The JBSA is one in all 4 U.S. Division of Protection amenities to signal agreements this yr for the deployment of geothermal applied sciences. The undertaking within the JBSA will probably be carried out with Eavor Applied sciences Inc., who’re growing deep closed-loop geothermal options or superior geothermal methods.
Feasibility research and testing of the location’s potential is about to start inside 2024 and are anticipated to take as much as 10 years.
The JBSA was chosen as the location for one of many pilot initiatives due to a positive subsurface warmth profile. “There’s successfully a dome of warmth on the south aspect of San Antonio that brings warmth nearer to the floor than in different factors on the earth,” mentioned Kirk Phillips, director of the Air Pressure Workplace of Power Assurance in Washington D.C.
The proposed geothermal plant will probably be positioned on a 17-acre website on the Chapman annex of the Air Pressure facility. This website has good connections to the native electrical energy supplier, CPS Power. The JBSA will nonetheless depend on the grid for main energy, with the geothermal energy plant offering a dependable layer of redundancy.
“We’re working to generate revolutionary, long-term and self-sustaining vitality options for our mission’s future,” mentioned Air Pressure Brig. Gen. Russell D. Driggers, Commander at JBSA. “With this pilot undertaking, JBSA has a chance to spearhead improvements in clear vitality and resilient infrastructure.”
