas and uranium are base load sources of energy, and as such they are not subject to significant spikes in prices.
The US Geological Survey has already identified the relative favorability of occurrence for geothermal resources in the western contiguous United States. Geothermal energy advocates are quick to point out that when the Sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing, geothermal facilities can be brought online quickly.
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