Using Engineered Geothermal Systems to Meet our Energy Demand
by Trenton Cladouhos, Senior Vice President of Research & Development, AltaRock Energy
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| This photo shows the main stimulation pumps at the Newberry EGS project in Central Oregon during the stimulation process in 2012. The pumps are on the concrete pad in the center with the electric drive motors directly behind, and three 1-MW diesel generators housed in the tractor trailers behind the motors. (Courtesy AltaRock) |
What is needed is a way to decrease the risk associated with drilling new wells, reduce the cost of produced energy, and expand the area where geothermal energy can be utilized to increase the potential for large scale deployment of geothermal power. Across the western United States, there is hot rock within a few kilometers of the surface with a huge energy potential. Studies conducted in the last few years have estimated that there is from 500 to 5000 GW of recoverable geothermal energy in this hot rock if we can develop an economic means to extract the heat. Remember that the total energy production of the United States is about 1,000 GW, so this very significant. The challenge is that unlike a conventional geothermal resource, the hot rock resource has no naturally permeable cracks to allow heat exchange with circulating water. Enter Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS).
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