Enhanced geothermal systems can provide clean energy in areas where conventional geothermal systems are not viable. This Review discusses energy production through these systems and the technological developments that could enable its future expansion.
I read a proposal a while back for using the Yellowstone magma chamber for geothermal power generation. It’s not currently in danger of erupting as a supervolcano, but the paper worked the numbers and showed that it would actually be feasable with realistic engineering to tap enough heat from the magma chamber to literally “defuse” it if it actually came to that. And turn a profit while doing so.
It does cool down the surrounding rock, which means there’s less potential power output the more you try to use it.
But it’s also a rock floating on a pool of magma, it warms back up relatively quickly.
I read a proposal a while back for using the Yellowstone magma chamber for geothermal power generation. It’s not currently in danger of erupting as a supervolcano, but the paper worked the numbers and showed that it would actually be feasable with realistic engineering to tap enough heat from the magma chamber to literally “defuse” it if it actually came to that. And turn a profit while doing so.