Catalyst with Shayle Kann

Digging deep for super hot geothermal


Listen Later

Despite its ability to deliver ample carbon-free energy, the potential of geothermal and EGS is limited by the number of drilling sites close enough to the earth’s surface.

But a few pioneering companies have landed on a potential solution: dig way deeper.

In this episode, Shayle speaks with Carlos Araque, the founder of Quaise Energy. The company has developed millimeter-wave drills to vaporize rock, allowing them to dig up to twelve miles underground in search of water around 800 degrees Fahrenheit. That super hot and "supercritical" water packs a huge punch: ten times more energy density than traditional geothermal.

Shayle and Carlos explore a range of topics, including:

  • Why 800 degree water is the “ideal” temperature for deep geothermal
  • How "activating" permeability in deep rock differs from traditional fracking
  • The state of Quaise’s Oregon project pilot, including their goal of a commercial-grade flow test by the end of 2026
  • How the LCOE of super hot geothermal compares to traditional baseload energy sources
  • Resources

    • Catalyst: How geothermal gets built
    • Open Circuit: Is this geothermal’s breakout moment?
    • Latitude Media: Armed with $115 million, geothermal startup Zanskar gets ready to build
    • Green Blueprint: Sage Geosystems’ bet on geothermal energy storage
    • Latitude Media: Fervo’s Tim Latimer is ‘bullish’ on DOE funding for geothermal

      Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.

      Catalyst is brought to you by Uplight. Uplight activates energy customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy—improving grid resilience and energy affordability while accelerating decarbonization. Learn how Uplight is helping utilities unlock flexible load at scale at uplight.com

      Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com.

      Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Catalyst with Shayle KannBy Latitude Media

      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9
      • 4.9

      4.9

      270 ratings


      More shows like Catalyst with Shayle Kann

      View all
      Planet Money by NPR

      Planet Money

      30,682 Listeners

      Odd Lots by Bloomberg

      Odd Lots

      1,993 Listeners

      Energy Gang by Wood Mackenzie

      Energy Gang

      1,247 Listeners

      Columbia Energy Exchange by Columbia University

      Columbia Energy Exchange

      401 Listeners

      Interchange Recharged by Wood Mackenzie

      Interchange Recharged

      505 Listeners

      The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

      The Indicator from Planet Money

      9,558 Listeners

      Redefining Energy by Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid

      Redefining Energy

      130 Listeners

      Switched On by Bloomberg

      Switched On

      104 Listeners

      Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change by Michael Liebreich, Bryony Worthington

      Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change

      80 Listeners

      Hard Fork by The New York Times

      Hard Fork

      5,594 Listeners

      Volts by David Roberts

      Volts

      641 Listeners

      The Green Blueprint by Latitude Media

      The Green Blueprint

      203 Listeners

      The Latitude by Latitude Media

      The Latitude

      124 Listeners

      Hot Buttons by Latitude Media

      Hot Buttons

      71 Listeners

      Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

      Zero: The Climate Race

      227 Listeners

      With Great Power by GridX and Latitude Studios

      With Great Power

      86 Listeners

      Shift Key with Robinson Meyer by Heatmap News

      Shift Key with Robinson Meyer

      119 Listeners

      Open Circuit by Latitude Media

      Open Circuit

      142 Listeners