Geothermal energy could become the cheapest source of clean power on Earth.
This is according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The largely untapped resource beneath our feet could also supply as much as 15 percent of global electricity demand by 2050, if costs continue on their downward trajectory.
The IEA forecasts costs will come down by 80 percent to around $50 per megawatt hour by 2035, bringing it in line with existing nuclear and hydropower plants, and finally making geothermal power competitive with solar and wind installations paired with batteries. In the race to a zero carbon future, all option are most definitely welcome.
“Geothermal is a major opportunity to draw on the technology and expertise of the oil and gas industry,” said IEA executive director Fatih Birol. “New technologies are opening new horizons for geothermal energy across the globe, offering the possibility of meeting a significant portion of the world’s rapidly growing demand for electricity securely and cleanly.”
The dream of nuclear fusion as a source of unlimited clean energy is attracting vast amounts of investment around the world, but it's promise of salvation has been '10 years away' for a very long time. As geothermal offers a similarly 'holy grail' alternative, an American company is planning to dig the world’s deepest hole in order to tap an inexhaustible supply of geothermal energy from the Earth’s crust. It could potentially allow any country on Earth to become energy independent, according to the company, while simultaneously addressing the climate crisis.
The IEA has been tracking progress around the globe, and now believes that geothermal energy could be the cheapest source of clean power on Earth within little over a decade.