Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Science & Technology: New Engine Makes a Broader Range of Geothermal Sites Viable

Energy-efficient engine turns waste hot water into electricity (New Scientist)

A new engine that generates electricity from waste hot water could reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for thousands of different businesses, from cargo shipping to data centers.

So says Exergyn, a firm based in Dublin, Ireland, which plans to run the first industrial trials of its technology next year.

In addition to harnessing waste heat from industry, the company hopes that the engine could expand the geothermal energy market. At the moment, generating electricity from geothermal sources in a cost-effective manner requires very hot water at high flow rates. That typically means digging very deep wells with a wide diameter, which hugely increases drilling costs. Mike Langdon, Exergyn’s head of product management says that Exergyn’s technology makes a broader range of geothermal sites viable, as it works with water at a lower temperature and flow.

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