The abundant but expensive energy source that's under your feet
Summary
Geothermal energy uses heat from beneath the Earth’s surface to produce power. New technologies, like enhanced geothermal systems and millimetre wave drilling, aim to access hotter and deeper parts of the Earth more efficiently and safely.Key Facts
- Geothermal energy produces low greenhouse gas emissions, appealing to both liberal and conservative politicians in the U.S.
- Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) create underground cracks by pumping pressurized fluid into wells to access heat.
- The technique used in EGS is similar to fracking, but it focuses on clean energy instead of oil and gas.
- New drilling technologies are being developed to reach deeper and hotter rock, including millimetre wave drilling that melts rock using electromagnetic waves.
- Quaise, a company based on MIT research, is working on millimetre wave drilling to improve cost and speed by avoiding physical drill bits.
- This drilling allows geothermal energy to be used almost anywhere, not just in traditional hot spots.
- Water is recycled in these systems to avoid contamination and reduce usage.
- U.S. lawmakers recently proposed a bill to support the development of next-generation geothermal technologies.
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