Alternative Energy Taking Hold, to Nevada's Benefit - KTVN

We've heard for years that cheap energy may lie right under our feet, or from the sun. Reno is a Saudi Arabia in one kind of energy: geothermal. Josh Nordquist of Ormat Technologies told us, “The best part of geothermal is that it's there all the time. It's sustainable, base-load and reliable." Northern Nevada is ranked number one in the nation when it comes to installed geothermal energy. It's all closer to the surface here. Geothermal is hotter than ever, pardon the pun. The process is simple. As Nordquist put it, "Geothermal fluid processes through our plant and generates power."

All geothermal energy needs is heat close to the surface, fractures and deep underground water to convert to steam. Reno has all 3, a perfect place for the Ormat nerve center at south Virginia and the Mt. Rose Highway, producing most of Reno's geothermal. But even this just scratches the surface. Nordquist told us, “We suspect there's at least 1,500 megawatts of untapped potential that has not already been captured by developers existing today. That would power up to 1.5 million homes in Nevada."

It's so untapped, geothermal supplies only 9% of our power through NV Energy, ranking third behind natural gas and coal. It would be higher…if fossil fuel prices weren't so low. But Nordquist looks ahead. He told us, "Fossil fuel prices traditionally cycle up and down, and we're in a low cycle now, which means after a low cycle it usually becomes a higher cycle." When those prices go up, this energy from below will be here for the taking. When that happens, geothermal will go on a hiring binge. Nordquist predicts "Somewhere around 500 jobs are created for each project that comes online."

Across town, Reid Hamilton says the same thing about solar energy: "One of the best things about solar for us personally is our job growth." The founder of Reno's Hamilton Solar thinks energy from the sun is about to pop, for 1 big reason: "The cost of solar over the past 3 years has dropped has dropped approximately 40%." He says here…the future is growing wild, amid a sea of cells: "In Nevada, we have over 300 days of sun per year."

Reid agrees that energy costs are bound to rise, and workers could use the jobs needed to build and install solar panels. He says they're the most trouble-free and cost effective of all energy systems: "You put it up there in the Nevada sun, and you essentially you forget about it. Its warrantied for 25 years, and solar is going to produce energy with very little maintenance."

For both, it's been slow getting to this point. Geothermal is still mostly buried underground, and solar's future is still up in the air…but only for now.