Exploiting the refined methods from the oil and gas sector, they aim to tap into an almost boundless reserve of clean energy hidden beneath the earth's surface.
In a significant shift towards clean energy, next-generation geothermal technologies are poised to revolutionise the power sector, unlocking vast untapped resources beneath the Earth's surface. One such technology, Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), is gaining traction due to its potential to generate power in a much wider range of locations.
Chris Wright, Energy Secretary under the Trump administration, previously sat on the board of Fervo, a company pioneering EGS. Notably, geothermal energy has so far escaped the cuts the Trump administration has imposed on other forms of renewable energy.
EGS achieves this by drilling deep into hard, hot, impermeable rocks and creating or enhancing underground reservoirs through hydraulic fracturing ("fracking for heat"). Cool fluid is then injected to absorb heat from these rocks and brought to the surface to generate electricity. This approach contrasts with conventional geothermal, which depends on naturally permeable, superheated water reservoirs typically limited to specific geologic hotspots.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates the potential of next-generation geothermal resources, including EGS, to be enough to power the world 140 times over. This enormous potential comes from the vast amount of hot rock beneath the Earth's surface, which far exceeds the limited, naturally existing reservoirs used today.
In Utah, Fervo is building "the largest next-generation geothermal power plant in the world." The company, based in Houston, Texas, is one of several using oil and gas industry tools to drill for geothermal energy. Fervo's next-gen technique, called "enhanced geothermal," drills two wells deep underground, first vertically then horizontally, and uses hydraulic fracturing to shatter the rock and create artificial heat.
Another company, Quaise Energy, plans to drill geothermal boreholes more than 6 miles deep to reach temperatures of over 900 degrees Fahrenheit, using a gyrotron device to vaporize dense rock. The American drilling and fracking know-how from oil and gas extraction could help bridge an energy culture long dominated by fossil fuels.
However, next-generation geothermal technologies still face challenges such as slashing costs, scaling up drilling under high-pressures and temperatures, water use, land issues, and the risk of earthquakes. Operating costs for Eavor's technology are low, but many experts question its economic viability due to high upfront costs.
Despite these challenges, government policies and significant investments are accelerating development, especially in the United States—home to over 500 GW of untapped geothermal potential versus only 4 GW currently installed. Geothermal energy seems to have bipartisan support in the US, as it is both green and creates jobs, and fits with an energy independence agenda.
In addition to EGS, further innovations for enhanced geothermal include Advanced Geothermal Systems with closed-loop circulation minimizing environmental impact and Super-hot rock technology targeting extremely high temperatures at depths greater than 5 km.
With ongoing technological improvements and increased drilling experience, costs are expected to decline, making next-generation geothermal competitive with solar and wind paired with battery storage. Eavor is constructing a commercial plant in Geretsried, Germany, using a technology that involves no fracking and is likened to a "massive underground radiator."
Fervo has signed a deal with Google to provide power to its data centers and has 600 megawatts of power purchase agreements with utilities like Cal Edison. The eventual aim is to be able to drill 6 miles in just 100 days, a significant improvement over the Kola borehole in Russia, which took two decades to drill.
In summary, next-generation geothermal technologies like EGS offer a promising path towards a sustainable energy future. By unlocking geothermal energy in many more locations, expanding resource potential massively, and overcoming location and resource limitations of conventional geothermal, these technologies are poised to become cost-competitive and scalable, contributing significantly to the world's energy needs.
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that the potential of next-generation geothermal resources, including Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), is enough to power the world 140 times over, highlighting the vast untapped resources beneath the Earth's surface.
- In Utah, Fervo is building "the largest next-generation geothermal power plant in the world," using oil and gas industry tools and a technique called "enhanced geothermal" to drill for geothermal energy.
- Another company, Quaise Energy, plans to drill geothermal boreholes more than 6 miles deep to reach temperatures of over 900 degrees Fahrenheit, using a gyrotron device to vaporize dense rock, showcasing the innovation in next-generation geothermal technologies.
- With ongoing technological improvements and increased drilling experience, costs are expected to decline, making next-generation geothermal competitive with solar and wind energy paired with battery storage, paving the way for a sustainable energy future.
