Survey and preliminary evaluation of potential geothermal energy applications for Riverside, California

A preliminary assessment of the potential applications for geothermal energy in Riverside, California, was made. This assessment includes both potential electrical and non-electrical applications, and focuses on the following factors: the location of nearby geothermal resources; characteristics of these resources; types of applications suited to each resource; technical and economic feasibility of these applications; the potential impact on the energy demand of each application, and potential deterrents to the utilization of geothermal energy for the most promising application. It is concluded that geothermal energy has a promising potential to supply electricity, space heating and cooling, and process heat to Riverside. There are sufficient geothermal resources within 200 miles to supply the electrical requirements of Riverside for thousands of years. Depending on the particular reservoir involved, this electricity can probably be generated at costs ranging from 1 to 3 times the cost of conventional electric power generation. Over this distance, the additional unit cost for energy transmission should be comparatively small. The geothermal resource at nearby Arrowhead Hot Springs has the potential to supply space heating and cooling and process heat to Riverside for a hundred years. The technology for these non-electric uses is available. The cost of using geothermal energy for these applications is estimated at 1 to 2 times the cost of conventional fuels, depending on the population density of the service area. The most difficult problems in the possible use of geothermal energy in Riverside appear to be institutional difficulties in electric applications