Bouillante Geothermal Field

On Tuesday 22nd January 2008, we went to Bouillante by bus with our class, Mrs Korutos, our Irish assistant Rachel, M Contemine and Mrs Cavaillès.
There, we visited the Bouillante geothermal field. M Cairo, a geothermal energy engineer was attending us to explain everything; he answered our questions and showed us the process on his computer. It was very interesting!
Let us explain it a little!

• What is Geothermal Energy?

The term geothermal comes from the Greek “geo” meaning earth and “thermos” meaning heat thus, geothermal energy is energy derived from the natural heat of the earth.
It’s a process that consists in the use of a renewable energy to produce electricity. (Now 8% of Guadeloupe electricity and very soon 12%)

• Why a geothermal factory in Guadeloupe?

The island of Guadeloupe is a volcanic area. Bouillante is situated on the western coast of Basse-Terre along the Caribbean Sea close to the Soufrière volcano.

• How does it work?
• Geothermal reservoirs are extracting hot water and steam
• Water and steam are separated up to the power station
• The steam is brought to turn the turbine/generator units
• The steam is cooled down and combined with sea water
• It provides sea water to the power station
• It provides with a commercial production of electricity (8% sold to EDF)
• How many people are working there?

Only 10 persons are working there, engineers, technicians and mechanics.

• The biggest reservoir?

A reservoir of a 2400 meter depth

• Where are located the biggest geothermal fields?

In Italy, the Philippines and Japan.

• What other geothermal field projects in the Caribbean?

M Cairo gave us all the details of the geothermal energy systems in Guadeloupe, he said also that in five years, a biggest geothermal field is going to be built in Dominica to produce electricity in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica itself.

National Mamelles Park
In the afternoon, the same day after a snack at the beach in Malendure, we went to the National Mamelles Park to see the fauna and flora and have fun at the top of the trees.

• There were endangered animals: the racoon, the mongoose, the otter ….

• We saw iguanas, multicoloured parrots, monkeys, birds, butterflies, fish, insects…

• We admired old and gigantic trees, a great variety of Caribbean flowers and medicinal plants

• And finally, we had some fun and adventure in the forest canopy.

It was great! We both learnt and enjoyed a lot!