Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Dakota

The document outlines the potential for superhot rock geothermal energy in South Dakota, noting that just 1% of the state's estimated resource could provide 49 GW of capacity, which is 30 times the state's 2023 electricity consumption. It argues that superhot rock geothermal is a viable global energy source because it does not require natural underground water sources and provides carbon-free firm power with a significantly lower land footprint than solar, wind, or biomass.

• Preliminary modeling by the Clean Air Task Force and the University of Twente indicates that South Dakota possesses substantial superhot rock resources. Specifically, 1% of these resources could provide 49 GW of energy capacity, generating over 404,850 GWh of electricity, which is 30 times the state's 2023 electricity consumption of 13,506 GWh.
• Superhot rock geothermal is characterized as an energy-dense resource with very low land requirements. Producing 1 GW of this energy is estimated to require approximately 12 sq mi of land, which is significantly less than the land required for natural gas (160 sq mi), solar (180 sq mi), offshore wind (520 sq mi), and biomass (14,000 sq mi).
• Unlike traditional geothermal systems that depend on naturally occurring hot water near the surface, superhot rock systems reach deeper into the earth and do not require underground water sources, potentially making them viable worldwide.
• Superhot rock geothermal provides 'firm power' that is available 24/7, which reduces the need for excess generation, expensive backup, and extensive transmission infrastructure. The document cites a study in California suggesting that clean firm power could reduce the need for new transmission by one-third.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Dakota. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150221/South-Dakota-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Dakota. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150221/South-Dakota-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Dakota |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150221/South-Dakota-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendsuperhot, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Dakota}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150221/South-Dakota-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }