BREAKTHROUGH GEOTHERMAL

New geothermal heat extraction process to deliver clean power generation; PNNL’s advanced heat recovery method makes most of low-temp ‘hot rock’ sources
July 15, 2009 (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

"A new method for capturing significantly more heat from low-temperature geothermal resources holds promise for generating virtually pollution-free electrical energy.

"Scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will determine if their innovative approach can safely and economically extract and convert heat from vast untapped…low-temperature geothermal resources at an economical cost. In addition to being a clean energy source without any greenhouse gas emissions, geothermal is also a steady and dependable source of power…"

From PNNL.gov via YouTube

"A technical and economic analysis conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that enhanced geothermal systems could provide 10 percent of the nation's overall electrical generating capacity by 2050…

"PNNL's conversion system will take advantage of the rapid expansion and contraction capabilities of a new liquid developed by PNNL researchers called biphasic fluid. When exposed to heat brought to the surface from water circulating in moderately hot, underground rock, the thermal-cycling of the biphasic fluid will power a turbine to generate electricity."

Rendering of the NETL nanostructured metal-organic heat carrier (MOHC) that could be the key to low temperature geothermal. (click to enlarge)

"To aid in efficiency, scientists have added nanostructured metal-organic heat carriers, or MOHCs, which boost the power generation capacity to near that of a conventional steam cycle…PNNL's nanotechnology and molecular engineering expertise [is] an important factor in the development…PNNL is receiving $1.2 million as one of 21 DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy grants through the Geothermal Technologies Program.

"Some of the research was conducted in EMSL, DOE's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory on the PNNL campus...