HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-28-20 Public Comment - J. Moor - Addendum to my comments of 9_22 on the Bozeman Community Development PlanFrom:Jay Moor
To:Agenda
Subject:Addendum to my comments of 9/22 on the Bozeman Community Development Plan
Date:Monday, September 28, 2020 12:31:27 PM
Dear Bozeman City Commissioners and Planning Commissioners:
In my comments on the Bozeman Community Plan, dated 22 September, there is a paragraph on developing
geothermal sources of energy for the proposed Southern Route passenger rail system. Because such a proposal
raises many serious questions, I would like to take this opportunity to elaborate. Please keep in mind that I am
starting from the assumption that a strategic plan, which seems to be the basis for the community plan, is an
exploration of a range of future possibilities and projected feasibilities.
From my 9/22 letter:
“One of the ways might be for the city, with partners like Butte, Helena, Great Falls,, Missoula, Livingston and
Billings, BLM, the nascent Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority and energy companies (public and private), to stake
out the most promising geothermal sites in Montana, which are concentrated in our region of the state, reserving the
land for future geothermal energy drilling and development.”
Montana does not have the highest potential for geothermal energy production in the West, but maps showing the
results of previous exploration reveal that it does have areas with moderate potential where existing development
and water resources may not be affected. Nearby states of Idaho and Washington have even higher potential.
There can be significant changes to aquifers used as heat sources for geothermal energy. For this and other reasons,
Yellowstone Park, other culturally and environmentally significant geothermal sites and their contiguous aquifers
should not be considered as potential areas for geothermal development.
The sources, below, identify some of the complexities in tapping geothermal sources for electricity generation. The
greatest hurdles are the cost of exploration and, if new technologies are used, the difficulty of employing materials
underground at high temperatures. New technology already promises to increase the production potential of
previously overlooked sites. California and Nevada are leading in developed geothermal capacity and certainly
would have enough experience to serve as consultants for a feasibility study.
Such a study would include among other things: feasibility of single- and multi-point geothermal electricity
generation and distribution; demand requirements for single- and multi-point (networked) geothermal generation;
comparisons over time of various technologies, both existing and in-development; potential customer base over
time, including a rail network and associated industry in the NW states; pros and cons of developing the more
ubiquitous low-temp sources for local heating needs, which could include district heating for towns like Bozeman;
comparisons of sustainability/renewability with other sources of energy.
Because of the high front-end costs as well as technical and economic questions, it would be good to involve as
partners USGS, the Montana PSC, BNSF, RailLink, surrounding states of Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming,
Colorado and Utah (and their major towns) which have geothermal resources (supply) and transportation, industry
and residential needs (demand). And, of course, the State of Montana and NorthWestern Energy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy
https://www.power-technology.com/features/what-is-geothermal-energy/
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24032000-300-supercharged-geothermal-energy-could-power-the-planet/
https://www.power-technology.com/comment/kenya-betting-big-geothermal-installations/
A pre-feasibility study would probably cost relatively little and could be completed in a short time using existing
expertise. It should be kept in mind that our national goal should be to divest ourselves of fossil energy and switch
over immediately to renewable/sustainable sources. On this basis alone, the feasibility of geothermal energy
production and usage should be introduced into all our current planning activities. This obviously implies theprojection of all significant factors and their possible values ten to twenty years into the future.
[I would be grateful if you would attach this addendum to my comments of 9/22.]
With best regards,
Jay Moor
2400 Durston Rd. #27Bozeman, MT 59718(406) 586-0097jjmoor@msn.com