Recently concerns have emerged about the government’s geothermal project in the Roseau Valley.
Citing health and environmental concerns, Laudat residents have been calling for a closer look at the project and its potential impact on the island.
The government has said that all concerns will be addressed but the controversy rages on.
Is geothermal really safe? What are the pros and cons of this type of energy?
In an effort to contribute to the process of educating readers on the matter Dominica News Online is providing two links below with information which addresses both sides of the issue.
The scheme should be put on hold, for however long, until the people can be reassured, with proof, that there is no danger to their wellbeing. I am talking about possible effects in the near future.
Dominica is not a big country so any false move can prove catastrophic.
it is very simple. Nothing is for free. If were are prepared to drill. I hope we can are prepared to accept the consequences
Sad factor – people living nearby will be the one ‘facing the consequences’
As long as it is not in your backyard, right Orisha?
All this roro is a sign of people’s subconscious distrust of this administration’s integrity and competence. The discomfort will only grow.
yes yes yes we love our Skerrit but do we really respect him or think him capable enough to manage a project of this magnitude or trust that he is negotiating the best possible deal for Dominica? I think not. I know I don’t. Worse yet after all of the headache, potential future disasters, we still wont have lower costs.
There is another part to the case against Geothermal Exploration. The successful case that was presented for Geothermal is only pictures and as we all know pictures can paint a pretty picture. I would have preferred to hear voice of Guadeloupe citizens who are in support of Geothermal and give the reason(s) for such support. DNO please assist.
Here is the second link of the case against Geothermal.
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2012/04/27/video-a-case-against-geothermal-part-two/
its not healthly Dominicans do your reseach
Like or Dislike: 0 0 GWATANCE January 19, 2010
It is a matter of PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE. Stop fooling the people. The whole Region is at this moment volatile and changing especially with the drilling of the Earth for renewal(geothermal) energy. The need for population first aid training is necessary as part of that preparedness. TO BE LATE IS NOT ALWAYS A WISE MOVE
(My comments January 2010)
This comment above and the fact of the many dormant volcanoes in Dominica both on land and sea,was contradicted by a comment comparing the similar excercise and safety of such a project in ICELAND. That volcano in ICELAND, delayed my stay in New York for a week My concern is digging the many metres in the bowels of the Earth and the pressures of the various steam/gases, if not under proper prepared control, may create a boomerang/domino effect with these dormant volcanoes. I HOPE IT IS NOT TOo LATE. If so, where can the people run to. I ONLY ASK???
Check Facebook for more information: Geothermal Awareness Group Dominica
What percentage of shares does Dominica own in this project? will we really benefit or will it be another petro caribe… still waiting for that drop in fuel costs
Dominica will have zero shares, and will only be permitted a 5% royalty. This is the most absurd level of stupidity in modern times. It is like voluntarily introducing slavery upon yourself.
hey, Lang Dough, your posts conflicts with that of Cerberus below. Have a look!
SMH!
And the other option is to do nothing and get 5% share of nothing, right?
@ Peeping Tom
Apparently you have problems with reading. So I will first advise you to stop SYH, and focus on the facts.
What Cyberus speaks about is the notorious West Indies Power Contract. This you should know is for a phantom company that claimed they were interesting in prospecting the Soufrière area for geothermal production. The Roseau Valley project is distinctly different from that project. So you are mixing apples and limes.
Good question Peter.
As per the Govt’s own press release (no.109/2008)an agreement was signed on 24 July 2008 between the Govt. (in the person of the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit) and West Indies Power Dominica Ltd., granting the latter a licence for the development of geothermal energy in Dominica. Representing the local company was Mr. Gregory de Gannes, chairman of parent company West Indies Power Holdings B.V., itself registered in the Netherlands Antilles. At the time Mr. de Gannes was also Managing Director of the National Bank of Dominica. In return for the licence Dominica was to receive a 10% equity stake in West Indies Power Dominica Ltd. plus annual royalties 0f 3% on domestic- and 5% on esxport supplies.
The CFO of West Indies power Dominca Ltd. was Mr. Apockinas, owner of local off-shore bank Griffon, subsequently sold to Vladimir Antonov, renamed Banco Atlantico, which fell into receivership and liquidation and with its new owner facing an extradition hearing in London next week on fraud charges,of which he was found guilty in absentia by the Govt. of Lithuania.
there are 3 main types of geothermal power plants Direct Dry Steam , Flash and Double Flash Cycle and Binary Cycle the system that went wrong in hawiai was a direct dry steam system where the steam from the geothermal reasevoir was used then released into the environmant these plants are no longer being created the condenced water is now being placed back into the ground along with all the chemicals it contains secondly the people of laudat and the roseau vally have been leaving with hot springs for years and years and the same chemiccals they now complain thats goign to be released has been emminating from titou gorge watten waven trafalgar and valley of desolation for years so they just beinf silly when they complain about chemicals cause they leave in it all the time
the only reason i would not build a geothermal plant in that area is that the ground is extremely fractured so any water that is pumped down ur injection wells may end up wenting all over the place other than back up ur production well which is extremely problematic
i would build such a plant in an area of low volumes if ground fractures layou valley is a good example there has minimal surface volcanic activity but still enough to allow u to drill deep to attain the resource
a geothermal plant should not be built in population centers so the roseau vallel is not the best place to build such a plant
ON THE GOOD POINT A GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT IS THE BEST THING FOR DOMINICA IT WILL IN THE LONG RUN LOWER ELECTRICITY RATES ON THE ISLAND SO IF GOVERNMENT CAN GET THE PORT TO LOWER CUSTOMS DUTIES ON IMPORTS AS WELL A CHEAP SOURCE OF POWER AND LOW IMPORT DUTIES ( LIKE CHINA AND INDIA ) WILL MAKE DOMINICA A GREAT PLACE FOR MANUFACTURING BEING SO CLOSE TO AMERICA LOOK AT TRINIDAD THERE IMPORT DUTY IS LOW AND POWER IS CHEAP THERE SO THERE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IS WELL ADVANCED THATS WHT GOVERNMENT NEED TO DO CAUSE TOURISM NOT DOIGN ANYTHIGN MUCH FOR US BUILD THE POWER PLANT LOWER CUSTOMS DUTY AND JUST SIT BACK AND LOOK AT HOW DOMINICA GOIGN TO GROW
@ anonymous.
