Geo-Heat and Oregon Tech
Oregon Tech's history is closely related to geothermal energy. The Geo-Heat Center, once located on campus, along with the many geothermal features of Klamath Falls, are just some of the reasons why the University Archives deems its Geo-Heat collections to be some of its most important. The UA has both a physical and a digital Geo-Heat collection. Click here to access the Geo-Heat Digital Library.
What is Geothermal?
Geothermal Energy is heat (thermal) derived from the earth (geo). It is the thermal energy contained in the rock and fluid (that fills the fractures and pores within the rock) in the earth's crust.
The Geo-Heat Center
The Geo-Heat Center was once located at the Oregon Institute of Technology campus under sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Energy. It provided technical and information services to geothermal direct-use project developers from 1975 to 2015.
Geo-Heat Digital Library
The Geo-Heat digital collection contains digitized Quarterly Bulletins published by the staff of the Geo-Heat Center. Accessible via the Oregon Tech Library, the bulletins have been scanned into PDF copies viewable online. The Bulletins discuss a variety of issues related to geothermal energy at home and abroad. Click here to access the Geo-Heat Digital Library.
Geo-Heat Archived Collection
The Geo-Heat Collection preserves the materials created and collected by the staff of the Geo-Heat Center. What is in the Collection?
- Industrial and residential well logs
- Oregon Tech facilities blueprints
- International geothermal locations
- Alternative energy sources (solar)
- Works of Geo-Heat Center staff
While many documents within this collection are focused on Oregon Tech or Klamath Falls, there are also articles related to geothermal energy from around the world, including: Thermal waters at San Bartolo Agua Caliente, Mexico; Geothermal Power project in Wairakei, New Zealand; and Reservoir Engineering Studies in Iceland.
To access this collection, please contact the UA staff through email at university.archives@oit.edu or by phone at 541-885-1772.
