Geothermal Energy Potential In The Caribbean Region

Geothermal Energy Potential in theCaribbean RegionErouscilla P. JosephSeismic Research UnitUniversity of the West IndiesSt. AugustineTrinidadTel: 1-868-662-4659Fax: 1-868-663-9293www.uwiseismic.comBarbados: March 2008

Regional Tectonic Setting The Lesser Antilles island arc extends 850 km along theeastern edge of the Caribbean Plate The islands of the arc have been largely built by volcanismabove a subduction zone, as the Atlantic Plate is beingsubducted under the Caribbean PlateThe University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Active Volcanic Centers of the Lesser Antilles There are 19 potentially “active”volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles Six (6) volcanoes have erupted in thepast 400 years Eleven (11) volcanoes:– have had severe earthquake swarms– have surface hydrothermal activityassociated with them– have deposits dated within the past10,000 years– have experienced all of the above The thermal energy of these volcanicislands makes them of interest forgeothermal explorationThe University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

OverviewAlthough geothermal resources are abundant on several of theislands, apart from Guadeloupe which has a 4.5 MWe binaryplant, geothermal development is still in the early stages forseveral reasons:1. Geothermal development is not a priority in the energy policiesof the island governments. Traditionally, the islands havedepended on diesel generation, with the exceptions ofDominica and St.Vincent which use hydroelectric power.2. None of the countries have geothermal laws; many do not havelaws for the regulation of the electricity sector in particular.3. Limited financing and the high cost of geothermal explorationhas held back the projects in the feasibility stage.4. There are no economic incentives for geothermal development.5. The population, and consequently the markets, of the islandsare small.The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Geothermal Energy PotentialHuttrer ranks the islands, in order of development potential, as follows:1. Guadeloupe2. St. Lucia3. DominicaGeothermal power could almostsurely be sold to the utilities for4. St. Vincentless than the 12 -15 /kWh cost of5. Nevisgeneration now estimated by the6. Sabavarious utility companies, and the7. St. Kittsprospect of initiating significant8. Grenadasavings is appealing to governmentofficials as well as the citizens-on9. Martiniquethe-streets (Huttrer, 1998).10. Montserrat11. StatiaThe University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

DominicaGeothermal Sites / Projects: Dominica has an estimated 1,390 MWe ofgeothermal power potential. Geothermaldevelopment is important as a substitute fordiesel generation and to supply Dominica’sincreasing base load demand. The French institute of geologicalinvestigations and mines, Bureau deRecherches Géologiques et Minières(BRGM), began the first integratedexploration of Dominica’s geothermalresources in 1977, identifying three areas ofinterest: Watten Waven, Boiling Lake, andSoufrière. 13th March 2008, Government launched a250 Million Euro Geothermal Project titled“Preparations of a geo-thermal based crossborder electrical interconnection in theCaribbean.”The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Geothermal Sites / Projects:Grenada Grenada has an estimated 1,110 MWe ofgeothermal power potential. OLADEobserved a possible resource of highenthalpy in the area of Mount SaintCatherine in 1981 which was laterconfirmed in 1992 as part of theUN/DTCD program. Prefeasibility studies have revealed onesmall solfatara on Mount Saint Catherine,several small thermal springs in ravinesradial to the central volcano, and numerousrelatively young phreatic explosion craters.Additionally, the sub-sea volcano “Kickem-Jenny” lies only five miles offGrenada’s north coast suggesting that thezone between it and the centralnortheastern part of the island may be ofgeothermal interest.The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

GuadeloupeGeothermal Sites / Projects: Guadeloupe has an estimated 3,500 MWeof geothermal power potential.Guadeloupe has the only geothermalpower plant in the Caribbean, a 4.5 MWedouble flash power plant at Bouillantewhich came online in 1984 and suppliesthe leeward coast of Basse-Terre withelectricity. The plant has been generating at anaverage rate of 4.7 MWe. The Bouillanteplant had intermittent problems caused byrelatively high amounts of noncondensable gases and associated H2S04,which seem to have been mitigated byCompagnie Française de Géothermie(CFG) (Huttrer, 1998). There are plans to expand the Bouillanteplant.The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

