NBC's 'Today' to feature Chena Hot Springs geothermal project
Originally published Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 12:00 a.m.
Updated Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:35 a.m.
As a co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” and a roving journalist with the national network, Lester Holt has traveled the world covering everything from wars and disease to natural disasters and terrorism.
But the top question on at least one fan’s mind around the lunch table at Chena Hot Springs Resort on Wednesday wasn’t about pain or suffering.
“So, what’s Matt Lauer really like?”one curious NBC watcher asked.
He answered questions about fellow NBC anchors Lauer and Merideth Vieira before getting back to business.
Holt and his entourage, which included producer Kim Cornett, a camera man and sound man, were in the Interior on Wednesday to film a segment for NBC’s “Today” as part of Green Week, leading up to Earth Day on April 22.
The obvious choice was Chena Hot Springs Resort, powered entirely by geothermal energy.
Moving around the resort Wednesday afternoon with a camera and boom mic never too far away, Holt interviewed resort proprietor Bernie Karl and engineer Gwen Holdmann, who was integral in getting the geothermal power plant up and running.
Holt lived in Alaska for part of his youth while his father was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage during the late ’60s and early ’70s.
“I already kind of get Alaska,” Holt said, adding the main reason for coming to the state was to film a story about himself and his life for a segment on “Today.”
Tagging on two more stories on the environment and climate change were an added bonus.
“NBC’s made a real commitment to cover all things green,” Holt said. “This story was a natural fit and a lot’s been written on what’s happening here at Chena Hot Springs. People are opening their eyes to new and different ways to power things, so this is a great story.”
With fuel prices continuing to rise, the need for alternative energy is becoming a hot topic to explore. Though Holt said he doesn’t expect the average American to run out and dig a well in hopes of finding hot water to power their homes, he does hope the story will continue the “national conversation” about new solutions to American’s dependence on oil.
Karl agreed.
“People have to believe that we can be self-sufficient, that the United States can be self-sufficient,” Karl said. “We’re proving to the world that maybe we can be self-sufficient, and they’re going to help get the word out because they can reach a lot of people.”
And even though trying to figure out the concept of creating energy by using warm water or keeping an ice museum frozen in the summer by way of an absorbtion chiller makes the average person’s head spin, Karl and Holdmann were able to simplify the ideas for viewers.
“Hopefully mainstream American can embrace ideas like this one,” said Cornett, the producer of the Alaska segments.
Plus, Holt added, any story based out of Alaska intrigues viewers because the state is still a mystery to many.
Despite being coaxed to take a dip in the hot spring's waters, Holt politely declined.
“It doesn’t call for it in the story,” he said.
The segment on Chena Hot Springs Resort will air the week of April 21 on “Today.”
Community Discussion
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i don't watch NBC.... for anything. and such things as a "green" week is one reason why.
polarmark: They're doing "Rape the Earth" week, May 4-10. Enjoy!
The Chena Hot Springs resort is hardly operated on entirely Geo thermal energy as this story attempts to claim.
Chena Hot Springs has 2 Geothermal units.
One of the units has been plagued with trouble almost since the units were put into operation and is still down today. Each unit is potentially capable of 200KW when conditions are right but usually puts out less than that due to difference in temperatures of the hot water and the cold water used.
A 500KW Diesel Generator at Chena Hot springs is still the primary source of power.
Don't get me wrong. I think the attempt to make the Resort operate from the Hot springs is cool.
These geothermal units that operate at a low temperature source are new tech and are still aways off from being dependable.
Another thing I heard is that the installation of these units actually reduced the temperature of the water for the pools. Not in any amount noticable to the users but enough to question the feasability of adding more units.More units may actually reduce the pools Temperature to a noticable degree. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having a hot springs resort?
You would think after all these years that the Newsminer would spell Bernie Karl's name correctly. It isn't as if he is new to the community, nor reclusive to news stories.
This is a great opportunity for Fairbanks to get national attention - we are the energy capital of America right now and not just for oil, or coal, or geothermal...I think it is all great.
It would be great to see a true cost of ownership on the power project. The concept is great idea, but if equip is high maintenance or plagued with problems that gets pricy in long run.
Is the Chena Power project partially publically funded or had recieved grants?
Bernie Karl's name has been corrected. Thanks!
PROJECT ECONOMICS
The project has been completed on schedule and close to the original budget of $1,899,065. At
the end of 2006, project expenses totaled $2,007,770, or 5% above the original estimate. The
project was funded in part through a $246,288 grant from the Alaska Energy Authority. An
additional loan was obtained through the AIDEA Power Project Loan Fund in the amount of
$650,000. The rest of the project included cash and in-kind contributions from Chena Power and
its sister corporations Chena Hot Springs Resort and K&K Recycling.
http://www.yourownpower.com/Power/2007GR...
Bernie could have retired many times and ran out of Alaska with a nice retirement nest egg. News flash....he is still here. He works harder than anyone I know and has reinvested his profits back into Alaska. Sometimes I wonder why Bernie stays ..... He loves Alaska!
Geothermal's a good idea if it is commercially viable without needing massive tax subsidies the way solar is. Anyone notice that "Earth Day" is also Vladimir I. Lenin's birthday? Just a coincidence?
So? It's also my mom's birthday. Just a coincidence?
Gosh...Solar warming....How do earthlings fix that..They don't, they can't. I think in all fairness to the power plant at the hot springs every one should know they will be charged an energy fee to stay over night. Bernie Karl needs to pay for the plant.
