Google.org is funding a brand-new renewable energy technology, to the tune of $10 million. It’s technology powered by hot rocks deep underground. I.e., several miles down.
Here’s what Louis J. Sheehan has to say about it on a Greenpeace USA blog:
"The technology, called Enhanced Geothermal Systems(EGS), differs from traditional geothermal energy that relies on finding natural pockets of hot water and steam. Instead, EGSfractures the hot rock, circulates water in its system, and uses thesteam created from the process to create electricity in a turbine [Cleantechnica].
Thesystem could augment less reliable renewable energy sources like solarand wind power, which don’t generate steady amounts of energy. Googleexecutive Dan Reicher says EGS would be very dependable, and could berevolutionary. “It’s 24-7, it’s potentiallydevelopable all over the country, all over the world, and . . .we really do think it could be the ‘killer app’ of the energy world” [New Scientist]."
Awesome. Read more here.
For more info about geothermal’s pros and cons, see the recent DISCOVER investigation, “The Great Forgotten Clean-Energy Source: Geothermal."