MartiniqueGeothermal Sites / Projects: The very active Mt. Pelecomprises an obvious locus forgeothermal resources. There aresolfataras, hot springs,underlying earthquake activity,and well developed fracturesystems (Huttrer, 1998). Martinique has an estimated3,500 MWe of geothermalpower potential. There are plans to set up ageothermal plant in Martinique(Lawrence, 1998).The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

MontserratGeothermal Sites / Projects: Montserrat has an estimated 940MWe of geothermal powerpotential. Even before the 1995 eruption,the southwestern flank of theSoufrière Hills Volcano was thesite of solfataric activity and ofnumerous thermal springs. There was also significantseismic activity, and severalwell developed fracture systemstransecting the volcano (Huttrer,1998.The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Netherland AntillesGeothermal Sites / Projects: The Netherlands Antilles have anestimated 3,000 MWe of geothermalpower potential. Saba is a small islandcomprising a central volcano with at least15 andesitic domes on its flanks. There is arecord of volcanic eruption(s) less than1000 years ago and there are numerous hotsprings along the shoreline and just offshore. The island is highly fractured, some hotsprings temperatures have risen in the last40 years. INEEL, GMC, and USGICprepared a preliminary assessment of thepotential for the development ofgeothermal resources of Saba and Statiaunder a DOE sponsored program.The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit While some heat probably remainsbeneath The Quill on Statia there are noknown hot springs or paleo-thermalareas on the island (Huttrer, 1998).

Saint Kitts & NevisGeothermal Sites / Projects: St. Kitts and Nevis have an estimated 50 MWeof geothermal power potential. INEEL, GMC,and USGIC prepared a preliminary assessmentof the potential for the development ofgeothermal resources of St. Kitts and Nevisunder a DOE sponsored program. There are encouraging geothermal indicia atfive places on Nevis. On Nevis’s western andsouthern sides there are two solfataras,numerous thermal wells, and a large area ofhydrothermal alteration. On St. Kitts, though there are moderately largeareas of steaming ground in the crater of MountLiamuiga, as well as thermal springs along thewestern shoreline, the geothermal indicia areless well-defined than on the other islands(Huttrer, 1998).The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Geothermal Sites / Projects:Saint Lucia St. Lucia has an estimated 680 MWe of geothermal powerpotential. In the 1980s, Aquater (Italy), Los Alamos NationalLaboratory (funded by USAID), and the UN Revolving Fundfor Natural Resources Exploration (UN/RFNR) conductedprefeasibility studies which included drilling production-sizeexploratory wells. The second of two wells drilled by a team led by Italiangeothermists found what appeared to be an economicallyexploitable resource. Unfortunately, this well sufferedmechanical failures and the produced steam was neverharnessed to generate power. More recently, INEEL, GMC, and USGIC prepared apreliminary assessment of the potential for the developmentof geothermal resources of St. Lucia under a DOE sponsoredprogram. Geothermal indicia on St. Lucia comprise a very largesolfatara near the village of Soufrière, numerous thermalsprings, and very recent volcanic activity including bothphreatic and pyroclastic eruptions (Huttrer, 1998).The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit

Saint Vincent & the GrenadinesGeothermal Sites / Projects: St. Vincent and the Grenadines have an estimated890 MWe of geothermal power potential. St. Vincent’s geothermal potential has not beenformally studied. INEEL, GMC, and USGICprepared a preliminary assessment of the potentialfor the development of geothermal resources of St.Vincent under a DOE sponsored program. La Soufrière volcano has erupted three times since1902, there is a steaming resurgent dome in thecrater and there are numerous hot springs in rivervalleys on the western side of the volcano (Huttrer,1998). Of additional interest are three strikingfeatures near Wallibou Beach, in an area locallyknown as “Hot Waters,” and a circular feature nearMorgans Wood near Trinity Falls (Huttrer, 1995).The University of the West IndiesSeismic Research Unit