El DOE anuncia inversiones en energía geotérmica renovable, incluido el apoyo a energía superhot rock
Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of three pilot projects that will receive up to $60 million to demonstrate the ability of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) — including innovative superhot rock geothermal energy — to help power the U.S. economy with round-the-clock clean energy.
“This announcement is a critical first step to unlocking vast amounts of clean, renewable energy beneath our feet,” said Terra Rogers, Program Director for Superhot Rock Energy at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “We commend DOE not only for investing in the promise of geothermal power but also for investing in a diverse set of technologies, that could make geothermal energy accessible across the country.”
Companies receiving funding include Fervo Energy, Chevron New Energies, and Mazama Energy. These three projects are the first round of selections under the EGS Pilot Demonstrations funding program from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Geothermal energy harnesses the natural heat stored beneath the Earth’s surface. While this underground heat exists everywhere, at varying depths, traditional geothermal facilities require the existence of water and pathways in which the hot water can circulate – similar to a car radiator. These naturally occurring reservoirs of hot water are relatively rare; next-generation techniques such as EGS allow developers to harness the heat of the earth without being restricted to pockets of hot water, ultimately enabling geothermal operators to tap this inexhaustible resource to its fullest potential.
Rogers continued:
“The energy potential of EGS becomes greater as you access hotter temperatures. Superhot rock energy (including superhot EGS), which operates at temperatures above >400C, could produce an estimated 5-10x the energy of conventional geothermal systems – giving it the potential to be competitive with today’s costs for power globally. By funding superhot rock pilot projects, DOE is helping to answer important questions about operating at these temperatures and pushing the boundaries of what EGS can do.”
CATF is a source of expert information on superhot rock geothermal energy developments for the public, regional and local governments, community-based organizations, and industry stakeholders.
Learn more about CATF’s work on Superhot Rock Energy.
Contacto con la prensa
Steve Reyes, Director de Comunicación, [email protected], +1 562-916-6463
Acerca de Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) es una organización mundial sin ánimo de lucro que trabaja para protegerse de los peores efectos del cambio climático catalizando el rápido desarrollo y despliegue de energías bajas en carbono y otras tecnologías de protección del clima. Con más de 25 años de experiencia reconocida internacionalmente en política climática y un firme compromiso con la exploración de todas las soluciones posibles, CATF es un grupo de defensa pragmático y no ideológico con las ideas audaces necesarias para abordar el cambio climático. CATF tiene oficinas en Boston, Washington D.C. y Bruselas, y cuenta con personal que trabaja virtualmente en todo el mundo. Visite catf.us y siga @cleanaircatf.
