Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Criterion Energy Partners' pilot project, Water Oak Renewables (WOR), is a demonstration of our geothermal system designed for the geopressured geology of the Gulf Coast. The pilot is a first step in decarbonizing the heavy industries along the Gulf Coast, starting with the two U.S. states with the highest industrial emissions (Texas & Louisiana). Once successfully piloted we can first deploy our system across hundreds of sites in our initial beach head market, then expand more broadly. The Water Oak project unlocks terawatts of energy potential and is our first step in unlocking geothermal everywhere.

Criterion looks to spud the first production well of a 20 MW power project at the end of Q2 2023. That first well will be part of an initial 1 MW demonstration project which will sell power while development of the full 20MW Phase II is underway.

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How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses), Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Our project brings clean energy to a climate vulnerable community. The coastal communities in Brazoria County Texas are susceptible to the effects of climate change in the form of hurricanes and unpredictable weather leading to energy interruptions. 

Major employment sectors include petrochemical and mineral resources (oil, gas, sulfur, salt, lime and gravel), and their support industries. Our project provides opportunities for renewable energy jobs in these communities. We are working with community colleges, local economic development and chamber of commerce organizations to hire and train locally.

We are working through our DOE SBIR grant with community colleges to develop educational materials about geothermal energy and get elementary school students excited and aware of renewable energy. While our pilot project is not directly related to our SBIR educational program and workforce training, we hope to use our pilot as the starting point to galvanize Texans behind geothermal, starting with the communities in Texas most affected by climate change.

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Mission Statement:

Criterion Energy Partners has acquired a 10,000 acre lease near Alvin in Brazoria County Texas. This site is unique in many ways, including being located in a geopressured aquifer in a sedimentary basin as well as being located adjacent to the DOE Pleasant Bayou demonstration project that was conducted in the late 80's and early 90's which de-risked Geothermal energy production in this resource type. The Pleasant Bayou project produced 1 MWh of energy for 6 months proving the viability of the resource while overcoming major technical hurdles. Criterion has completed multiple feasibility studies at various sites which led us to the selection of our Water Oak project site.