Long before sunlight sustained life on the surface, Earth’s internal heat powered the deep-sea vents where scientists believe life began.
The immense reservoir of heat inside Earth keeps the planet geologically active. But it can also be very useful to humans. Geothermal energy represents a huge and largely untapped source of clean electricity available around the clock. The concept is simple: drill wells down to the heat and use heated water to drive turbines to make electricity.
As the world grapples with a major fossil-fuel energy crisis, governments and companies are looking for alternatives for a more secure future. After decades of development, geothermal is now ready for prime time.
Until recently, geothermal was limited to areas where heat was close to the surface – think geysers and volcanoes. But new deep drilling techniques are revolutionising the sector, opening up access to superhot rocks at temperatures above 350°C.
Our collaborative research with the Clean Air Task Force, a research nonprofit organisation, provides the first global overview of superhot rock geothermal potential, showing how much of this energy is available – even in regions with little or no volcanic activity such as Australia.
