Written by Robin White, from Newsweek
Scientists have calculated where geothermal energy could be extracted from extremely hot rocks and how much energy it could provide.
The map developed by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) with the University of Twente in the Netherlands indicates where we can use these materials and how they can be marketed.
Superheated rock geothermal energy is a potential source of renewable energy generated from dry rock with a temperature of 752 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. They can be found all over the planet. According to researchers, this substance contains “tremendous energy.”
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“Although this modeling is preliminary, our findings point to a tremendous opportunity to unleash significant amounts of clean energy beneath our feet,” Tera Rogers, director of Superhot Rock Energy at CATF, said in a statement. “Harnessing just 1% of the energy potential of the world’s superheated rocks could generate 63 terawatts of clean stationary power, or enough to meet global electricity demand in 2021, nearly eight times that.
“Dozens of wells around the world have reached extremely hot conditions, and with the right technical and commercial progress, we could see the first commercial-scale plants in years, not decades.” Energy security backed by zero-carbon energy is not always a pipe dream, and people Those who attend events like CERAWeek are uniquely positioned to make this dream a reality.”
To obtain this energy, researchers will need to use drills to access the extremely hot conditions deep within the Earth. These conditions can then be harnessed to provide renewable, carbon-free energy. Using this type of energy would have a smaller land use footprint than other methods, CATF reports.
Along with its map, CATF used the global heat surge to estimate “the financial and economic potential that could be unlocked if fully commercialized in specific regions, including the United States.”
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“Now, it is important for governments and companies to test whether ultra-hot shale energy estimates can be achieved,” Rogers said in the statement.
The latest research has found that just 1% of this energy could supply the United States with 4.3 terawatts of power. CATF estimated that this is equivalent to 21 billion barrels of oil.
They also found that the same amount of superheated rock in Europe could provide 2.1 terawatts of energy.
“Ultraheat resources are available worldwide, with thousands of terawatt-hours on every inhabited continent (i.e., every continent except Antarctica),” the summary of findings states. “CATF’s preliminary modeling indicates that commercial-scale ultra-hot shale energy will be cost-competitive with current market energy prices.”
Published in collaboration with Newsweek
