In this episode we get down to the basics of Geothermal and talk plumbing. Plumbing? Yes, Dr. John Holbrook as a sedimentologist and stratigrapher considers himself a plumber in the world of geology as we deal with the internal workings of how fluids whether it be hydrocarbons or water reach the surface. The key to Geothermal reservoirs and their success lies within the subsurface; is there permeability? Porosity? Connected or not? How much rate can we get out? Let’s ask the plumber!
John and I get down to the nitty gritty and go full geologist nerd on this episode, but hopefully it will serve as unique view into the “behind the scenes” of Geothermal systems. Leveraging our understanding of sedimentary basins in which we have been exploring for hydrocarbons for decades will be key in the push to make Geothermal a global baseload energy source. As John and I discuss, there is a wealth of subsurface knowledge in the world and we just need to leverage that to look for heat in this case. There are hurdles that Geothermal faces but starting with direct use is a way that we can start today with decarbonizing the industrial and commercial heating space. One of the things John is most excited about or as he calls it the “Dreamer” idea is to have a thermal battery where we couple solar and geothermal so we can store the excess energy downhole and bring it back up when we actually need. Efficiency of energy production is huge and having a way to predict electricity production is something that will create a more sustainable grid. We couldn’t not talk about the snowpocalypse that hit Texas this past winter and how having a more diverse grid with baseload options apart from natural gas is beneficial moving forward. All in all this was another fascinating conversation where we highlight the challenges and benefits of Geothermal, but not without some puns and cheesy jokes that geologists love!