EGS systems: the future of geothermal energy

This diagram shows how electricity is produced using enhanced geothermal systems. Source: DOE.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently posted an article which enphasizes the future of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS).

While the amount of conventional hydrothermal power worldwide has reached nearly 12 gigawatts, exponentially more geothermal resources can be accessed through next-generation technologies known as enhanced geothermal systems (EGS).

Through funding by the Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), USA first commercial-scale EGS was brought online in April, connecting tomorrow’s technology to the U.S. electrical grid today and setting the stage for future growth of geothermal power.

DOE investments deliver cutting edge pathways for EGS, a technology that helps reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and diversify the energy economy.

GTO focuses on developing technologies where no natural hydrothermal system or geothermal infrastructure exists. Today DOE funds five active EGS demonstrations and several lab-scale research projects to help achieve this potential. Two of these demonstrations have reached milestones in accelerating the adoption of geothermal energy.

For more information, take a look at this post of the blog about geothermal energy of the Energy Department’s Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy website.