Geothermal Energy: Volcanic history of the Coso geothermal field, California

Principal Investigators: Allen Glazner, Drew Coleman, Jonathan Lees, Jose Rial
Geological Sciences

Geothermal power represents a significant, largely untapped, source of sustainable energy in the U.S., accounting for 5% of California's energy usage. The Coso geothermal field, located in the eastern California desert on the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, can produce over 250 megawatts of energy, enough to supply the needs of over 65,000 homes. Power is produced from wells drilled into bedrock beneath a coating of young volcanic rocks. The young volcanism is undoubtedly the source of the heat, but why the geothermal resource is localized in this area is not well known. The Navy has been conducting a thorough scientific study of this resource to better understand why it is localized where it is, what controls the circulation of fluids and consequent power production, and how to better explore for other production sites. Allen Glazner has been funded for several years to work on the volcanic and structural history of the region, which provides insights into the extent of energy potentially available at the site and the optimal locations for extraction of that energy. Current work includes studies of the magma sources and their depths of storage beneath the volcanic field. Other UNC faculty (Coleman, Lees, Rial) have also worked on the Coso field.

Active hot springs and fumaroles at one of the Coso well sites, January 2004.