The interior of the Earth is thousands of degrees Celsius. If we could take advantage of that heat, we would obtain a clean and almost inexhaustible source of energy. Or, at least, that is the theory of geothermal energy, a renewable energy that has recently become relevant again. The reason: the intention of a company called Quaise to dig a 20-kilometer hole to test its technology and obtain all the power of the depths, converting classic coal plants into new-age geothermal energy plants. And all in the coming years.
It is not the first time it has been tried. Those who went furthest were the Soviets, who in the 1970s went down to 12.3 kilometers below the surface of the Kola Peninsula using powerful drilling rigs. However, the well - which was built for scientific purposes, to study the lithosphere - was abandoned in 2008.
It is a feat of engineering. At the moment, geothermal power plants, which go much shallower, take advantage of hot zones close to the surface, such as active tectonic faults. A clear example is Iceland, where 85% of its energy is produced, taking advantage of the nearly 200 volcanoes in its 'hot' geology. However, Quaise - which was born from nuclear fusion research at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center - claims that its technology can be applied anywhere thanks to its devices, lowering the cost of electricity to almost ridiculous prices. anywhere on the globe.
And the tools have to be very resistant, withstanding temperatures above 180 degrees Celsius and being capable of crushing any type of rock. Their solution: once a critical point is reached, instead of drill bits - the system used until now - millimeter waves of electromagnetic radiation that force atoms to fuse. The devices called gyrotrons - which are currently used in fusion energy experiments and withstand temperatures of up to 500 degrees
Celsius - can efficiently produce continuous beams of electromagnetic radiation by stirring electrons at high speed within powerful magnetic fields, something like 'melting' the rock until it reaches these hot places, into which liquid water would be pumped into something like steam, finally generating electricity when rising to the surface. And they want to have their system ready in 2026.
But their plan does not end there: two years later they hope to be able to take over the old coal-fired power plants, transforming them into steam-powered facilities, to take advantage of their full potential with a new purpose. «Geothermal requires no fuel and produces no waste. “It is truly renewable, abundant and equitable for all, even in the most challenging energy environments,” they state on their website.