You may not have heard much about geothermal energy before, but chances are you’re going to be hearing a lot about it over the next few years.
Geothermal power plants convert heat from the Earth into electricity, generating about one-tenth of the carbon emissions of a fossil gas plant. Geothermal energy is clean, reliable around the clock, and essentially inexhaustible. As electricity demand grows due to the transition away from fossil fuels and the explosion of energy-intensive data centers, many experts are looking to geothermal as a promising and scalable clean energy solution.
As if that wasn’t reason enough to be optimistic, here are three more things that have me excited about the potential for geothermal energy.
For one, California is already home to the largest geothermal energy field in the world. The Geysers — straddling Sonoma and Lake Counties in the Mayacamas Mountains — is home to 18 geothermal plants that produce about 835 megawatts of electricity each year, enough to power roughly 800,000 homes. That’s about one-third of the maximum capacity of California’s largest power plant, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant.
Second, thanks to recent technology advances, geothermal power could be possible just about anywhere within a few years. Geothermal used to be limited to locations like The Geysers where hot rock and water are relatively near the Earth’s surface. But pilot projects are already underway in the North Bay and across the country to expand cost-effective geothermal power. Even better, these newer technologies are cleaner than traditional geothermal, producing virtually no climate pollution.
Finally, building out advanced geothermal energy infrastructure presents a unique opportunity for the climate and labor movements to work together. That’s because many of the skills required for new geothermal technologies — like drilling, pipefitting, and electrical work — are the same skills oil and gas workers are trained in. If supported by the proper state policies, geothermal energy development could be the perfect new career path for thousands of former fossil fuel workers in a just transition.
Want to learn more about the potential for advanced geothermal energy in California? Join us on August 28 for a webinar featuring geothermal scientists, policy experts, and labor leaders. I hope to see you there!
This blog first appeared in The Climate Center’s bi-weekly newsletter. To keep up with the latest climate news and ways to take action for a climate-safe future, subscribe today!
