Eden Energy
Eden Energy Limited (EDE) is a diversified clean energy company that has investments in emerging alternative energy technologies including hydrogen production, low emission Hythane hydrogen-methane blend, coal seam & abandoned mine methane in the UK, conventional gas in SA, low temperature pyrolysis research into hydrogen production and geothermal "hot rocks" energy production.
What is Geothermal "hot rocks" energy?
A geothermal energy system requires three key elements: a heat source (volcanically active areas or deeply buried hot granites); permeable rock; and water to transport heat to the surface for power generation.
It is generally understood that rocks get hotter the deeper you go into the earth’s crust, and that areas of volcanic activity or hot springs raises temperatures of near surface rocks. The latter heat sources have been used since Ancient times, and geothermal energy extracted to date in places like New Zealand and Iceland utilise such heat sources, known as conventional geothermal energy, or “wet” systems.
To access these "hot rocks", conventional oil and gas drilling techniques are used to depths of 3-5 km where temperatures can exceed 200ºC. The idea is to pump water down through injection wells into these hot rocks.
At the surface, the super-heated water passes through a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat to a second liquid in a “binary” power plant. This liquid vaporizes and drives a turbine which generates electricity. The vapour is condensed and re-circulated in the plant.
The water, now partially cooled is pumped back underground so is also re-circulated. Recirculation of both fluids means the binary power plant does not release any greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is a genuinely closed loop.
Benefits of Geothermal Power
There are many benefits evident from geothermal energy, which is attracting both
government and private funding:
- Provides completely clean energy with no emissions
- Has a small environmental footprint
- Is renewable and sustainable
- Generates reliable base load power, which is a great advantage over solar and wind, and appears to be very cost competitive to these forms of energy
- Conserves fossil fuels and contributes to diversity of energy sources
- Avoids importing of energy and benefits local companies
- Offers modular, incremental power expansion options
Eden Energy Projects
HYDROGEN AND HYTHANE: Eden's hydrogen-related projects are based in the USA but target India and China. Its hydrogen technology consists of three areas including production of hydrogen; blending & use of hydrogen; and cryogenic storage of hydrogen.
COAL BED METHANE / COAL MINE METHANE: The company has interests in abandoned coal mines and will extract coal gas from the old seams.
AUSTRALIAN NATURAL GAS AND GEOTHERMAL PROJECTS: EDE has entered into an agreement with Origin Energy Ltd, to farm-in to Eden’s Cooper Basin Geothermal Licence in South Australia
PYROLYSIS OF NATURAL GAS TO FORM HYDROGEN: Eden participated in a research project with the University of Queensland to develop a lower temperature and cost effective method for the production of hydrogen from natural gas using non-thermal plasma assisted catalytic pyrolysis of natural gas without the production of carbon dioxide.
Financial Update
Estimated Dividend Yield: 0%
1 Year Performance: 6.40%
3 Year Performance: -34.10%
Last Price: $0.10
Financial figures are as at 7 February 2011 and are subject to change (Source: Morningstar).
Disclaimer
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