Plan to drill 20km deep to produce geothermal energy

An energy company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is looking to drill tens of kilometers deep, helping to harness geothermal energy near the Earth's core.

Quaise Energy, a startup of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), on February 8 shared a plan to use new deep drilling technology to dig 10-20km to harness geothermal energy at any time and any place. anywhere. If successful, the company could revolutionize renewable energy production.

Geothermal is a continuous and reliable source of clean energy. While sunlight and wind are not always available, resulting in interrupted supplies of solar and wind energy, the Earth's core is always blazing hot. The problem is how to reach this depth. Typically, geothermal energy can only be harnessed in volcanic regions or near the edges of tectonic plates, greatly reducing the efficiency of electricity production.

"The rapid transition to clean energy is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity," said Arunas Chesonis, manager of Safar Partners (an investor of Quaise Energy). "Geothermal energy can provide more electricity using fewer resources."

Geothermal is a continuous and reliable source of clean energy.

Quaise Energy plans to use a millimeter wave drilling system that can reach depths where geothermal energy is not constrained. The company will drill with microwaves to go deeper than any previous drill. The rig operates on an electronic tube (gyrotron) that will vaporize the rock in the borehole without complicated equipment. Gyrotrons produce electromagnetic waves with wavelengths shorter than microwaves but longer than visible or infrared light. Currently, gyrotrons can produce a continuous beam of energy more than a megawatt.

Quaise Energy has no plans to build a new thermal power plant. Instead, they are looking at making use of old oil and gas plants. This way will save more costs and create conditions for factory workers to participate in energy production. According to Quaise Energy, geothermal energy at great depths uses less than 1% of land and materials compared to other renewable energy sources, making it the most convenient and profitable option. The company has called for $ 63 million in investment capital to turn the plan into reality.