Geothermal energy is opening up a world of possibilities

It’s an exciting time for geothermal energy. The US Department of Energy predicts geothermal power generation capacity to grow by 26 times by 2050, potentially providing almost 10% of the US’ total power needs. To talk about the policy and technology that’s needed to achieve this goal is Kevin Jones, enhanced geothermal program manager at the DOE. He speaks to Carolyn Kissane about pilot projects in the US and the pioneering work they are doing.   What makes geothermal so exciting is its reliability as it’s available 24/7, whatever the weather. Enhanced geothermal systems are also revolutionising the field, allowing for the extraction of heat from deeper, previously unreachable rock formations. This cutting-edge technology opens up vast new areas for geothermal development, even in regions without traditional geothermal activity. Michael Webber is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas in Austin, and he also joins the show to talk Carolyn through the technology that could unlock enough power to meet 3-5% of the world’s demands by 2050.   It's not only electricity generation that geothermal energy can provide. It has use as a heat source too, and co-host Laura Young finds out how the UK’s only geothermal plant works as she talks to Eden Geothermal CEO Gus Grand.   The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not reflect the activities of National Grid