Geothermal Electric Power Generation Business Guide
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We documented 9 challenges in Geothermal Electric Power Generation. Now get the actionable solutions — vendor recommendations, process fixes, and cost-saving strategies that actually work.
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All 9 Documented Cases
Scale-Induced Efficiency and Flow Reduction
Reduced megawatt efficiency and power generation (quantified via production losses)Scale deposition in heat exchangers, turbines, pipes, and injection wells insulates surfaces, reduces heat transfer efficiency, lowers flow rates, and blocks brine flow, causing ongoing megawatt output losses. This leads to idle equipment capacity and decreased thermal energy production without constant intervention. Corrosion exacerbates flow restrictions and equipment downtime in production systems.
Excessive Chemical Dosing and Scale Removal Costs
$ savings of 33% on chemical costs per well (implying prior overruns)Geothermal plants incur high ongoing costs from over-dosing scale inhibitors due to threshold inhibition levels and suboptimal product selection, leading to unnecessary chemical expenses. Without advanced monitoring and modeling, plants rely on higher dosages of incumbent products, resulting in sustained operational waste. Mechanical scale removal, when chemical prevention fails, adds further recurring expenses compared to proactive inhibition.
Reduced Reinjection Efficiency and Thermal/Chemical Breakthrough
Not quantified; linked to power plant capacity loss and additional drillingImproper brine reinjection management causes thermal breakthrough (premature cooling of production wells) and chemical breakthrough, reducing production well output and requiring make-up wells. This leads to power plants operating below design capacity and modifications to field operations. In fields like Olkaria and others, affected wells recovered only after reducing or stopping infield reinjection.
Idle Equipment and Reduced Power Output from Turbine Inefficiencies
$Unknown - output diminished by fouling and downtime across geothermal plantsSuboptimal turbine performance due to fouling, erosion, and poor steam path design results in diminished flow capacity and lower electricity generation. Operators experience capacity shortfalls from blade dynamics issues, vibratory stresses, and moisture damage, leading to lost production opportunities. Best practices highlight the need for retrofits and analysis to restore full output.