Geothermal Energy: An Overlooked Resource in the Midlands

Gosnold, William¹, Daniel F. Merriam², David D. Blackwell³ (1) N/A, N/A, MO (2) University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (3) Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Large-scale adoption of alternatives to fossil fuel has long been delayed for a number of reasons; primarily the lack of economic competitiveness, technological stagnation, and complacency. At present, the economic disincentive and its attendant effects are declining due to tripling of the world crude oil price since 11 September 2001. Consequently, opportunities for shifting to alternative energies such as geothermal, nuclear, solar, wind, unconventional gas, hydrogen, ethanol, etc. In this paper, we present information on the amount and availability of geothermal energy in the central United States. Of critical importance is that recent advances in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology have made electrical power generation using waters at temperatures as low as 90°C economically competitive. This technological advance suggests that geothermal energy is an underestimated and largely untapped resource that could have a significant impact on the United States' energy future.