Canada: University of Alberta Reseaching Low Temperature Micro-Geothermal Engines

Canada should take advantage of a new power innovation (Todd Hirsch - Blog)

What do you get when you combine orphaned oil and gas wells, nanotechnology, 3-D printing and a bunch of really smart geologists? Throw in a government committed to eliminating carbon-fired electricity, and you get the perfect conditions for some mind-blowing innovation in power generation.

Geologists and engineers at the University of Alberta are developing something called “low temperature micro-geothermal engines.” It may be an awkward name, but what they’re working on could be an innovative breakthrough for Alberta’s power generation aspirations. The provincial government has announced intentions to eliminate all coal-fired power by 2020 – an aggressive goal that has been applauded by many. Yet the question of how we are going to get there looms large over an economy mired in recession.

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