Strategies, Structures and Process for Owning and Operating an Energy Resource Park
Author: Shaun Tudor
Year: 2016
Supervisor: Viðar Helgason & Einar Jón Ásbjörnsson
Abstract
Industrialization has increased the demand for sustainable solutions to business, environmental and social challenges. This demand stems from all sectors of society, and involves decisions of varying magnitude. The dynamic and variable nature of such demand must be answered with an equally interdisciplinary response, involving concerted and proactive interaction between otherwise isolated or unrelated sectors of society.
An Energy Resource Park (ERP) answers such demand through careful and coordinated exploitation of geothermal resources; maximizing utilization of the resource through energy production and cascaded recovery of heat for industrial applications. The concept inspires industrial symbiosis, where previously independent industries exchange heat and waste bi-products, in-turn lowering operating costs and raising each participant's “bottom line”. The ERP fundamental design includes a high temperature geothermal resource that will be exploited for both thermal and electric power generation. Waste heat, gases and minerals produced by the power plant are recognized as “Waste to Value” (W2V) streams, and become utilized as inputs to Energy Resource Park “actors”, such as industrial corporations, municipalities, educational institutions, and local residents. The ERP will execute Creating Shared Value (CVS) policies and practices through defined ERP value streams, where independent actors collaborate to achieve shared economic and environmental goals. The ERP mission is driven by core values that aspire to achieve secure, diverse and sustainable economies through development of collaborative communities aiming to achieve zero-waste.
The primary expected ERP societal impacts include: increased sustainable energy development and consumption; job generation (one power plant employs ~50 people, whereas expanded ERP could employ ~500); competitive edge in market place through lowering operating costs and streamlining waste/energy streams; education opportunities involving universities, technical institutions and corporate clients engaged in courses, seminars and research projects; high standard of living for all involved and near to the ERP through rigorous execution of environmental and corporate social responsibility policies. The ERP is scoped to be integrative cycle-based movement that simultaneously builds sustainable infrastructure and policy in developing countries. When looking at a map of accessible geothermal energy, you can see the resource is prevalent amongst developing counties, lying on tectonic plate fault-lines. It is imperative that such countries develop sustainable infrastructure and policy instead of becoming another fossil fuel dependent state.
The ERP concept is tested and proven as observed in Suðurnes, Iceland. The Suðurnes Resource Park has integrated multiple industries of varying operation and market share into one unified organization that has proven to be financially viable whilst preserving the environment.
This thesis is the foundation for a handbook to owning, developing, implementing, and operating an ERP. Comprehensive detail regarding development and operational processes as well as management and ownership strategies are priority outputs of this research. The long-term mission is to develop ERPs upon existing and new geothermal resources internationally. Ultimately, a global network will assemble independent ERPs to work together in shaping sustainable economic and environmental policies and practices worldwide.