The energy sector in the United States is on the cusp of structural transformation.
This week, members of the House Natural Resources Committee heard testimony about the enormous potential of geothermal energy, which is “a new era of American energy – built by American innovation, American technology and American workers,” as one witness said. [emphasis, links added]
President Donald Trump's new energy secretary Chris Wright enthusiastically acknowledges geothermal to “inspire our country” March research found By the early 2030s, geothermal heat could meet two-thirds of the tedious energy needs of AI data centers.
Even in New York City, new residential and office developments in GreenPoint, Coney Island and Manhattan rely heavily on this power supply.
Geothermal heat has the potential to become the holy grail of energy: infinite, right under our feet.
But there is a problem. Geothermal heat is expensive because it is difficult to access…until now.
Today, American innovators are boosting geothermal energy revolution through directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing, the same technology as the miracle of American shale.
“This is not a concept or pilot, but a comprehensive energy project,” Fervo Energy's Tim Latimer told the House Committee on Monday.
“We have unlocked geothermal energy in places that were impossible before.”
This is how it works.
The inside of the earth is a hell of hot rocks and molten metal, whether it is natural gas, nuclear or anything else, we need to rotate the generator turbine to generate electricity.
Shallow geothermal wells for small residential systems can get enough heat anywhere from a few feet to hundreds of feet below the ground – For example, the Green Dot project of the city block long will use a geo-switching system of 300 boring holes, which is nearly 500 feet away.
But the energy output required by the power plant requires deeper wells, sometimes two miles below the ground.
So far, it has been very difficult to successfully drill holes to explore this kind of underground heat source that exists.
But just as directional drilling opens up previously unavailable extraction of oil and gas sediments in shale shale formations, the same technology unlocks geothermal energy and can do so almost anywhere in the country.
Drill sideways into hot rocks below the Earth's surface and inject high pressure fluid to generate energy that makes the turbine generate electricity to generate electricity and power our factories, heat our houses, turn on the lights and fuel our vehicles.
The geothermal capacity is 90%, which means it can operate continuously without interruptions, meeting all-weather energy needs and ensuring grid stability.
New York State has made some small-scale geothermal investments, including tax credits for home geothermal systems.
But this will master the power of directional drilling to expand this domestic, reliable, carbon-free energy for wider use.
If we seize the opportunity, the United States will dominate this huge emerging market, pioneering geothermal technology that is used not only here but around the world.
If we don't do this, we may lose to China again.
China has put key mineral markets in trouble in recent decades, and with it, renewable energy technologies that rely on these resources.
Now, the United States is struggling to catch up with manufacturing products such as solar panels and electric vehicles.
When it comes to geothermal energy, we are powerless to stumble.
If we use oil and gas know-how to win the geothermal race, we can run in the U.S. technology sector in this important area while keeping our country free from the Chinese Communist Party.
Directional drilling made in the United States has been done once before.
Directional drilling reduces the cost of shale channels enough to change the energy market.
After large-scale implementation began in the early 2000s, U.S. natural gas production doubled. By 2016, this approach accounted for 70% of all oil and gas wells.
Today, no one can get close to the US shale dominance.
The International Energy Agency estimates that if this approach can do anything for geothermal heat, the cost of such energy could plummet by 80% by 2035.
Providing geothermal at such cost value will make the United States the undisputed leader in the world's next large energy market.
No wonder Trump called geothermal heat one of our country’s “amazing national assets” when he established his own National Energy Steering Committee.
Directional drilling began the shale revolution, transforming history and strengthening our country.
It’s time to unleash the same tools so that the United States can lead the geothermal revolution, too.
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