iTWire - Google pours nearly $11 million into geothermal power

TAG

Google pours nearly $11 million into geothermal power

by Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Page 1 of 2 ! Google has continued its investments in alternative energy sources by injecting nearly $US11 million into enhanced geothermal systems. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) involve pushing water through hot rocks and using the resulting steam to drive turbines. This contrasts with more traditional geothermal operations that rely on naturally occurring steam and hot water. There are concerns that enhanced geothermal systems could cause earthquakes. Five tremors occurred in Basel, Switzerland, in late 2006 and early 2007 following a geothermal test project carried out by a company called Geopower. In March, World Radio Switzerland reported that the director of Geopower faces legal action following an investigation into the incident, and that SFr3 million had already been paid in compensation. Such considerations aside, "EGS could be the 'killer app' of the energy world," said Dan Reicher, director of climate and energy initiatives for Google.org, Google's philanthropic arm. "It has the potential to deliver vast quantities of power 24/7 and be captured nearly anywhere on the planet. And it would be a perfect complement to intermittent sources like solar and wind," he added. So where's the money going? Find out on page two. << First page < 1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

< Next story in category		Previous story in the category >