Friday, January 23, 2015

USA, Hawaii:

Unexpected Geothermal Reserves Found in Hawaii’s High Country (EOS)

Temperatures at depth may exceed 250°C, enough heat to create steam from extracted water


Tests reported at the 2014 AGU Fall Meeting reveal groundwater pockets at high elevations in the remote saddle region between the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. The groundwater, which could be pumped to the surface to supply much-needed water or developed into a source of geothermal electricity, could help solve the region’s water and energy woes.

Not only is the water close to the surface, but its deeper reaches get progressively hotter. Temperatures at depth may exceed 250°C, enough heat to create steam from extracted water. This steam can drive turbines and generate electricity.

New measures of resistivity indicated hydrothermal activity at 2-3 kilometers depth, plus evidence of magma storage at around 5 kilometers.

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