On the opening day of the 2024 Iceland Geothermal Conference, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), together with the GEORG Geothermal Research Cluster, invited leaders in the geothermal innovation space to an exciting half-day workshop. Energy deployment. More specifically, the workshop focused on identifying gaps in five critical technology areas:
- DrillingExpanding access to superhot rock energy is especially important where Earth’s geothermal gradient is low and temperatures are high deep.
- Well Design and Construction: Historically, well construction has been a common point of failure in past superhot rock demonstrations.
- Thermal Extraction: Creating the ability to circulate water through hot rock by creating fracture enhancement or closed-loop systems. It is a technology area with a low level of maturity.
- surface character: A powerful lever in understanding downhole conditions and reducing technical risk when installing a superhot rock energy project.
- Power generation: Geothermal power plants are built like any thermoelectric plant, but it’s important to understand existing capabilities and what changes in equipment and design are needed to scale superhot rock energy.
The event featured a series of panel discussions with question and answer sessions to a packed room of research pioneers, investors and developers. By hosting the workshop in Iceland, the CATF team was able to attract an audience of geothermal trailblazers and superhot players – many of whom were showcasing the vast potential of superhot rock energy to the world firsthand. Iceland Deep Drilling Project.
During the workshop, Reykjavik Energy (RE), a major utility in Iceland with deep expertise in geothermal energy, signaled its intention to launch ultra-high temperature geothermal operations in dry-rock conditions. Although RE is not new to high-temperature geothermal activity, it will allow access to thermal resources beyond the pockets of naturally occurring hot water and hot springs at the heart of Iceland’s unique resource mix. This potential expansion will accelerate Reykjavik Energy’s operations Iceland’s goal is to achieve carbon neutrality before 2040 and mark a significant step forward in advancing superhot rock energy worldwide. To maximize the global impact of this potential work, RE has signaled its intention to collaborate with CATF and the Icelandic NGO Transition Labs to facilitate the sharing of SHR knowledge and resources across borders.
What CATF Learned from the Experts
The sold-out workshop demonstrated the breadth of interest and commitment to superhot rock energy from a range of geothermal pioneers. Discussions for each topic area are supplemented by detailed reports outlining relevant technological advances and remaining challenges. These reports will prove invaluable in informing public and private funding for future research, development, testing and demonstration.
Key Findings
Across all identified research gaps, the workshop revealed a recurring theme: the ongoing need for field testing to validate models and test high-temperature equipment in real-world environments is critical—a critical step toward accelerating deployment.
Additional priority technology gaps identified during the workshop include:
- Surface Model Validation: Collecting data through field testing to ensure that models of superhot rock projects accurately reflect the real-world environment.
- Comprehensive testing of envelope materials in super-hot environments.
- Maintenance of cement integrity through extreme temperature fluctuations.
- Advances in reservoir stimulation tools for operation in superhot environments.
- Improved procedures and equipment for temperature management systems.
As underlined by the authors of these reports, superhot rock energy requires engineering iteration, No Scientific advances. A detailed list of technology gaps identified and what is required to advance each gap is available in the workshop poster here.
How CATF develops these lessons
The workshop created additional momentum for further technological advancements and the creation of a global alliance for Superhot Rock Energy. CATF plans to develop materials to effectively communicate the research gaps identified at this workshop to investors, government officials and other non-governmental organizations in the space. CATF will convene a Global Summit on Superhot Rock Energy in the fall, bringing together international research leaders and practitioners. The results of the research papers, strategy sessions during the summit and insights from global decision makers will be key elements in developing and publishing a comprehensive technology development roadmap for superhot rock energy.
For the latest updates and additional information from each study, visit Bridging the Gaps: A Review of Methods, Challenges, and Pathways Forward for Superhot Rock Energy. To stay informed and join our email list, please sign up here.