Oregon Volcanic ENERGY

Katski, D. (2009, September 10). Geothermal Energy Under Newberry Volcano, Oregon. Volcanology. Retrieved November 10, 2009, from http://volcanology.suite101.com/article.cfm/geothermal_energy_under_newberry_volcano_oregon

Located about 30 miles south of Bend, Oregon, USA. stands Newberry Volcano. Covering about 994 square miles in volume, it is one of the largest Quaternary shield volcanoes in the United States. In 1988 the USGS published a 10-year study evaluating Newberry geothermal potential. Out of twenty drill sites, nine were tested for hydrothermal alteration mineralogy. The final conclusion was that geothermal development would be viable in most areas, particularly within the caldera. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), under their own study estimated energy output to be around 16,000 megawatts. Development however, never got off the ground as environmental groups successfully lobbied Congress in 1990 to designate Newberry as a national monument. For over twenty years exploration at Newberry has been dormant. As the demand for energy in Oregon has increased, the cry for a renewable energy source has also increased. In 2007 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved the Newberry Geothermal Project for Davenport Power.