Startup taps underwater volcano as energy source in "proof point" test
Can undersea geothermal power help Pacific Rim nations cut down on oil imports?
Can undersea geothermal power help Pacific Rim nations cut down on oil imports?
The short version
- The world’s first demonstration of a subsea geothermal power plant has taken place near an active underwater volcano almost a mile below the ocean surface.
- It generated less than 10 seconds of net-positive electricity but showed the technical feasibility of tapping another form of renewable energy underwater.
- The three-week test deployment of the 3-ton prototype power plant took place at the Axial Seamount in the northeast Pacific Ocean in September.
What happened
Endurance Energy, the Seattle-based startup behind the effort, aims to eventually commercialize subsea geothermal power for Pacific island nations and other customers looking for alternatives to importing expensive fossil fuels. “The deep ocean gives us unlimited cold seawater for cooling, and its weight keeps the system and the well pressurized, so our plants can be compact,” said Andrew Redd , founder and CEO of Endurance Energy, in an email to Ars.
Why it matters
But efforts to tap geothermal power on the seafloor face many different challenges from land-based geothermal projects, which can also add up to higher installation and operational costs.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.