Geothermal: Quaise Energy

[RubberToe]

Been meaning to post this for a while now. Listened to a good podcast on the Interchange about Quaise Energy. The idea is that you dig a VERY deep hole and tap into extremely hot rock. Their method uses a megawatt power level millimeter wave technology to essentially burn through the rock. One of the biggest selling points is that the area of the Earth where this could be done is like 95% of the land surface. The amount of energy available is in the TW level, which the CEO claims cannot be done by any other method due to land requirements. A case presented was drilling by a current thermal power plant. Drill down deep enough, harness the steam, turn off the (cold, gas) burner, utility lines are in place, so it is a plug-and-play with existing infrastructure. It also leverages existing drilling crews/equipment that drill for oil now, so you aren't putting them all out of work.

Much technology development to go, but field trials are set for 2023 I believe. They can make it work with shallower holes, but the big payoff is getting down to I believe 20km. Seemed to make a lot of sense when I listened to it, couldn't think of any drawbacks or showstoppers assuming the technology works...

The Interchange Recharged podcast: Quaise Energy digs deep – into the world of geothermal

Could geothermal help solve the world's energy crisis. and does Quaise's new technology mean we can access geothermal energy in most places on the globe?

www.woodmac.com

Quaise Energy

Quaise is an energy company unlocking geothermal energy for the world population through millimeter wave drilling technology.

www.quaise.energy

 

[nwdiver]

couldn't think of any drawbacks or showstoppers assuming the technology works...

$

 

[RubberToe]

$

Sure thing, but once they figure it out and start making 100 rigs per week the cost is on the same glideway that solar and wind are, you would think. Besides, what's cooler than burning through solid rock with directed energy???

 

[nwdiver]

the same glideway that solar and wind are, you would think.

Not really. Heat is just fundamentally an economically inferior source of energy for electricity generation compared to solar or wind.

Thermal Generation is Obsolete​

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Been meaning to post this for a while now. Listened to a good podcast on the Interchange about Quaise Energy. The idea is that you dig a VERY deep hole and tap into extremely hot rock. Their method uses a megawatt power level millimeter wave technology to essentially burn through the rock. One of the biggest selling points is that the area of the Earth where this could be done is like 95% of the land surface. The amount of energy available is in the TW level, which the CEO claims cannot be done by any other method due to land requirements. A case presented was drilling by a current thermal power plant. Drill down deep enough, harness the steam, turn off the (cold, gas) burner, utility lines are in place, so it is a plug-and-play with existing infrastructure. It also leverages existing drilling crews/equipment that drill for oil now, so you aren't putting them all out of work.

Much technology development to go, but field trials are set for 2023 I believe. They can make it work with shallower holes, but the big payoff is getting down to I believe 20km. Seemed to make a lot of sense when I listened to it, couldn't think of any drawbacks or showstoppers assuming the technology works...

The Interchange Recharged podcast: Quaise Energy digs deep – into the world of geothermal

Could geothermal help solve the world's energy crisis. and does Quaise's new technology mean we can access geothermal energy in most places on the globe?

www.woodmac.com

Quaise Energy

Quaise is an energy company unlocking geothermal energy for the world population through millimeter wave drilling technology.

www.quaise.energy

The concern would be use of steam. It's challenging in itself, but also because of water use. Water supply is an issue, and heat pollution from water output is also an issue.

The trend is away from water-intensive generation.

U.S. electric power sector’s use of water continued its downward trend in 2020 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

www.eia.gov

One of the challenges to increase use of geothermal is to make it more closed loop so it can be put in any active location.

There is a closed-loop geothermal demonstration project in California:

https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/CEC-300-2020-007.pdf