While Europe is breaking fossil fuels and electrifying everything from cars to heating systems, it turns an eye to a reliable and proven source of clean energy that is directly below our feet.
Geothermal energy offers exactly what the continent needs the most: clean, local, always on strength. Nevertheless, in 2024 it made up only 0.2% of electricity generation on the continent. Something has to change.
The latest power failure in Spain, triggered by an error in the high -voltage network, serves as A Warning shot. While solar and wind are important columns of decarbonization, they are naturally variable. Without steady electricity from electricity around the clock, Europe risks a form of energy uncertainty against another.
A much larger wake -up call came in 2022 when Russia launched a complete invasion of Ukraine. For years, the European governments had built up an energy system that depends on natural gas imports. When this stack of cards was broken, he triggered an energy crisis that unveiled the underbody of the European power supply system in need of protection.
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The answer to these problems is partly a few kilometers in the underground. According to the International Energy Agency, Geothermal energy has the potential to supply the planet 150 times. But it's not just about electricity – geothermal energy can also deliver clean, reliable warmth. This makes it particularly valuable in Europe, where millions of houses are already dependent on radiators and distribution heating systems, many of which are still powered with natural gas.
Geothermal plants also have a smaller footprint. You need far less land than an equivalent solar park or a wind farm. In addition, the materials and the infrastructure that are required to build holes and turbines can be largely covered locally. This is a sharp contrast to solar collectors and batteries, most of which are imported from China.
Geothermal energy is not theoretical. It does not require scientific breakthroughs. We have been drilling wells for centuries and extracting energy from the earth. The know-how exists, as well as the workforce.
Decades of oil and gas research have built up a deep bank of geologists, drills, reservoirs and project managers. Instead of fading this specialist knowledge, we can reinstate to build geothermal plants. The infrastructure such as drilling devices can also be implemented for a cleaner cause. Geothermal energy could be the ultimate element sheet for oil and gas.
Sure, deep drilling is not yet cheap. But a New harvest from startups Write the game book. With everything, from plasma pulse drilling to huge coolers, these companies could finally crack the cost barrier – and geothermal energy are pretty much available anywhere. Just as SpaceX has interrupted a sclerotic rocket industry with its cheap starts, these startups are ready to be successful where the geothermal industry failed.
Everything that is missing is investment. While billions are introduced in high -risk technologies such as fusion or nuclear Gap reactorsThe financing of geothermal technology is tiny compared to Europe. In contrast to these technologies, Geothermes times is now ready.
When Europe wants to achieve climate neutrality And Energy sovereignty, it has to stop ignoring geothermal energy. We need courageous investments, regulatory reforms and a clear signal for industry: do not let the geothermal energy become a forgotten renewable value.
Network failure, missed climate goals, deeper energy addiction – these are the risks with which Europe is faced. It's time to drill before it's too late.
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