HOW DOES IT WORK? Superhot Rock Energy

Superhot rock energy involves injecting water into deep, dry rock (above 400°C) to extract thermal energy for power, heat, or fuels. It offers higher energy density than conventional geothermal, with single-well potentials of 35 MW or more compared to 3-5 MW. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) aims for commercial demonstration this decade, suggesting that $5+ billion in investment over ten years could prove its commercial potential and lead to 'geothermal everywhere' by mid-century.

• Superhot rock energy provides firm, 24/7 power that increases grid stability and can be scaled to a level comparable to the fossil fuel industry. It can also produce hydrogen for industrial processes and transportation.
• Superhot rock wells are significantly more energy dense than conventional geothermal wells, with a potential of 35 MW or more per well versus 3-5 MW, which reduces the land area needed for large plants.
• While over two dozen wells have already been drilled globally, achieving commercialization requires further engineering innovations in deep drilling and an estimated investment of over $5 billion over the next ten years.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). HOW DOES IT WORK? Superhot Rock Energy. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/09131836/CATF_SHR_Inforgraphic.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. HOW DOES IT WORK? Superhot Rock Energy. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/09131836/CATF_SHR_Inforgraphic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=HOW DOES IT WORK? Superhot Rock Energy |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/09131836/CATF_SHR_Inforgraphic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendhow, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{HOW DOES IT WORK? Superhot Rock Energy}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/09131836/CATF_SHR_Inforgraphic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }