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In July 2009, GGE's Robert Tucker and David Sussman presented at the Indonesia Geothermal Conference in Bali.  Mr. Tucker and Mr. Sussman jointly authored the following paper.    

Abstract

Rules and regulations controlling geothermal development differ substantially in the 24 countries currently generating geothermal electric power. Experience with development in various countries shows that regulations that are meant to facilitate development in some cases can actually delay geothermal projects. Since geothermal projects require large initial capital investments, the economics of a project are critically impacted by the time required to advance the project to the point where power is sold to the market. Transparent, consistent laws and regulations are needed for developers, whether private or government, to initiate and complete geothermal developments in an economically reasonable length of time. The actual or perceived levels of exploration and development risk depend on several key factors, including the need for renewable energy, which entities are responsible for exploration expense (private vs. government), how frequently the laws regulating geothermal development are changed, the stability of power prices over the life of a project, and country risk.

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