SketchUp Model - Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)

[IBMua]

I wonder if this kind of intrusion in the bussiness beneath our feat won't make any bad impact on our planet..

[boumar19721972]

@IBMua It would be better than oil which pollutes 100 times over. Bad thing is that once you tap it it's renewable and almost free energy!

[frogface77]

Very Nice video.... what program did you use to add the Graphic Text?

Nice Models !!! BTW

[Bradtomshore]

solar only reduces the load on current power systems during the day. we need a combination

[visualcomms]

surely, solar power is more reliable for hot countries like australia? why not stretch the recently very cheap (i'm told) solar material like a tent top to harvest energy and cool the desert underneath and make it habitable/irrigable with all that electrickery originating from the sun?

[Murre3000]

Why not use a cooling tower?

[soylentgreenb]

"Why not use a cooling tower?"

Water usage? This is in an Australian desert.

[semiliteratedgod]

do u have atleast one of these up'n'runnin?

[fansonly2000]

cool, but no sound..

[hamsterpoop]

I am currently studying Geology and Geophysics and was a bit annoyed about having to work for a petroleum company if I wanted to help solve the world's energy crisis. I am so happy to see that Google is investing in Geothermal!! I want to work on this sooo badly!!! :D

[adrastea99]

Why do my sketchups never look like this?

[sp4zzpp2]

I'm no fan about getting energy from earth'S magma. I first want to know what it's risks are - there have to be some!

[soylentgreenb]

Minor hydrogen sulfide emissions, tiny risk of earth quakes.

The risks of not having enough reliable electricity include death from exposure to the elements, damage to electrical devices, spoilage of frozen or chilled food, loss of productivity and income, loss of heavy industry(ask California), inabillity to guarantee timely health care and lack of alternatives to avoid liquifying coal as a transportation fuel and avoid the high death toll that results from coal particulate emissions.

[sp4zzpp2]

ya, very human-like, I guess. Let's suck the energy out of everything to make money.. Humans have to spread all over, I know. Ya we have also the right to do so, god is supposed to say.

[theseattlechick]

yeah, it just seems a little sketchy, but I'm open to the idea it could work. I'm just wondering if solar isn't lower-impact and also currently much cheaper?

[soylentgreenb]

"I'm just wondering if solar isn't lower-impact and also currently much cheaper?"

They're not competitors. Solar provides peak-load and isn't reliable unless you live near a desert. That means solar must be backed up with natural gas or hydro power for cloudy days/winter(mostly gas since hydro resource is quite limited).

Geothermal energy can provide baseload without any miracles in transmission and storage.

[soylentgreenb]

(Solar is most cost-effective for space heating and hot-water heating; photovoltaics are recieving ridiculous levels of subsidies to try to hurry it along(see learning curves), but still doesn't manage to be cost effective).