The Potential for Superhot Rock Energy in Europe

The document argues that superhot rock energy could provide a ubiquitous, low-land-footprint source of firm power in Europe. Preliminary modeling suggests that approximately 9% of Europe's land area has superhot rock potential at depths below 12.5 km, with just 1% of this resource capable of providing 2.1 terawatts of energy capacity. While not expected to meet 2030 climate goals, the technology could eventually replace fossil fuels, leverage existing oil and gas workforce expertise, and offer competitive electricity costs of $25-40 (USD) per MWh for mature plants. Realizing this potential requires significant public and private investment in deep drilling R&D, pilot projects, and new regulatory frameworks.

• Preliminary modeling indicates that superhot rock energy potential exists across approximately 9% of Europe's land area, which is nearly 900 thousand square kilometers, at depths exceeding 12.5 km.
• The scale of the resource is vast; utilizing only 1% of Europe's superhot rock resource could provide 2.1 terawatts of energy capacity and generate nearly 18,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity.
• Superhot rock energy is significantly more land-efficient than other power sources; producing 1 GW requires roughly 12 km² of land, compared to 160 km² for natural gas, 180 km² for solar, 520 km² for offshore wind, and 14,000 km² for biomass.
• Once mature, electricity from superhot rock energy could be globally competitive, with estimated prices as low as $25-40 (USD) per MWh for Nth-of-a-kind plants.
• The development of this industry could provide a zero-carbon employment transition for Europe's oil and gas workforce, including geoscientists, mechanics, and electricians.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2024). The Potential for Superhot Rock Energy in Europe. https://www.catf.us/superhot-rock/heat-mapping/europe-energy/

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. The Potential for Superhot Rock Energy in Europe. 2024. https://www.catf.us/superhot-rock/heat-mapping/europe-energy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=The Potential for Superhot Rock Energy in Europe |date=21 March 2024 |url=https://www.catf.us/superhot-rock/heat-mapping/europe-energy/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2024potential, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{The Potential for Superhot Rock Energy in Europe}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2024}, month = mar, url = {https://www.catf.us/superhot-rock/heat-mapping/europe-energy/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }