Permeability and activating fractures

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.

Catalyst is brought to you by Uplight. Uplight activates energy customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy—improving grid resilience and energy affordability while accelerating decarbonization. Learn how Uplight is helping utilities unlock flexible load at scale at uplight.com. 

Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com.

Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.