You might know Texas for its wealthy reserves of oil and gas, but researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have discovered that the region is ripe for geothermal energy.
We hear a lot about solar, hydro and nuclear power, but a lesser-known source is geothermal energy. And although you might not know much about it, the US is actually a world leader when it comes to geothermal energy.
In 2020, the US generated the most geothermal electricity in the world at 18,831 GWh.
Having said that, when it comes to the US’s primary energy sources, geothermal comes in bottom at around 1.6% of the total, so there’s certainly room for development.
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Texas is a slight anomaly for geothermal energy generation. Usually, this type of energy is best harvested where hot water is available via permeable rock, however, using techniques borrowed from fracking, geothermal power could be generated in places like Texas where water can be injected into areas with hot subsurface rock, before it eventually gets pumped through turbines and converted into energy.
Following a 9-month report by the University, researchers concluded that an area near the southwestern Texan town of Presidio and wider areas in the county are a prime development target for this kind of renewable power.
Ken Wisian who led the study explained further: “Bottom line is the immediate area in Presidio, but the whole county looks like a really good development target”.
Not only could this new discovery mean more renewable energy for the US, but also more jobs for Texans too.
There are risks to this renewable energy source though, first and foremost are earthquakes.
According to Scientific American, the drilling of the rock itself isn’t what causes earthquakes, but rather the removal of steam and returning of water back to reservoirs which in turn can cause instability along fault lines.
South Korea experienced their second largest earthquake in modern history in 2018 thanks to a geothermal plant. Consequently, the plant was shut down.
The results of this investigation from the University of Texas Austin are promising, and certainly needed as the climate crisis expands. But local leaders say next steps for Texas’s geothermal project are still some way off, though discussions on the matter will continue.