Web search giant Google Inc. invested $10 million to produce electricity from underground heat with innovative technology in a move to pump capital into green energy sources, starting with solar thermal, high-altitude wind power, and now geothermal energy.
The heat from underneath the earth’s surface, or “Killer app” as it is called, has the potential to be a massive contributor to the electricity sector. "It’s 24-7, it’s potentially developable all over the country, all over the world, and for all that we really do think it could be the ‘killer app’ of the energy world," Dan Reicher, Google’s head of climate and energy initiatives, said in an interview.
“Killer app” called enhanced geothermal systems, or EGS, improves upon the century-old technology of tapping geothermal energy from geysers, hot springs, or volcanoes to generate electricity. Engineers drill their own geothermal outlets and pump water to create steam that will power a turbine.
The initial start of this investment will go to Sausalito, CA. Company, AltaRock Energy Inc., with another $4 million distributed to Potter Drilling Inc. in Redwood City, CA.