Geothermal plan for CO2 to come to the planet's rescue

Carbon dioxide (CO ²) could undergo a radical make-over from global warming ‘public enemy number one’ to geothermal-energy white knight — if researchers can perfect a design for an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) that circulates the greenhouse gas instead of pressurised water to drive turbines.

At the University of Queensland in Australia ’s Geothermal Energy Centre of Excellence (GECE), a team led by director Hal Gurgenci is developing a concept known as a ‘supercritical CO_² thermosiphon’, which involves sending the gas deep underground for it to absorb ultra-high reservoir heat before rising to the surface to power a turbo-generator. The CO_² would then be cooled and recycled back down to continue energy production.

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Geothermal plan for CO2 to come to the planet's rescue