Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) see a great future in the US, given their potential to generate around 90 GW of flexible power by 2050.
There are various innovative renewable geothermal energy projects across the country, six of which are being invested upon by the US Department of Energy (DOE). These include:
- AI-powered photoacoustic imaging tool: US$4.88mn was allocated towards the development of this tool at Clemson University in South Carolina. This tool is capable of assessing geothermal well integrity without active cooling requirement, making it useful for high-temperature and high-pressure well logging.
- Durable ultrasonic measurement tool: US$2.51mn was allocated towards creating this tool at the Innovative Downhole Solutions Inc., in Houston, Texas. The tool is specifically used for evaluating wellbore construction materials and practices, owing to its unique design that enables it to operate continuously for 24 hours in high-temperature geothermal environments.
- Tool to evaluate geothermal borehole integrity: US$2.02mn has been awarded to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California towards the development of a tool that is capable of enduring in extreme conditions, thus allowing them to function well, without reliance on downhole electronics.
- High-resolution acoustics-based tool: US$3.67mn was secured by Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, to build a tool that delivers precise data for assessing the EGS components under extreme conditions.
- Wireline tractor-conveyed system: US$10mn was granted to Schlumberger Technology Corporation in Houston, to develop a system that focuses on modelling the long-term integrity of cement and casing in geothermal wells.
- RTES demonstration project: US$7.9mn was received by Project Development Solutions, Inc. in Bakersfield, California, towards the development of a project at the Kern Front Oil Field. The project involves combining subsurface geothermal reservoirs with a steam system and process heat off-taker.