A model is developed to estimate water requirements for electricity from various forms of geothermal resources. It considers two types of hydrothermal resources, wet steam and hot water, as well as enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Electricity can be generated using flash or binary (organic Rankine cycle) technology depending upon the temperature and pressure of geothermal fluid. Power plants can use three different types of cooling technologies – wet re-circulating, dry systems, and hybrid cooling systems. Requirements are calculated separately for freshwater, degraded water and geothermal fluid.

The renewable energy collaboratives established by the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research Program are actively coordinating their PIER supported activities to more efficiently contribute to PIER and other state energy and environmental goals. This is being accomplished, in part, by placing each of the collaboratives (biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind) within a single administrative structure, the California Renewable Energy Collaborative (CREC). This report describes 1) strategic plans for the four collaboratives identifying research focus areas, organizational development goals, and related management initiatives, including plans for enhancing the collaborative support base, 2) an outline for a renewable energy systems integration effort to deal with cross-cutting issues, and 3) a proposed structure for coordination of the collaborative activities within a single administrative structure. This report lays the foundation for further efforts that will consider how best to accelerate the contribution of renewable energy technologies to meet PIER efforts that support statemandated renewable energy goals and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Energy Commission has funded this work pursuant to the PIER Program Contract Number 500- 99-13 between UCOP CIEE and the Energy Commission, Basic Ordering Agreement Work Authorization Number BOA-99-209-P. This project contributes to the Renewable Energy Program area.