A Coming Revolution in Geothermal Energy?

[Jack Hays]

This is new and very interesting. There's obviously much to be worked out, and it may not work at all. But if it does then it will be quite important.

". . . We have used geothermal energy to make electricity for a long time, but only in tiny amounts. California does the most in the US and its entire generating capacity is about the size of a single large coal fired power plant, about 3000 MW. The whole world is said to just have a minuscule 15,000 MW.

The obstacle to doing more has been that useful energy sources are hard to find. You need a confined reservoir of hot water in fractured crust rock. The reservoir size, location and temperature of the water are all determined by nature. Suitable sites have been very few.

Now all of this has suddenly changed. With hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) we can make these geothermal reservoirs where we want them, the size we want them, and where the heat is the temperature we want, especially very hot. This includes the so-called “supercritical” water at 400 degrees C, which is now used in the most advanced power-plants. . . . "

geothermal energy
The geothermal energy revolution
There is a revolution coming in geothermal energy. How big it will be and how fast it can grow remains to be seen, but the revolutionary technology is here now.

 

[longview]

This is new and very interesting. There's obviously much to be worked out, and it may not work at all. But if it does then it will be quite important.

". . . We have used geothermal energy to make electricity for a long time, but only in tiny amounts. California does the most in the US and its entire generating capacity is about the size of a single large coal fired power plant, about 3000 MW. The whole world is said to just have a minuscule 15,000 MW.

The obstacle to doing more has been that useful energy sources are hard to find. You need a confined reservoir of hot water in fractured crust rock. The reservoir size, location and temperature of the water are all determined by nature. Suitable sites have been very few.

Now all of this has suddenly changed. With hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) we can make these geothermal reservoirs where we want them, the size we want them, and where the heat is the temperature we want, especially very hot. This includes the so-called “supercritical” water at 400 degrees C, which is now used in the most advanced power-plants. . . . "

geothermal energy
The geothermal energy revolution
There is a revolution coming in geothermal energy. How big it will be and how fast it can grow remains to be seen, but the revolutionary technology is here now.

I would be a little concerned that geologically active sites, and hydraulic fracking, may not be a good mix.

 

[Jack Hays]

I would be a little concerned that geologically active sites, and hydraulic fracking, may not be a good mix.

As I read it, we don't need to choose "geologically active" sites: ". . . we can make these geothermal reservoirs where we want them. . . ."

 

[istodolez]

As I read it, we don't need to choose "geologically active" sites: ". . . we can make these geothermal reservoirs where we want them. . . ."

It probably helps to have a source of more heat than just the geothermal gradient, like a nearby magma body or some other source of heat. That kind of puts it in the category of geologically active.

 

[Jack Hays]

It probably helps to have a source of more heat than just the geothermal gradient, like a nearby magma body or some other source of heat. That kind of puts it in the category of geologically active.

The article indicates there is sufficient geothermal energy just about everywhere. That's the point.

 

[istodolez]

The article indicates there is sufficient geothermal energy just about everywhere. That's the point.

The geothermal gradient is a source of heat the deeper one goes, but I would doubt that it would be sufficient to simply say "let's frack here and have unlimited energy!" But it would be interesting. I still rather assume, that as is the case of most normal geothermal energy sources there is probably the need of sufficient groundwater and a higher energy source than just the geothermal gradient. As I noted a big mass of cooling magma nearby probably helps quite a bit.

The folks in Iceland aren't using geothermal just due to the geothermal gradient, they are sitting on top of a giant fissure in the ocean floor complete with lots and lots of magma and occasionally lava.

 

[Jack Hays]

The geothermal gradient is a source of heat the deeper one goes, but I would doubt that it would be sufficient to simply say "let's frack here and have unlimited energy!" But it would be interesting. I still rather assume, that as is the case of most normal geothermal energy sources there is probably the need of sufficient groundwater and a higher energy source than just the geothermal gradient. As I noted a big mass of cooling magma nearby probably helps quite a bit.

The folks in Iceland aren't using geothermal just due to the geothermal gradient, they are sitting on top of a giant fissure in the ocean floor complete with lots and lots of magma and occasionally lava.

From the article:

". . . Now all of this has suddenly changed. With hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) we can make these geothermal reservoirs where we want them, the size we want them, and where the heat is the temperature we want, especially very hot. This includes the so-called “supercritical” water at 400 degrees C, which is now used in the most advanced power-plants.

It is like the difference between living on wild edibles, if and when you find them, and farming. Fracking for heat is literally a whole new world. Of course there are still pesky things like cost, feasibility and regulation, but the principal is clear; the technology of revolutionary thermal energy has arrived. . . . "