Saturday, December 11, 2021

What it will take to unleash the potential of geothermal power?

"Untapped potential: There's enough heat inside the earth to meet total global energy demand twice over. But harnessing it requires drilling deep underground and transforming that heat into a usable form of energy. That's difficult and expensive, which is why geothermal power only makes up only about 0.3% of electricity generation worldwide, despite the fact it's more consistent than virtually every other form of renewable energy. However, it's now getting a boost, thanks to a $84 million Department of Energy project to build four demonstration plants. They'll test enhanced geothermal systems, an experimental form of the technology.

Exhausted supplies: The most accessible geothermal resources in the US have been tapped, and it's hard to figure out how many more potential sites may be out there, and where they might be. Some researchers and startups are trying to expand into new places by pumping fluid into impermeable rock to force cracks open. This creates space where water is free to move around and heat up, producing the steam needed for power.

Barriers: Despite geothermal's vast potential, reaching these resources won't be easy. The process has been shown to trigger earthquakes, and despite the injection of government cash, financing geothermal projects can also be a challenge. "

Read the full story from The MIT Technology Review  =>   https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/12/08/1041511/potential-geothermal-power-infrastructure-bill/

What it will take to unleash the potential of geothermal power
What it will take to unleash the potential of geothermal power

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