Closed-loop geothermal systems (also known as “advanced geothermal systems” or “AGS”) are a type of engineered geothermal energy system containing subsurface working fluid that is heated in a hot rock reservoir without direct contact with rock pores and fractures.:[1][2][3] Instead, the subsurface working fluid stays inside a closed loop of deeply buried pipes that conduct Earth’s heat. Closed-loop geothermal systems are one of the prominent categories of next-generation geothermal systems in development today.[4][5]
Like all geothermal systems, closed-loop geothermal systems provide renewable energy, and primarily operate as baseload resources that produce energy at a constant rate.[6] Unlike conventional geothermal energy plants, closed-loop geothermal plants can be placed anywhere in the world, depending only on the depth of the hot rock resource.[1][4]
Closed-loop geothermal projects are under development in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Germany.
- ^ a b "Superhot Rock Energy Glossary". Clean Air Task Force. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Next-Generation Geothermal Technologies Are Heating Up". BloombergNEF. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ Matthews, Dylan (2023-09-13). "Is the future of energy ... pouring water on hot rocks in the ground?". Vox. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b c "Next-Generation Geothermal Power". Pathways to Commercial Liftoff. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ "DOE Unveils Roadmap for the Next Generation of Geothermal Power". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ "5 Things to Know About Geothermal Power". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-30.