According to numerous studies, geothermal energy could produce a considerable fraction of the United States energy needs. In 2008, the United States Geological Survey determined that harnessing the power of geothermal energy in the West could produce half the energy needs of the nation. Currently, only 0.3 percent of the energy needs of the U.S. are met through geothermal. But the energy has the potential for increasing to ten percent in the next fifty years.
One form of harnessing the power of geothermal is by hydroshearing, which is similar to fracking. Fracking has taken considerable heat in recent months due to its ability to pollute water resources and trigger earthquakes. Hydroshearing does not use the chemicals which cause water pollution, but the process does still pose earthquake risk. This is one of the reasons the process has not become more popular.
However, hydroshearing is being used in both France and Germany. But projects in Australia and Switzerland have encountered issues, namely Switzerland having earthquake concerns. Despite the concerns, earthquakes are not considered as great a risk with hydroshearing as with fracking. An environmental assessment for a project in Oregon found there to be little concern for the region, which is why numerous investors have supported the Newberry geothermal project.
A total of $43 million in investments have been made on the Newberry project, $21.5 million which has come from the U.S. government and $6.3 million from Google. AltaRock Energy, Inc. and Davenport Newberry Holdings LLC are collaborating on the project to pump millions of gallons of water into the 1,300 year-dormant Newberry Volcano using hydroshearing.
A test well has been drilled for the project totaling 10,600 feet. A total of 24 million gallons of water will be pumped into the well at 800 gallons per minute. As cold water is pumped in it will trigger cracks to occur in the rock, which are sealed with small plastic polymers. This process continues far below ground where eventually a reservoir of water beginning at 6,000 feet and extending to 11,000 feet below is formed. In order to have a potentially operable plant the reservoir must be large enough to generate high levels of energy.
Hot rocks below the surface will then heat the water, which will resurface and generate steam to power turbines. Whether the system will succeed is not yet known. The project is still taking public opinions at the moment so it will not be beginning immediately. If successful, a plant is said to be likely within ten years in Oregon.