You seem to have done some research, however you do have some factual inaccuracies. One of them is stating that the present venting of hot air and steam which affords at the valley area is the same as in a full blown geothermal condition. The distinct difference is in depth. The present natural scenario is much more shallow than what is found in a geothermal production well.
For more information on geothermal possible hazards look at the Geothermal Awareness group Dominica Facebook page, also to learn more about the group and it’s aim to prevent long term environmental impact that cannot be reversed.
see the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Geothermal-Awareness-Group-Dominica/444961488891948?fref=ts
In as much as we appreciate the information you are putting out there it would be nice if you reveal who you are stop hiding behind anonymity. Come out and have an open discussion because you are showing one side of the story. Would you by any chance have some land or business being threatened by this project?
And your name is @ listening (I presume)
Where is the Democracy…
A palace in front of a library that cannot afford to buy new books and a Geothermal plant in the back our homes… the Gov want to keep the people in the dark, for how long?
For once I thought that management of DNO would not publicize asny more of my submissions. After all I have made several submissions to this medium in the recent past (all supportive of Pm Skerrit) and feel real frustrated that the commentaries have not been published.
I take some satisfaction from the fact that information re the Bouillante Geothermal link as submitted by me has been publicized. Now we can have a balanced discussion on geothermal energy. the other link against geothermal is very instructive. It simply features a comunity making complaints about the project and says precious little about the science in support of or contrary to the views expressed.It does not speak to any mitigation measures that might have been taken. It is very emotional. Are all these people conservative environmentalists or are they being led by ultra conservative environmentalists? Like how we are experiencing in the Laudat fiasco. Is it true that a prominenet Dominican environmentalist, a former government Minister who held the Trade portfolio post Eddy, self acclaimed environmentalist and a disgruntled electrical engineer was or are behind the Laudat debate? I wonder what would have been their position if government had placed the money in their company to do the exploration themselves.
These articles do a better job than the second.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy
http://energyinformative.org/geothermal-energy-pros-and-cons/
http://www.energyformankind.org/geothermal-energy/pros-and-cons-of-geothermal-energy/
Knowledge is power.
Here Dominicans,are the answers that you may be looking for in references to your debate in connections to the safeness of Geothermal Energy.
Calculating Risk and Cost
The enhanced geothermal systems might be dangerous. Scientific research is saying that drilling and pumping high-pressurized water into the rocks beneath the surface can provoke seismic activities. In Switzerland more precisely in Basel a geothermal plant was shut down after an earthquake of a magnitude of 3.4 was experienced.
The cost and risk of geothermal energy are thus very high. The nominal cost of drilling can be around $10 million while there is a potential rate of failure that is estimated to be around 20 percent. This is why geothermal energy is still a small industry.
For geothermal energy to take a stand in the future, the real cost has to be evaluated. The cost involved in the investment and risk of seismic activities that can be a result for new enhanced geothermal systems. For this industry to arise steadily all the benefits must be weighed against the cost of the using this renewable source of energy. Geothermal Energy must become a solution that is not only green but also cost effective and safe.
Was an Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) conducted? Such a study must be done, to inform Govt. and people of the pros and cons, impact/effect, social/economic benefits, advantages/disadvantages, environmental impacts and costs to communities of people, before any project is undertaken. In fact, an indepedent, professional, ethical, no-strings-attached EIA done, would advise Govt. whether to pursue the project or not.
What are the researches done re. generating electrical energy from Hydro/water saying?
Any comparative research done using Solar/water-energy as an alternative?
Is it less environmentally-friendly or more costly to generate energy from Sun and water, which Dominica is also blessed with in abundance?
Would there be more risks, health hazards and dislocation of villagers?
If an EIA was done, where is the EIA Report?
Could DNO access that EIA Report and publish the contents so as to inform, educate, enlighten the Dominican public? If DNO can’t, then there is no EIA. Plain.
It’s unbelievable that an EIA is not available to the public? Was one really done, nuh? If not why?????? Where is the EIA? We will not accept any excuses?
Just go to the computer and look it up,its not hard and pass on the info because not everyone has a computer.
This is everyone’s business and safety for all.
Its time politicians learn that they cannot do what they want and should properly educate the public on such ventures.
Dictatorship is what I call it.
There was a case made against the west coast road…actually many cases…the MOU…the asphalt plant…etc
The only succesful case is the one that matter…we are drivin on a more pleasurable motorable roaad.
I would take all those protesters and push them in the pull at screws and say, show me your best Geothermal
Why don’t you go and educate yourself a bit. READ . Before you dump people who care at Screws .. The pools are at risk just as much. You may be risking your life without reading.. All the information is on our Facebook page.
Geothermal Awareness Group Dominica.
Nice so i can get to view the bad link and i cant get to see the good. The bad is always praised u know that.
I read and with good percussion and planing this will not have much negative effect. The video about the bad it’s true this things can happen but if you listen closely the managers of the plants was not following the right procedures.
No mining takes place without risks; just ask the residents of Colihaut. The question is how do you manage the risks. As the debate continues, we should seek ways to mitigate the risks so that Dominica benefits, i.e the people and the physical environment.