Geothermal: Underutilized?

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/geothermal.html

MIT released a study on Geothermal technology that contains some startling conclusions. Using current drilling and mining technology, we can access hot spots in the Earth's crust to make steam, which will then power a electric power plant. We currently use fossil fuels to boil water for steam to spin our turbines, but this process requires no imports and has virtually no environmental impact.

The report shows that the Western part of the country has extraordinary heat potential at depths of 3 and 6.5 km and the entire country has boiling capacity at 10 km. Existing technology is capable of tapping this energy source. The report states: "By almost any criteria, the accessible U.S. EGS resource base is enormous –greater than 13 million quads or 130,000 times the current annual consumption of primary energy in the United States."

Geothermal could provide our country with enough energy to meet all our electricity needs and, assuming we could move our to a fleet of cars to all electric, our transportation needs as well.

Fascinating stuff that does not seemed to be talked about or funded.