True geothermal energy is truly green. This is where you get heat from the Earth’s core, which some have calculated is hotter than the surface of the sun. According to Treehugger’s Kiah Treece, it’s estimated that heat located within the first 6.25 miles of the Earth’s surface contains 50,000 times more energy than the world’s oil and natural gas supplies.
What Is Geothermal Energy?
Taking its power from Earth’s core, geothermal energy is generated when hot water is pumped to the surface, converted into steam, and used to rotate an aboveground turbine. The motion of the turbine creates mechanical energy that is then converted into electricity using a generator. Geothermal energy can also be harvested directly from underground steam or using geothermal heat pumps, which use the warmth of the Earth to heat and cool homes.
The problem is it has only been practical in volcanic regions or near the edges of tectonic plates, where cracks in the Earth’s crust allow steam to form close to the surface like in Iceland or the geysers in California. Then the heat can be used to drive turbines and generate power, instead of boiling water to make steam with coal or gas.
Treehugger / Hilary Allison
But Quaise Energy, a startup spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is applying new drilling technology to make it possible to get geothermal energy anywhere. They don’t want to lily dip at 6.5 miles, either, but they want to go down 12 miles to where it is even hotter (930 degrees Fahrenheit) and anywhere in the world—perhaps right next to existing generating plants already attached to the grid. According to the press release:
“A rapid transition to clean energy is one of the biggest challenges faced by humanity,” said Arunas Chesonis, Managing Partner of Safar Partners. “Geothermal energy can provide a lot more power using fewer resources. We have to approach the clean energy transition from both of those angles. Quaise’s solution makes us optimistic for a future where clean, renewable energy will secure the future of our planet.”
The key is the drilling technology, developed by Paul W
