The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy is located at the University of Nevada in Reno. Included at the center are a large number of spatial information related to geothermal locations, maps, exploration, papers and presentations.

Students and teachers will find this r

Energy is two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional 4D). Any land manager looking at a map, mine drawing or a global positioning (GPS) instrument will be familiar with 3D. Designers, planners and those involved in calculating volume will know about 3D. Those working in 3D through time – wind, solar, mining, pipelines and so on, will readily appreciate 4D. How do they impact energy?

Every workflow connected to energy can be understood through space and time. They are not only located somewhere on the planet, but our ability to plan, build and operate energy related projects involves space and time. Wind energy is dependent upon location. Determining where to site a wind turbine is not simply a flip of the coin, instead, it involves the calculation of wind speed and duration present upon certain points across the landscape.

Consequently, knowing the landscape in 3D is important – hills, valleys and mountains matter. Sometimes these are not as easily identifiable by eye though, and this is where detailed elevation models of the terrain come in. These models are calculated through airborne measurement technologies  usually, and the data for whole regions can be purchased, leased or rented.

Many pipeline operators will know that terrain also has a role to play in terms of the landscape. It impacts construction costs for building pipelines and operating them. The calculation of volume within geological basins is similarly dependent upon the determination of 3D volumes. When data is viewed within the office through visualisation technologies, it is often available in 3D form, which alows decision makers to move through the data in a simulation environment, determining where and how geology relates to the findings.

Waves are not always consistent. They vary over time and are impacted by climate conditions, water depth and other factors. As a result they are 4D in nature, moving up and down over time – their volumes change over time. Additionally, their occurence also changes spatially. A growing number of building architects and plant design specialists are interested in designing structures that consider the environment. With changing climate and location, the meteorological impacts on a given structure, as it relates to the design, can be considerable.

This directly connects to the ability to design structures that are energy efficienct, or use energy more efficiently and effectively. The development of specialised sensors that are capable of acquiring 2D, 3D and 4D spatial information is constantly under research. With each new sensor comes the ability to understand the processes of wind, solar, geothermal, oil and even nuclear energy management, for example.

We should not lose track of the fact that new technologies bring new possibilities for designing wind turbines, solar panels and their placement. Similarly, the management of facilities infrastructure and the design of those structures is also impacted by understanding the dynamics surrounding the workflows and processes.

Policy and administration are now becoming more significntly connected to energy supply, operation and management. Greater transparency and accountability in terms of energy use and efficient will need to be communicated. That communication area, particularly through collaboration, is going to become more specialised and involve 3D and 4D technologies – so they can understand – and speed up the design, build and operations.

Both non-renewbable and renewable resources will see greater use of these tools and technologies in the future. The economics and communication factors will demand that.

Mount Redoubt near Anchorage, Alaska looks as if it’s about to erupt. Photos and video of steam and a growing hole on the north side of the mountain remind us of the phenomenal power underneath the Earth’s crust. It’s looking likely that the volcano will blow, as heat and earthquake activity increase. The last blast took place in 1990, and an eruption in 1989 sent an ash cloud 150 miles.

The geothermal energy in this volcano must be tremendous, and it isn’t too far fetched to think about harnessing this power for energy. Recently a geothermal plant has been developed in Kilauea, Hawaii, and the Bonneville Power Administration estimates that there’s a 16,000 megawatt potential for the Newberry Caldera in Oregon.