Grid Storage Systems for Renewable Energy - Technology and Projects (No Politics)

[Ron Texas]

The holy grail of clean renewable energy: geothermal electricity generation at any point on earth. Full-scale field testing next year. 100 MW in 2026 (1/10 of a current nuclear generator.) Full commercial generation in 5 years.

Geothermal can provide half our energy – Quaise Energy CEO

Energy Monitor caught up with Quaise’s CEO, Carlos Araque, to find out how its 12-mile-deep geothermal drilling technology is progressing.

www.energymonitor.ai

Maybe I read it too fast, but is this cost competitive with natural gas? It's an educational article, and the company is in my town, Houston. That place is full of people who know how to drill holes.

 

[j_j]

Actually, I think they do use CL water or at lease that's what they say on Wikipedia. The family best friend in High School had a place in Lucere a block from the water and I would spend weeks up there water skiing and boating on a 8' hydroplane. Sorry to here its gotten so bad.

Oh, it's not changed, but they measured the fish and freaked. The pollution is natural. Or so I've been told.

 

[MediumRare]

Maybe I read it too fast, but is this cost competitive with natural gas? It's an educational article, and the company is in my town, Houston. That place is full of people who know how to drill holes.

Ron, they say the levelized cost is driven by the time and expense to drill the holes - plus whether they have to build a new generation plant or not. Best case is $0.02/kW (equal to the lowest solar/wind cost, far below nat gas), worst case is $0.04/kW, ~25% to ~50% below nat gas generation. Of course, no one knows the operational life or practical capacity of a 15 km deep hole; at this point it's only theory. So all will have to be proved out.

 

[MediumRare]

Challenges for the metallurgical engineer(s) are big. With the stainless alloys, carbide pipe liners and a can-do attitude maybe this can be done? I am used to seeing calibrated 20KPSI downhole tools at ~177C and so I'm not sure about what is required at the depths these people are talking about but we are talking within molten lava I imagine in some circumstances. I can go to a hot springs and be within kilometers of molten lava.

The key with this is there is no physical pipe going down to line the pipe. That is a key part of the ability to "drill" very deeply very quickly. The gyrotron process converts the inner layer of the hole to a solid vitreous glass-like material, so it is self-sealing and self-supporting against the immense lateral earth pressure. Presumably once the hole is established a water supply line is sent down and then the steam comes up in the annulus. Also, they only need to get down to 300-500 deg. C, nowhere near lava (700-1200 deg C).

 

[Doodski]

Of course, no one knows the operational life or practical capacity of a 15 km deep hole; at this point it's only theory. So all will have to be proved out.

Pressures are immense. Temps are immense. Strategic materials will be required like special high temp O-rings. Is the borehole metal lined or is it melted and polished or is it cut to a fine finish...? All related to the pressure at various depths.

 

[Doodski]

The key with this is there is no physical pipe going down to line the pipe. That is a key part of the ability to "drill" very deeply very quickly. The gyrotron process converts the inner layer of the hole to a solid vitreous glass-like material, so it is self-sealing and self-supporting against the immense lateral earth pressure. Presumably once the hole is established a water supply line is sent down and then the steam comes up in the annulus. Also, they only need to get down to 300-500 deg. C, nowhere near lava (700-1200 deg C).

Wow! Far out. So machinery needs to be manufactured. Lots of peeps out there doing it right now in the form of drilling platforms both stationary and mobile designs.

 

[Ron Texas]

Ron, they say the levelized cost is driven by the time and expense to drill the holes - plus whether they have to build a new generation plant or not. Best case is $0.02/kW (equal to the lowest solar/wind cost, far below nat gas), worst case is $0.04/kW, ~25% to ~50% below nat gas generation. Of course, no one knows the operational life or practical capacity of a 15 km deep hole; at this point it's only theory. So all will have to be proved out.

They could make a great sci-fi horror flick out of this. Creatures coming up from the hole followed by hot yucky stuff. Thanks for the relevant answer.

