WEBVTT

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It may sound like an
'80s tribute band,

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but superhot rock
energy is all about

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tapping into the
extreme heat emanating

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from the earth's core.

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If it can be
developed at scale it

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could hold the key to providing
abundant clean electricity

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and become a key weapon in the
battle against climate change.

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The US government wants to help
commercialise superhot rock

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technology by cutting its
costs by 90 per cent by 2035,

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as part of Joe Biden's pledge
to hit net-zero by 2050.

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Geothermal energy drives
generator turbines

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without burning fossil fuels.

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Conventional projects
rely on water heated

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by the earth's core rising
through fissures and fractures

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in permeable rock and using
the resulting reservoirs

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of pressurised hot water.

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But these only tend to occur
in areas of tectonic activity.

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Enhanced geothermal
systems, on the other hand,

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allow engineers to drill
down into solid rock

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almost anywhere, injecting
water at high pressure

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and allowing that water
to pass through the rock

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and back up to the surface
through another well.

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It seeks to tap into the deepest
and hottest rock possible,

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close to the earth's core.

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At super-high heat,
the performance

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of geothermal energy
takes a dramatic leap.

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A project using
water at 200 degrees

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has a five megawatt capacity,
while a superhot rock

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project using 400 degree water
would result in a 50 megawatt

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capacity.

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Turning up the
heat by 42 per cent

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results in 10 times more power,
paving the way for cheaper zero

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emission electricity.

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And unlike wind and
solar, super hot rock

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can provide energy 24/7
hours a day, 365 days a year

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from anywhere in the world,
if engineers can get to it.

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One idea being trialled is
melting rock with laser beams.

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Production of super hot
rock isn't up and running

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but exploration is ongoing.

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The world's first
demonstration site

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is being run by a company
called AltaRock in Oregon.

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Still, this burgeoning
new technology

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requires money research
and the resolution

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of technical challenges.

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But if Washington can encourage
the billions of dollars

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of investment that superhot rock
energy development requires,

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it could enjoy top billing along
with the more established acts

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of the renewable energy
line-up in the decades ahead.