Army exploring geothermal energy for Fort Wainwright backup heat

Chena Hot Springs Resort’s geothermal-energy works harnesses nan assets for power and make electricity. (Courtesy Chena Hot Springs Resort)

Army officials say geothermal energy could supply a back-up root of power for Fort Wainwright. That’s why a contractor will soon beryllium exploring nan imaginable of tapping nan assets successful a bid of tests it hopes to behaviour successful Fairbanks-area heavy h2o wells.

If nan institution finds geothermal that tin beryllium tapped, it could thief support Fort Wainwright lukewarm during acold wintertime days, erstwhile nan station is relying solely connected thermal power from a mixed power and powerfulness works built successful nan 1950s.

Fort Wainwright’s mixed power and powerfulness works generates up to 22 megawatts of energy and thermal power to power nan post. (File/KUAC)

“Currently we person 1 coal-fired heating and powerfulness plant. And we do want to look astatine backup options,” said Eve Baker, a Fort Wainwright spokesperson. “We’re doing nan geothermal-energy exploration to analyse nan anticipation of incorporating redundant power sources to nan installation’s portfolio.”

The exploration task is portion of a Pentagon agency’s programme that includes studying nan anticipation of utilizing geothermal power arsenic a backup power root for subject installations.

Army officials decided early past twelvemonth to build a earthy gas-fueled system to power Fort Wainwright, but later put that connection connected hold. The geothermal inaugural is simply a abstracted effort. And Baker says if nan assets is available, it could output galore benefits for nan fort.

“There are galore reasons why we’re exploring nan geothermal option,” she said. “Energy resilience and redundancy, biology benefits – nan renewable quality of geothermal energy, and various factors.”

No guarantees, but trial results are promising

Joe Batir is heading up nan task for Teverra, nan contractor, and he says there’s nary guarantee capable geothermal imaginable will beryllium recovered to warrant moving up connected nan connection anytime soon. But he says results of erstwhile testing of heavy wells astatine Chena Hot Springs, Nenana and Eielson Air Force Base show promise.

A representation of Alaska’s geothermal resources shows a cluster of prospects successful nan Central Alaska Hotsprings Belt, including nan proven imaginable astatine Chena Hot Springs, depicted pinch a bluish star. (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

“Using that triangle of data, location are indicators that nan full Fairbanks area is successful a wide higher deep-well regime, which intends it’s sewage higher imaginable for geothermal energy,” said Batir, nan geothermal lead for nan Atlanta-based task contractor.

He says his team’s first privilege will beryllium to find wells astir Fairbanks that are astatine slightest 500 feet heavy and gauge nan somesthesia gradient from nan aboveground to groundwater.

“We deliberation that location is simply a bully imaginable for immoderate type of geothermal resource,” he added.

Contractor asks thief locating heavy wells

Batir says he’ll beryllium contacting landowners successful Fairbanks and North Pole complete nan adjacent mates of weeks who person heavy wells to inquire if his members of his squad tin behaviour tests connected it pinch a mini somesthesia sensor astir nan size of a pen, attached to a spool of wire.

He said nan testing chiefly involves “lowering nan sensor down into nan good to cod somesthesia readings passim nan well. It’s a beautiful speedy process, only takes a fewer hours.”

Batir emphasizes that nan testing is wholly voluntary.

“No obligation,” he said. “That’s why we’re asking. The extremity is to get much information and a amended knowing of what is perchance there.

Batir said he hopes to cod each of nan information from nan deep-well tests complete 2 weeks this month. Then they’ll walk nan remainder of nan twelvemonth analyzing it to find if nan geothermal power tin beryllium tapped.

“If things look promising and look prospective for geothermal energy, past we are going to propose an exploration drill hole” connected Fort Wainwright to behaviour much analysis, he said. He added that it’ll return astatine slightest a twelvemonth to execute that and to make much studies connected really geothermal power could beryllium integrated into Fort Wainwright’s existing heat-distribution system.

Baker says Teverra will supply its interaction accusation to group it communicates pinch during its nationalist outreach

There’s much accusation connected nan company’s website, teverra.com.