It seems like a natural pivot for Alberta, and we spent a lot of sweat trying to convince the government that it was good for drillers. Good for pipefitters and welders and millwrights too. No dice though, if anything I'd say the government actively sabotaged our company (retracted a $7m grant from the previous administration, for example). Just too green for them.
There is a lot of talent available, and one of the drilling companies (Beaver Drilling) has made themselves the spokesman for the geothermal industry. That's what got things moving with at least the government paying lip service to the industry. I left just as Beaver was stepping in, though.
As for costs: so many of the drilling costs are fixed - material costs for casing, consumables like drill bits and drilling slurry. Labor might be down but it's still several million dollars per hole.
There is a lot of talent available, and one of the drilling companies (Beaver Drilling) has made themselves the spokesman for the geothermal industry. That's what got things moving with at least the government paying lip service to the industry. I left just as Beaver was stepping in, though.
As for costs: so many of the drilling costs are fixed - material costs for casing, consumables like drill bits and drilling slurry. Labor might be down but it's still several million dollars per hole.