Expansion of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal technology produces power for electricity by pumping cold water underground. There it is heated by the Earth’s temperature, and brought back to the surface as steam. It is a non-polluting source of energy that is currently used to some extent in 26 countries. It has generally been limited to areas where there are natural geysers, but new technology has the potential to greatly expand its use. Fervo Energy (US) has successfully drilled into thermal reservoirs of heat to produce commercial geothermal energy. Their new technique borrows from drilling technology used by the oil and gas industry. But instead of trying to find oil or gas, they are reaching natural hot spots that are perfect for producing geothermal steam. Fervo says that this method can produce clean geothermal energy in many areas around the world. They have begun to drill in the US, and project that geothermal energy could eventually supply over 20% of US power. Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy research at Princeton University says, “Fervo is taking geothermal technology from the realm of models into the real world, and starting us on a path to unlock its full potential.”