 

[Travis]

They could make a great sci-fi horror flick out of this. Creatures coming up from the hole followed by hot yucky stuff. Thanks for the relevant answer.

There is a YouTube video I just ran into recently claiming that they ran a microphone down the hole no explanation on how it didn’t fry or the wire it was connected too and they recorded what sounded like human screams and moaning, imploring they struck, well, hell

 

[j_j]

There is a YouTube video I just ran into recently claiming that they ran a microphone down the hole no explanation on how it didn’t fry or the wire it was connected too and they recorded what sounded like human screams and moaning, imploring they struck, well, hell

Indeed, there is also a youtube video that says that all of the members of the Senate are reptoids.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Indeed, there is also a youtube video that says that all of the members of the Senate are reptoids.

Well, the microphone wire and cable wouldn't melt in the senate. So who knows....... could be a more credible claim than finding hell in a hole in the ground.

 

[j_j]

Well, the microphone wire and cable wouldn't melt in the senate. So who knows....... could be a more credible claim than finding hell in a hole in the ground.

 

[BlackTalon]

The technical challenges are many. But the payoff is immense if it can be made to happen.

Frankly I think the best way to push this forward is for the Dept of Energy to engage Synergistic Research in talks to see if they would be willing to devote some of their scientists and engineers to solving the technical issues. For a fee, of course. May not be possible without adding Audioquest to the mix., but would be well worth it. These companies know physics rules the rest of the worlds' scientists and engineers cannot comprehend.

 

[Timcognito]

There is a YouTube video I just ran into recently claiming that they ran a microphone down the hole no explanation on how it didn’t fry or the wire it was connected too and they recorded what sounded like human screams and moaning, imploring they struck, well, hell

We don't need a YouTube video it's happening.

States struggle to plug oil wells with infrastructure law cash

“It’s a constant game of catch-up,” said Jason Simmerman, Ohio's orphan well program manager. “We find new wells every week.”

www.eenews.net

 

[j_j]

We don't need a YouTube video it's happening.

States struggle to plug oil wells with infrastructure law cash

“It’s a constant game of catch-up,” said Jason Simmerman, Ohio's orphan well program manager. “We find new wells every week.”

www.eenews.net

Thank you, I forwarded that to some friends in NE Ohio whose well water has become undrinkable, pH under 5, full of H2S and methane (you can light the fizzy tap water on fire, I did it!), all due to fracking.

The area is old seabed, sediments under fine-grained sandstone. Water wells live above the sandstone. Gas below. Fracking busted the sandstone.

 

[Doodski]

H2S

That's the epitome of nasty. Headaches, illness and in sufficient concentration rapid death.

 

[j_j]

That's the epitome of nasty. Headaches, illness and in sufficient concentration rapid death.

Yes, they have to open the window and use an exhaust fan to take a shower.

There are words. They are not nice words, and no, taking a shower with the window open in the winter in Ohio is not for the faint-hearted.

 

[Doodski]

Yes, they have to open the window and use an exhaust fan to take a shower.

There are words. They are not nice words, and no, taking a shower with the window open in the winter in Ohio is not for the faint-hearted.

Is it abandoned? An abandoned wellhead?

 

[j_j]

Is it abandoned? An abandoned wellhead?

Nope. It's due to presently operating fracking and 'fluid reinjection", which the state of Ohio has banned lawsuits against. Abandoned well heads are worse.

 

[Doodski]

Nope. It's due to presently operating fracking and 'fluid reinjection", which the state of Ohio has banned lawsuits against. Abandoned well heads are worse.

I was thinking something is prohibiting process from occurring. We have abandoned well heads au plenty in Canada too. Old companies that ceased existing decades ago etc. Fracking is in progress in gas country I believe. In the north of both Alberta and British Columbia. Money is supposed to be moving for capping/sealing old wellheads. I don't read much about it in the news.