| Early 1900s | | First geothermal electricity
commercialization | Conversion of high-grade hydrothermal resources to electricity
began in Italy in the early 1900s. |
| 1960 | | U.S. commercialization | The first commercial-scale development tools were placed at
The Geysers in California, a 10-megawatt unit owned by Pacific
Gas & Electric. |
| 1970 | | Reinjection of geothermal fluids | Injection of spent geothermal fluids back into the production
zone began as a means to dispose of waste water and maintain
reservoir life. |
| 1972 | | Deep well drilling | Technology improvements led to deeper reservoir drilling and
access to more resources. |
| 1977 | | Hot dry rock demonstrated | In 1977, scientists developed the first hot dry rock reservoir at
Fenton Hill, New Mexico. |
| 1978 | | Federal research and
development (R&D) funding exceeds
$100 million | U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding for geothermal
research and development was $106.2 million (1995 dollars) in
fiscal year 1978, marking the first time the funding level
surpassed $100 million. It remained above $100 million until
fiscal year 1982, when it was reduced to $56.4 million (1995
dollars). Currently, the budget is in the $30 million to $40
million range. |
| 1978 | | Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act
(PURPA) enacted | PURPA mandated the purchase of electricity from qualifying
facilities (QFs) meeting certain technical standards regarding
energy source and efficiency. PURPA also exempted QFs from
both State and Federal regulation under the Federal Power Act
and the Public Utility Holding Company Act. |
| 1980 | | First commercial binary system | The first commercial-scale binary plant in the United States,
installed in Southern California's Imperial Valley, began
operation in 1980. |
| 1980s | | California Standard Offer Contracts | California's Standard Offer Contract system for PURPA QFs
provided renewable electric energy systems a relatively firm
and stable market for output, allowing the financing of such
capital-intensive technologies as geothermal energy facilities. |
| 1982 | | Hydrothermal generating
capacity of 1,000 megawatts | Geothermal (hydrothermal) electric generating capacity,
primarily utility-owned, reached a new high level of 1,000
megawatts. |
| 1989 | | Geopressured power plant
demonstrated | In 1989, DOE and the Electric Power Research Institute
operated a 1-megawatt demonstration plant in Texas, extracting
methane and heat from brine liquids. |
| 1990 | | Drop in Federal funding for geothermal
R&D to $15 million | DOE funding for geothermal energy research and development
declined throughout the 1980s, reaching its low point in fiscal
year 1990. |
| 1991 | | Magma drilling project
reaches a depth of 7,588 feet | The world's first magma exploratory well was drilled in the
Sierra Nevada Mountains to a depth of 7,588 feet. It did not
encounter magma at that depth inside the caldera. |
| 1994 | | Industry consolidates
and looks at new markets | California Energy became the world's largest geothermal
company through its acquisition of Magma Power. Near-term
international markets gained the interest of U.S. geothermal
developers. |
| 1985-95 | | Capacity outside The Geysers exceeds
1,000 megawatts | Since 1985, U.S. geothermal developers have added nearly 1,000
megawatts of geothermal electric generating capacity outside
The Geysers. |
| 1995 | | Worldwide geothermal capacity of 6,000
megawatts | Worldwide geothermal capacity currently totals 6,000
megawAtts in 20 countries. |