Bonanza: Geothermal Heat
Charleston Gazette editorial
16 October 2010
Apparently, West Virginia sits atop a potential industrial gold mine, a
source of boundless free energy even greater than the state's rich coal
deposits.
It's geothermal heat - 400-degree power seething 3 miles underground in
semi-magma rock layers - that might be tapped by deep wells for
steam-turbine electricity generating plants.
Researchers at Southern Methodist University's Geothermal Laboratory
studied temperature readings from 1,400 West Virginia oil, gas and
water wells. They found indications that the East Coast's strongest
"hot spots" lie beneath Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker
counties.
"It appears to be hotter than other areas on the East Coast," SMU
researcher Zachary Frone said. SMU estimated West Virginia's geothermal
power-generation potential at 18,890 megawatts - exceeding the 16,350
megawatts currently derived from coal, river dams and other sources.
West Virginia University engineer Brian Anderson commented: "I actually
do think it is something to be excited about. ... It's a reserve, or
resource, of energy that West Virginia has that other places don't."
Geothermal heat is the molten "hell" inside the planet that can be seen
when volcanoes spill rivers of fiery lava. Part of it stems from the
original formation of Earth, and part comes from radioactive decay of
minerals. If this power could be utilized more fully, it would meet all
human needs worldwide forever.
"The amount of heat available from the Earth under the United States
alone is enough to power the current U.S. energy demand for 10,000
years," WVU's Anderson said. "You can consider the geothermal energy
source an infinite energy source."
Reaching this free power requires drilling extra-deep wells - costing
around $10 million each - then pouring in water to make steam. Such
operations already exist in Italy, New Zealand, California, Nevada,
Germany and elsewhere. A recent attempt in Switzerland triggered local
earthquakes and had to be canceled.
State Geologist Michael Hohn says the sedimentary rock of the
Appalachians presumably wouldn't cause quakes of the sort suffered in
Switzerland.
Geothermal wells release some polluting gases trapped deep underground
- but only about 4 percent of the pollution freed by burning fossil
fuels. Thus geothermal is considered clean "green energy." It's more
reliable than wind and solar, which generate electricity only when the
wind blows or the sun shines during daylight hours.
The promise of an important new geothermal power industry in West
Virginia is a bright prospect. State leaders and the Legislature should
launch studies to evaluate this enticing possibility.