Take the lid off of renewable energy
Would you like to see us transition away from fossil fuels sooner rather than later? I believe there is a leverage point that has been sorely neglected that could help accelerate this process.
The truth is, we have what we need to make that transition now. But we need more imagination in the renewable energy sector! There are many options and solutions that we have the technology for right now, that we’re not using or even discussing, frankly. Some of this technology has been available for hundreds or even thousands of years. I’ll share one example here (there are many more, which I’ll continue to share).
The Power of Geothermal
What is geothermal potential? The word means “heat or temperature from the earth.” The earth regulates temperature. If you’ve ever been in a silver mine in the desert (big tourist attractions) when it’s 110 outside, you will note that it is 68F in the mine. That is geothermal influence. A few feet under the earth, the temperature stays the same regardless of what it is on the surface. Whether it’s -20F or 110F, it will be between 65–72F six feet or more below the surface, depending on where you are on the planet.
But in the vast majority of discussions about “geothermal energy”, this aspect is never discussed. Only heat energy from the earth’s core is discussed. Here is a common definition:
“Geothermal energy is the thermal energy generated and stored inside the Earth’s crust. The center of the Earth remains at the same temperature as the Sun which is nearly constant due to the continuous process of nuclear fusion. Due to such high temperature and pressure some rocks melt, which results in the upward motion of the mantle (as they become lighter with the heat). These molten rocks formed in the Earth’s crust are pushed upward where they get trapped in certain regions called ‘hot spots’. When underground water comes in contact with the hot spot, steam is generated. Sometimes this hot water formed region finds outlets at the surface. When this hot water gushes out of one of these outlets, it is called hot springs.This is discussed as a major energy source wherever there is access to high heat near the earth’s surface.” https://byjus.com/physics/geothermal-energy/
This is the definition you will find in Wikipedia and other major dictionaries and encyclopedias. Even National Geographic defines it like this. Here is the US Department of Energy’s definition:
“Geothermal energy is heat derived below the earth’s surface which can be harnessed to generate clean, renewable energy. This vital, clean energy resource supplies renewable power around the clock and emits little or no greenhouse gases — all while requiring a small environmental footprint to develop.” https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal
Because of the volcanic action in Iceland, this tremendous heat potential is near enough to the surface to tap into, and thus geothermal energy is their main source of heat energy. When people think of geothermal, they tend to think of tapping the hot spots of the earth, like Iceland does. There are many positives about this energy source, and even this version is not discussed or considered deeply or often enough.
But what is almost never discussed in any renewable energy discussions (which is really kind of mind boggling) is the earth’s ability to regulate temperature even a few feet down, specifically, that it’s possible for anybody to install a geothermal system in their own yard that will regulate heat and cooling in their home. Since heating and cooling use the most energy in homes and buildings (often 70% or more of your utility bill), this matters. Why aren’t more people discussing this and even more importantly, using this?
For one thing, most people have no idea this option even exists. Most people don’t know that they could put pipes in the ground around their home, and with a simple fan or even less intrusive passive methods, move air that is between 65–72F into their home.
You still may need some supplemental heat or cooling, but use of this would greatly reduce the number of solar panels needed to do that, for instance. This energy is extremely dependable and always available, regardless of weather or other conditions. No need for battery storage or tapping into grid energy.
Installing this type of geothermal system tends to be pricier than other approaches up front, but the price could be brought down if more attention was paid to this no-brainer solution. Geothermal heating/cooling would be relatively easy to install during new construction for instance. Why the heck isn’t it being done? There should be no new construction happening without renewable energy at this point. The tech is there and it’s comparable in price now to fossil fuel energy, or could be with some imagination applied.
Importantly, let’s not forget that we have more options than just solar and wind.
Here’s an explanation of how geothermal heat and AC work, from a company that installs these systems (yes, these companies exist all over the country and have for many years). With some attention, the lifespan could be increased and costs reduced, I believe. https://oceanstateac.com/blog/what-makes-geothermal-system-special-florida
I believe a big reason this tech is not more broadly used or even considered as a solution is that it simply isn’t known about. I’ve talked to hundreds of people about this and only a handful knew that it was possible, or had ever thought about it as something useful. With a little effort and imagination applied to this, I believe it could be a major solution for transitioning from fossil fuel energy.
Yes, the temperatures found near the earth’s surface aren’t sufficient to produce electricity, and Iceland’s version does. You do need a certain level of heat to create significant amounts of electricity. But because it is so simple, it can even be done as DIY, which many people have done.
A colleague created an entirely passive cooling system for his house by creating a passive draw of hot air from the home with a “thermal chimney”, creating a vacuum that pulls cool air from the earth through pipes which he dug and laid himself. He was able to reduce hot desert temperatures by 15–30F inside his home with this simple method. In Florida, a closed loop system and other technology can be used to reduce humidity.
A search of DIY geothermal heating and cooling will bring up hundreds of examples of people who have done some version of it themselves for far less than the commercial companies charge. https://www.ecosia.org/search?q=diy+geothermal+heating+and+cooling&addon=chrome&addonversion=4.0.7
Ancient Geothermal Technology
This concept is based on a sophisticated technology thousands of years old developed in Persia (now Iran), called Qanat, which migrated to Europe hundreds of years ago. Cold mountain streams were plumbed into desert areas underground, and pipes run through them to cool them off. This technique created air conditioned rooms, and even underground refrigerators that could keep ice cold enough through the summers to provide ice cream.
The qanat system also included a sophisticated passive irrigation system.
The article above has missed several important aspects of Qanats; they are still used to provide waters for a number of cities and towns in Iran, and some of the air conditioning and freezers are still in use as well. We are often conditioned to dismiss ancient, low impact technologies as being “inferior” yet this technology from 3000 years ago still works, is still in use, and is much less energy intensive or environmentally damaging than many modern solutions for heating and cooling or supplying water.
While I expect some readers may already be finding reasons to dismiss these ideas, let me remind you that the most effective progress we’ve made with renewables has been by people who were open to the possibilities and weren’t afraid to look beyond “conventional wisdom”.
The answers are all there for us, if we choose to look. Wouldn’t it be silly to continue to create massive damage to the earth and each other simply because we didn’t do enough of the first principle of permaculture — Observe and Interact? Simply because we didn’t look deeply enough, or openly enough, at all of our options?
