Geothermal energy: world leaders and development of EGS technology

Geothermal energy is currently being used in 30 countries worldwide to produce electricity. As of January 2022, the total installed geothermal energy generation capacity was 15,854 MW. The leading countries in the geothermal electricity market are the USA, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Kenya (where almost 50% of electricity comes from geothermal energy), Iceland, and Japan (as of the end of 2021). This is made possible by the location along the boundaries of tectonic plates, such as the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is often associated with volcanic activity.

However, modern geothermal technologies make it possible to become independent from volcanic activity. New methods used in the industry are based on drilling and fracking, which are derived from the extraction of oil and gas from shale rocks. These EGS technologies increase the availability of geothermal resources through hydraulic stimulation methods.

An example of modern solutions is Project Red in the Nevada desert, developed by the energy start-up Fervo Energy. Engineers drilled into the rocks to a depth of over 2,400 m, reaching a temperature of approximately 193°C, then drilled another horizontal well at the bottom, over 900 m deep. Cracks were created in the nearby rocks through which water could flow. Project Red delivers enough steam to generate 3.5 MW of electricity and power over 2,500 houses. Currently, it powers Google’s energy-hungry data centres, among others.