Geothermal industry awards to spotlight northern Nevada

Northern Nevada dominates the nominations for this GEA Honors, an awards program of the Geothermal Energy Association.

Seven organizations that either are headquartered in the region or recently completed projects in northern Nevada are among the nominees. They include:

* ElectraTherm, a Reno-based company that developed technology to use low-temperature waste heat to generate electricity, is nominated for a Technological Advancement Award.

* Enel Green Power, which launched a solar-geothermal hybrid project near Fallon, is nominated for a Technological Advancement Award.

* TAS Energy, which handled engineering design of the San Emidio geothermal plant north of Reno and the Dixie Valley plant east of Fallon, is nominated for a Technological Advancement Award.

* Ram Power of Reno is nominated for an economic development award for its San Jacinto Tizate Geothermal Project in Leon, Nicaragua.

* Geothermal Development Associates of Reno is a finalist for the Environmental Stewardship Award for its work at a geothermal plant in Kenya.

* Ormat Technologies of Reno is a finalist for the Environmental Stewardship Award for its work in protecting bird habitat while it built the Tuscarora and McGinness Hills facilities in northern Nevada.

* The National Geothermal Academy at the University of Nevada, Reno, is a finalist for a Special Recognition Award.

During the awards ceremony on August 7 during the national Geothermal Summit in Sacramento, Ormat will be recognized for bringing geothermal plants on line at Tuscarora as well as Puna, Hawaii, and U.S. Geothermal will be recognized for bringing the San Emidio project on line.