Key technical challenges: drilling and fracturing

Despite its ability to deliver ample carbon-free energy, the potential of geothermal and EGS is limited by the number of drilling sites close enough to the earth’s surface.

But a few pioneering companies have landed on a potential solution: dig way deeper.

In this episode, Shayle speaks with Carlos Araque, the founder of Quaise Energy. The company has developed millimeter-wave drills to vaporize rock, allowing them to dig up to twelve miles underground in search of water around 800 degrees Fahrenheit. That super hot and "supercritical" water packs a huge punch: ten times more energy density than traditional geothermal.

Shayle and Carlos explore a range of topics, including:

• Why 800 degree water is the “ideal” temperature for deep geothermal
• How "activating" permeability in deep rock differs from traditional fracking
• The state of Quaise’s Oregon project pilot, including their goal of a commercial-grade flow test by the end of 2026
• How the LCOE of super hot geothermal compares to traditional baseload energy sources
  

Resources

• Catalyst: How geothermal gets built
• Open Circuit: Is this geothermal’s breakout moment?
• Latitude Media: Armed with $115 million, geothermal startup Zanskar gets ready to build
• Green Blueprint: Sage Geosystems’ bet on geothermal energy storage
• Latitude Media: Fervo’s Tim Latimer is ‘bullish’ on DOE funding for geothermal

Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.

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