Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
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Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
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Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#2On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#3On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
It's hard to drill in to hot things, bits melt.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#4Would not that have massive CO2 footprint? It would be very expensive to pay for it. Vulcanic eruption is natural and does not count, but man-made emmisions require permit.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#5On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
It's hard to drill in to hot things, bits melt.
You don't have to go all the way in to be able to obtain energy. Hawaii and Iceland both have geothermal power generation facilities; it's very doable.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#6On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
Iceland generates 25% of their energy geothermically https://nea.is/geothermal/
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#7On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
There is plenty of geothermal. Where there’s not, it’s usually because another local form of generation is more attractive (e.g., hydro for volcanos near the sea) or the volcanic system is environmentally or culturally protected.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#8Re: the first paragraph's reference to nuking the Deepwater horizon's oil leak, Soviet engineers demonstrated that this was a viable technique back in the 60's. Plenty of wild non-war applications have been proposed for nuclear bombs over the years, but this is the only one I can think of that is actually somewhat of a good idea. Any fallout is minor and contained under 1km+ of bedrock, and the harm prevented is worth the cost. I am surprised that the author dismisses it so rapidly.
https://interestingengineering.com/soviet-engineers-detonate...
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#9On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
We do, where it makes sense, like Iceland:
https://ourworldindata.org/energy/country/iceland#energy-mix
But, as it being listed as 'other renewable' hints, it doesn't make as much sense elsewhere, where generally you can just install more solar and wind and save more carbon/money that way, and leave worrying about windless nights till you've picked the low hanging fruit.
For example, the current US plan is that after getting to 95% carbon free energy, to switch the focus to electrifying more things that currently burn fuel directly, rather than worry about that awkward last 5% before they need to.
Re: Can you drill into a supervolcano to relieve pressure? (2016)
#10On a related note: why not seriously tap these geothermal hot spots for energy? Doesn't stop at night or when the wind dies down.
It's hard to drill in to hot things, bits melt.
Maintenance costs overrun any efficiency gains by using geothermal even under optimal conditions, so unless there's other reasons to use it, ideological or economic, most companies will stick to the local grid.
There are some really cool innovations with graphene coatings generating power as hot saltwater flows over it, simplifying power generation by basically creating giant linear convection flows(, as well as graphene coatings on bits to increase durability.) The technology has a ways to go to compete with solar or coal or gas if grid proximity isn't a problem.