Wow! I don't think i have heard anything about Earth Day since grade school! Hmmm... I wonder if those trees i planted back then are still standing or if i printed my latest report on them? Just a thought...
At the moment it looks as though the money Americans invested in this project only benefits one company which reduced the companies overall fuel consumption.
We can only hope that the project will provide lessons that will allow the expansion of geo thermal power production for all of us and soon....or let us know that the cost are still too high to make it a viable option.
I like Bernie. Most people just talk about doing this or that, If he sells his easy chair or a sofa, it would be in great shape because it has never been used.
My wife and I had our honeymoon there, beginning January 1 way back when. It was 5 below, and the water was nice and warm. Great memories. Growing up in Fairbanks, we went there a lot.
It never ceases to amaze me when people - regardless of where one falls in regard to "global warming" - hate on things like "Earth Day". You don't have to believe in the idea that global warming is entirely man-made to acknowledge your impact on the earth, and to acknowledge that there are things you can (and should) do to minimize it.
That Lenin's birthday/Earth Day thing is just - hilarious, frankly. Everything's a big left-wing conspiracy! Recycling, reducing, reusing - that's not common sense, it's secret communist code talk.
There are communities across America - not just Alaska - that would give their collective eye teeth for that kind of national attention. There always have to be negative nancies in the bunch, though.
Imusuallyright, your Mom didn't have a choice as to her date of birth. :-)
Bernie Karl use to be a member of the Alaska Independence Party and was opposed to huge wastefull federal spending. Seems a $500,000 gift is enough to change his politics. Sen. Stevens & Rep. Young - I want you to know that I'll sell out for a lot less that that.
Anyone that hasn't seen this needs to get out there! I've been tubbing there off/on for 27 years, and Bernie's cutting edge,innovation, and risk aversion thru many challenges on many matters is outstanding! Look at the maps in the boiler room of sites where 165 deg. Farhenheit water can create energy in AK. and the lesser 48. This setup might even get an Icelander excited!
Christina, I'm not hating on anything. Of course we should be good stewards of our resources and the place we live. It's just that there is a lot of distorted and downright falsehoods that get perpetuated through constant repetition. Biofuels is one bad idea that comes to mind. Good idea on the surface, but disastrous results. As far as geothermal is concerned, I think it's a great idea, just so long as tax subsidies aren't going into implementation until it is financially "self sustaining", like has been done with solar. IMHO, any money spent on solar power should be going into research, to find technologies that are affordable and reliable. Dittos with geothermal, tidal, etc.
As far as reducing fuel consumption is concerned, I've been doing a lot of reading about Structural Insulated Panels (SIP's). Great way for anyone building a new home or business to save $ on energy costs.
http://www.sips.org/content/technical/in...
"It's just that there is a lot of distorted and downright falsehoods"
Like the implication that Earth Day was super-secretly chosen to coincide with Lenin's birthday?
Trust me, I live with a geologist - I know all about the distortions re: global warming. I just don't like the implication of a comment that may have been off the cuff, or an attemt at humor, but really just serves to dismiss the larger goals we should all strive for, especially here in Alaska where the impact of human beings can be so much more readily observed.
Nope, just an attempt at humor.
Alaskan 4ver, why don't you ask the bankers about that retirement for Bernie. Bless Bernie's heart for doing what he is doing, but from what i know about Bernie, it has nothing to do with being GREEN. Last time i looked at K&K Recycling it looked worse than the landfill. (oh, wait that was when Bernie and Barnie Koph were running the landfill and tried to convert the trash to pellets) However at that time he did not have Uncle Ted & Don Young giving him grants. Bernie, you are one of the best talkers in the world and i wish you the best, but you are about as green as i am.
We all know your oil will not last forever, it is going away faster than anyone predicted, and will be gone soon. So I think it is good too look for another form of energy, if you want to live as you do. We can at least support that people are trying to work with alternative energy, while that alternative is still there. For it may not be when you all run out of oil, or rather I mean we run out of oil, and the huge amount of money they make out of it from us, which can pay for some research on alternative energy now.
My own thoughts on Bernie are whether you love him or hate him, my hat is off to him for doing what he's doing. For whatever purpose, selfish or otherwise he is making enough of a go at getting the hotsprings to work in his favor to make it to national news. He's obviously doing something right. As for spending that money he's getting from grants and such to use towards research, he is doing research, just on a large scale instead of in a lab. His research, in his way and outside the box maybe, but it's still research and what he learns may do the next guy some good (in their own way and outside their own box). Good for you Bernie, you go!
The geothermal energy potential in this continent...
[called North America by a bunch of nutty newcomers]
...exceeds all the hydrocarbon energy 1000times.
There really is no energy crisis, it's just a mental health crisis caused by watching too much TV and not spending enough time doing important chores for your own benefit.
I don't expect them to be selling geothermal at WalMart in your lifetime.. but millions of people can be getting free heat if they just make the effort to use it.
http://peswiki.com/energy/Directory:Geot...
Blacklight has an interesting process.
The problem is that hydrogen doesn't naturally exist, and it costs more (in terms of energy) to create hydrogen than you get out of it.
If somebody would finish his work on magnetoionic plasma capture and copper indium gallium selenide thin film solar......then we'd have a really cool way to create the electrolysis....
Well, that and the GUT doesn't really exist.
dammnit. Wrong article..
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