Geothermal Power Plant

Figure of Merit Units Description Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) $ / MWh The cost per unit of energy generation, considering the lifetime costs of the facility. Well Production Rate kg / s The flow rate of geothermal fluid through the production wells. Measured by the mass of fluid by a unit of time. Power Potential MW / Heat Flow Rate (Q) The power produced is divided by the thermal power available from the geothermal resource. This flow comprises the flow rate and the heat capacity of the fluid. Q = flow rate*ρCT.

Capacity Factor % The ratio of the actual power output of the plant to the maximum possible output. This captures system inefficiencies and downtime. Power Generation Density MW/acre Measures the power output compared to the area of land required to produce the output. Carbon Emissions kg CO2 / MWh The amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit of energy. Geothermal Resource Potential % Measures the percentage of a land area that can access a geothermal resource of at least 200 ⁰C. This temperature is used because it is the approximate minimum thermal resource required to operate geothermal power plants other than binary cycle plants. Rate of Penetration (ROP) ft/hr The rate at which a geothermal borehole is drilled. While this only considers the installation of the geothermal plant, the boring cost and time represent between 40-75% of the plant’s lifecycle costs [4].