PNNL researchers collect data from the Sanford Underground Research Facility in real-time
The mine, or Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), mimics rocks found deep in the subsurface where temperatures reach over 400 degrees Fahrenheit. That heat is a clean energy source that could be harnessed to power 100 million homes across the nation. When cold water is pumped through small fractures in the Earth’s subsurface, its contact with hot rock heats the water, which can be brought to the surface for conversion to electrical energy.
Researchers anticipate collecting data from SURF into 2020; it’ll be a useful and natural transition to starting the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy Project, which is tasked with developing technologies to harness and use energy that is generated in the subsurface.
From the Global Geothermal News archives:
- Friday, November 2, 2018 - USA, South Dakota: Research on How Geothermal Hydro-Shearing Impacts Rock in Deep Underground Wells
- Monday, July 23, 2018 - Science & Technology: Overview of Enhanced Geothermal Systems Collaborative Project
- Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - Science & Technology: GRC Members Explain Important New Tool That Could Revolutionize Geothermal Exploration
- Tuesday, September 26, 2017 - Science & Technology: Using Acoustic Emissions to Understand Enhanced Geothermal Systems Processes
