Prospects for universal geothermal energy from heat mining

The extraction of heat or thermal energy from the Earth—heat mining—has the potential to play a major role as an energy supply technology for the 21st century. However, even if reservoir productivity goals are achieved, the role of heat mining with today's energy prices and development costs is limited to only a small fraction of the Earth's surface. A generalized multi‐parameter economic model was developed for optimizing the design and performance of hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal systems. Key technical and institutional obstacles to universal heat mining are discussed in a more general context. Advanced concepts in drilling technology are reviewed in light of their potential impact on overcoming some of these obstacles to universal heat mining