Using masers to drill holes for geothermal 1

[GregLocock]

Quaise is working on full-scale, field-deployable demonstration machines (masers), which it says will begin operating in 2024. It plans to have its first "super-hot enhanced geothermal system" rated to 100 megawatts in operation by 2026.

So we should see proof of concept within a year.

https://newatlas.com/energy/quaise-deep-geothermal-millimeter-wave-drill/

USA has a lot of geothermal potential. The problem with conventional drilling is that by the time the rock is hot enough to be a good heat source the drills are in trouble.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[TugboatEng]

The bigger problem is that rock is not a good conductor or heat so injecting water into a well to stimulate it risks quenching the well which it can take many years to recover from.

Geothermal also produces a lot of sulfur. Even small 20-30MW plants can produce truck loads of sulfur per week.