Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Letter of Support for Sonoma Clean Power's Department of Energy Grant to Implement a Pilot Project at Geysers Geothermal Facility Date: February 14, 2023
Written by: Damien O'Bid, City Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council authorize by motion the Mayor to execute a letter of support for a Department of Energy Grant to implement a pilot project to improve peak power generation at the Geysers Geothermal facility.
Background
Sonoma Clean Power has requested letters of support from all member cities for their Department of Energy grant application together with Cyrq and Calpine for a novel way to store heat from the Geysers steam to produce power later when it is most needed.
Analysis/Discussion
The proposed pilot project to store energy upstream from the steam turbine-driven electric generators would allow the operator to superheat the steam during peak periods. This is expected to improve generator output and reduce the need for dirty “peaker” plants to spin up throughout the state during these times.
This type of renewable energy efficiency project is in alignment with longstanding City Council goals to reduce greenhouse gas reductions to meet our individual and collective climate goals.
Financial Considerations
None.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
Attachments:
Cyrq GeoZone Project Summary (PDF) Draft
Letter of Support City of Cotati (DOCX)