The United States Air Force is set to take advantage of geothermal technology to power a base in Texas.
Canadian startup Eavor is so bullish about its process that it has said the closed-loop system harnessing power from the Earth's core can provide limitless, pollution-free energy.
Eavor has now received a contract for the technology — which it has "flawlessly" demonstrated at a facility in Alberta, Canada, according to Recharge — from the United States Department of Defense.
As Recharge reported, Eavor believes it can deliver renewable energy for less than $50 per megawatt-hour, using a process that involves drilling a hole several kilometers deep and then pouring water into the cavity.
While it is similar to other geothermal systems already in use, Eavor has developed a closed-loop system that embraces a thermosiphon method, where cold water is heated, turned to steam, and then cooled again for use.
By using a two-tunnel system, which is connected below the surface horizontally, this method means there is no need for an energy-sapping pump, which makes typical geothermal processes less efficient and more expensive.
The steam helps to power an electricity-generating turbine, which would provide a clean energy source that doesn't rely on fossil fuels that produce planet-warming pollution.
Chairman of Eavor's advisory board and founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance Michael Liebreich told Recharge of his excitement about the technology, which he said is "pretty damn close to the holy grail as you can get."
If successful at the Joint Base San Antonio facility in Texas, it's hoped the Eavor-Loop can be used at other U.S. bases, as well as facilities located internationally.
The possibilities beyond that, though, are tantalizing. With fossil fuels still dominant in the energy industry, finding a renewable solution that doesn't rely on weather conditions — as solar and wind power do — could herald the end of such reliance on dirty energy sources.
"We need to ruggedize our installations with redundant energy systems and make use of clean energy sources that reduce our fuel demands," Ravi Chaudhary, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment, told Recharge.
"This type of capability will translate into victory in a high-end fight."
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