Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumProject Pours Water into Volcano to Make Power
by weather.com and The Associated PressGeothermal energy developers plan to pump 24 million gallons of water into the side of a dormant volcano in Central Oregon this summer to demonstrate new technology they hope will give a boost to a green energy sector that has yet to live up to its promise.
They hope the water comes back to the surface fast enough and hot enough to create cheap, clean electricity that isn't dependent on sunny skies or stiff breezes - without shaking the earth and rattling the nerves of nearby residents.
Renewable energy has been held back by cheap natural gas, weak demand for power and waning political concern over global warming. Efforts to use the earth's heat to generate power, known as geothermal energy, have been further hampered by technical problems and worries that tapping it can cause earthquakes.
Even so, the federal government, Google and other investors are interested enough to bet $43 million on the Oregon project. They are helping AltaRock Energy, Inc. of Seattle and Davenport Newberry Holdings LLC of Stamford, Conn., demonstrate whether the next level in geothermal power development can work on the flanks of Newberrry Volcano, located about 20 miles south of Bend, Ore.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/volcano-water-project_2012-01-14
eppur_se_muova
(36,289 posts)I'm sure nothing could go wrong here.
IDemo
(16,926 posts)In any event, the amount of water being discussed here pales in comparison to the volume that the Krakatau (or Krakatoa) eruption would have required. Plus, they're not trying to place it in direct contact with magma.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)about "waning political concern over global warming"? I'm shocked!
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)1monster
(11,012 posts)Last edited Mon Jan 16, 2012, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)
everything there is to know about volcanos, tectonics, and such things.
Nihil
(13,508 posts)"Yes, it's getting warmer! Yes it's getting ... oh sh*t ... RUN!!!"
Javaman
(62,534 posts)Increased water vapor in the air due to climate change gives rise to heavier snow fall in winter.
Yeah, this won't hurt at all.
IDemo
(16,926 posts)Exploding volcanoes and the threat of increased snowfall?
The project is only pumping water down far enough to contact a rock layer which is hot enough to create steam, not come in contact with lava. And even if they did 'hit a gusher', it would not create another St. Helens or Krakatoa. They can detect this type of event during drilling and move elsewhere.
And I think you've reversed cause and effect on water vapor and climate change. As well, we're talking about a closed loop process here, not one which is going to vent large clouds of steam. And even if there were somehow a resultant increase in snowfall, it would be welcomed with open arms with the current drought.
Dead_Parrot
(14,478 posts)It'll be just like this:
Except nobody will notice.
Yo_Mama
(8,303 posts)This is probably safe, but they really aren't sure just where that water is going to go.
Very interesting article, thanks for posting it. On the one hand, it seems like a good idea. On the other hand....
ghostlake
(6 posts)The article makes it seem like geothermal energy is something new.
Combining millions of gallons of water with a volcano and geothermal energy or, in a natural state, thermal features such as geysers and hot springs, are the result.
At Yellowstone National Park the partially melted rock, like a "gigantic slushee" in the words of park geologist Henry "Hank" Hesler, is anywhere from 3 to 8 miles beneath the surface.
Nothing new here.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)rms013
(119 posts)Check out the Geysers thermal power plant in Sonoma County. Also Iceland has been using geothermal for decades.