Sunday September 27, 2009

New efficient nanotech materials may boost enhanced geothermal power systems

peakoil.com -> seattlepi.com :

New nanotech materials could provide the efficiency boost needed to make geothermal power a more practical energy source if research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory proves out. Geothermal energy fell out of favor in the early 1980's when few places proved to have hot enough rock close enough to the earth's surface to make geothermal power generation efficient and economical. Geothermal power is renewable and produces almost no pollution. Unlike solar and wind power, it provides steady base-load power. But in conventional geothermal power production, hot rock needs to heat water to 300 degF [149 degC] or hotter. That hot rock might be found 5,000 feet beneath the ground in a few places, but typically it's much deeper.

Peter McGrail thinks nanomaterials may help make geothermal more practical by allowing efficient energy production closer to the surface at lower temperatures. "Metal organic heat carriers" are nanomaterials one-thousandth the width of a human hair, of which some could absorb 30% of their weight in organic compounds. In geothermal power systems, this could help drive turbines with organic compounds at lower temperatures. Tests may prove the technology ready to use in 5 years on existing geothermal systems. An MIT study estimates that enhanced geothermal systems could provide 10% of America's electrical generating capacity by 2050.

- One of the things that I really like about geothermal power is its support for baseload generation, as opposed to intermittent energy sources like terrestrial solar and wind (space-based solar power being something else altogether). The other closest renewable baseload-capable contender so far has been ocean power but implementation of that has been sporadic thus far. The big limitation with geothermal power systems has always been geography, putting it in a similar situation as hydro-power systems. If these new nanotech materials work out it may well lead to Geothermal 2.0 triggering a renaissance of sorts in this field.

See also :

1. Asia going nuclear amid rising oil prices, global warming concerns
2. Abundant power from universal geothermal energy
3. Energy security: a look at other fuel sources
4. Indonesia pushes for geothermal renewal

(2009-09-27 15:40:54 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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