February 19, 2007—The US could generate up to 10 percent of its electricity by developing new technologies to convert heat from rocks deep within the earth into power, according to a recent study sponsored by the Department of Energy.
An 18-member panel released a 400-plus-page report stating that with research investments averaging about $53 million a year over the next 15 years scientists could plumb the depths of the earth for power. The cost is less than that of building a single, new-generation, clean-coal power plant, according to the report.
Scientists propose drilling holes two to three miles deep into the earth’s crust. Water would then be pumped into the earth where it would be super-heated by the rock. The water would then rise through the drilled holes and existing cracks and the resulting steam would be tapped to create electricity.
Currently the geothermal energy production in the United States is a $1.5 billion dollar industry that accounts for less than one percent of the nation’s electricity. The report states that geothermal resources have been largely untapped, but offer a lot of promise, especially with investment in new technology.
For more information, see the Web site of the Public Renewables Partnership.
