Geography: New energy source

A recent report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said the answer to the US energy crisis lies deep in the ground.

This 2-year study shows that if you invest reasonably in geological research, you will be able to harness enough energy to supply 25 million households.

In order to obtain the Earth's thermal energy, one must drill deep into the earth to collect heat from radioactive sources, heat streams from the center of the Earth and the outer shell.

Heat extraction from the ground can provide enough heat for 25 million US households.(Artwork: melbournewater)

Since the 1970s, the United States has found this to be a way to help them get rid of their dependence on imported energy. However, this young industry has so far provided less than 1% of America's energy needs. Part of it is because even the cost of the simplest way to harness heat, which is to focus directly on circuits, sources such as hot springs or volcanoes, is also very expensive.

According to MIT's research, there is still a more efficient way to focus on exploiting heat sources deeper in the ground. This research, funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), introduced a new technology for thermal energy conversion.

In this way the fluid (gas or liquid) is pumped up under a granite circuit 1,500 meters deep (below the Earth's surface), and produces a liquid, moist and then the heat from that liquid is used to operate tuocbin.

Although there are still technical difficulties such as the problem of heat being too low, it is not enough to convert into electricity, but a drilling project in Soultz, France, was successful beyond expectation in regeneration. Steam energy by applying new concepts, less expensive drilling methods and effective utilization of fluid (gas or liquid) are kept at the normal pressure of the atmosphere.

MIT's research calls for an investment of $ 20 million a year over 15 years to continue researching geothermal exploitation. The research team thought that they could not find in the future, which exploitation techniques were difficult or limited significantly.

According to the report, the relative investment of DOE could greatly support research in developing technologies for mining, building factories, or even using CO2 to collect heat from the ground.

Last year, DOE asked the US Congress to pay attention to the development of geothermal, solar and biofuel development.

Manh Duc