Deep and Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems
Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) drill 5–10 km into hot, dry rock and stimulate fractures so water can circulate, while closed-loop concepts like Eavor or SageGeo run sealed pipes filled with proprietary working fluids that siphon heat without contacting formation water. Both approaches decouple geothermal potential from volcanic geography, letting developers tap high-resource gradients under sedimentary basins or near demand centers. Advances in oilfield tech—directed drilling, polycrystalline diamond bits, high-temperature fiber optics—slash costs and improve reservoir characterization.
These systems produce firm, dispatchable electricity and industrial heat for hydrogen plants, district heating, and greenhouses. Utilities see geothermal as a complement to wind/solar and a path to repower coal sites using existing transmission. Oil and gas companies redeploy rigs and workforce expertise into geothermal drilling campaigns, accelerating learning curves. Governments in the US, Canada, Germany, and Australia fund pilot wells, while corporate offtakers sign 10–20 year PPAs to anchor financing.
Technology maturity is around TRL 4–5: proof-of-concept wells exist, but scaling requires reducing drilling costs, managing seismicity, and securing deep-well permits. Carbon capture infrastructure bills, geothermal investment tax credits, and guaranteed interconnection queues are emerging to de-risk deployment. If drilling automation and reservoir management continue to improve, deep geothermal could provide gigawatts of 24/7 clean power across continents.
