Energy Matters Forums

[Gordon-Loomberah]

Yes, removal of heat from underground is a one-way process and therefore not "renewable". What we can extract from a relatively miniscule region of the Earth's surface (geothermal power station sites) from the top few kilometres is completely insignificant in relation to the total volume of the Earth, and the inaccessible (and likely to remain so in the long term) vast amount of heat energy in the mantle and core. Certainly localised spots of the near-surface heat resource will be cooled though- such as in NZ where I believe some geothermal power stations are operating at reduced capacity.

Strictly speaking, solar energy isn't really renewable either, as the nuclear (or is that "nukular" ) reactions in the sun are a one way process.

[Tracker]

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Anyone know the TRUTH...

Listen to the Govt. radio ad about Carbon Tax and some dude claims that a particular "Granite body could supply 10% of Australia's energy for the next 100 years..."

Only problem - as previously mentioned, NZ has real GeoThermal stations and they are dying , because the heat is not being replaced fast enuf.
Why, even "Old Faithful" in Yellow-Stone, does not blow as often..

Is this claim of 100years of heat, an honest claim?
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[Williamz]

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Anyone know the TRUTH...

Listen to the Govt. radio ad about Carbon Tax and some dude claims that a particular "Granite body could supply 10% of Australia's energy for the next 100 years..."

Only problem - as previously mentioned, NZ has real GeoThermal stations and they are dying , because the heat is not being replaced fast enuf.
Why, even "Old Faithful" in Yellow-Stone, does not blow as often..

Is this claim of 100years of heat, an honest claim?
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The truth?

Wouldn't be surprised if the 10% claim was that of Tim Flannery (who just happens to be a GDY shareholder and climate advisor to the Gillard government )

I like the Geodynamics concept and really hope it works. But to be honest, can't see baseload geothermal in our lifetime being a reality.
Want to know why the Jolokia stimulation figures weren't made public? How does a 70 million dollar flop sound? Followed an axing of 30 jobs and closure of their Perth based office.
The fractures they'd hoped for weren't there. 20bbls per minute was the aim, they achieved less than 7.
Petratherm actually generate an income/profit from global projects, while GDY are a shareholder funded research and development company and nothing more.
Rig 100 has finally been mobilised after Origin energy abandoned the shallows joint venture and WDI crews enjoyed more payed time off.
The deep wells cost around 50 million to drill and the last annual report from GDY put the current cash holding @ around 29.18 million from memory. http://www.geodynamics.com.au/IRM/Compa ... rtJune2011

[conklinc]

I'm no expert, but I suspect that the amount of energy we can extract from the earth's core is going to be relatively speaking, pretty negligible, I mean, at most they're going down a kilometer or two? I suppose microscopically speaking though, you're right. Energy is heat and so is a byproduct of energy production, any way you look at it.

I'm currently back Stateside. I am appalled at the number of gargantum SUV's ("Exxon Valdez" vehicles!) being driven to work every day with precisely ONE person in them. What a waste. . . . Not that the situation is much better on the freeway's and main arteries like Nepean Highway in Melbourne.

One thought I had the other day is that what they're trying to do here in Australia is a lot like the oil and gas companies are trying to do using "Fracking" methods, only there's no oil or gas, just heat. Well, at least there's no danger in polluting the ground water.

PLB,

Curt

[Tracker]

I am appalled at the number of gargantum SUV's ("Exxon Valdez" vehicles!) being driven to work

and the bloody Yummy-Mummies, lined up outside schools, picking up the kidz..
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[lad]

Vast areas in Tas are currently under exploration Resources like http://www.thelist.tas.gov.au are useful tools to locate these leases.

[Tracker]

Vast areas in Tas are currently under exploration Resources .

Tasmania - you would have to be kidding.. .. Even without checking, I would be confident that it has nothing to do with Geo-Thermal.

I suspect that "Exploration" for geo-thermal, could reveal VERY interesting findings.. Like precious metals, coal, gas etc. etc. even OIL !

I BET that Mr brown would agree with an exploration licence for Geo-Thermal, but would refuse one for COAL...

The bottom line is that IF Geo-Thermal was a practical alternative, then you can be certain that it would be widely done now. and it's NOT.
So it's an accademic/theoretical and unaffordable wank !
Unless the cost of energy (IN Australia) becomes so massively expensive, then alternatives will nver be viable - economically..

Some would suggest that situation is on the horizon, and it's called the Cabbon-Tax AND The Privatisation of Electricity Supply..
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[Tracker]

here in Australia is a lot like the oil and gas companies are trying to do using "Fracking" methods, only there's no oil or gas, just heat.

Are you talking about the process where they "Somehow" drill along the coal seam, and back again and use heat to Destroy the coal, and release the gas..

That is the process that we can hope will be environmentally friendly, and one suspects would not pollute the ground-waters..

but - don't we get tired of reading these proposals and then never see them implemented..
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[Tracker]

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It does seem that the concept of Geo-Thermal IS a bit more than a glint-in-the-eye..

http://www.petratherm.com.au/

But, don't get too excited, as they do not seem to be singing the success of the one Australian test site, and one of the partners TruEnergy, seems to have withdrawn their support.
One can only assume that this indicates a belief that the project is non-viable.

I am surprised that there was even an test conducted, as I would have thought (not) that Australia was just too-geologically stable.
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