Geothermal-Based Industrial Park Development in South-Central Colorado

Abstract

The Four Corners Regional Commissions funding a unique action-oriented program through the Southern Colorado Economical Development District (SCEDD) to attract business and industry, and create employment through the establishment of a geothermal based industrial park. Geothermal field envelopment is often slowed by the fact that a user for the product hot water is not committed to the new energy supply. Likewise, a business is not inclined to commit contractually to the resource use until the hot water is actually available. Consequently, the entire circumstance tends to evolve into and impenetrable circle, with neither the geothermal developer nor the user willing to commit to action. The current Four Corners SCEDD program is designed to break into that circle by providing for actual on site drilling to proved the resource water qualities and temperatures at production depths. The program is also unique in that the multi-disciplines of State and local economic development agencies and private Advisory Committee members are being actively utilized in the user identification, financing analysis and site selection process.