Superhot Rock Geothermal in Texas

The document argues that superhot rock geothermal could be a gamechanger for Texas's energy grid, noting that just 1% of the state's resource could meet 50% of its 2023 electricity consumption. It emphasizes the technology's low land footprint and its ability to leverage existing oil and gas subsurface expertise.

• Preliminary modeling indicates that Texas possesses significant superhot rock resources; specifically, 1% of this resource could provide 30 GW of energy capacity, generating over 245,858 GWh of electricity.
• The energy potential of 1% of Texas's superhot rock geothermal endowment is equivalent to 145 million barrels of oil or 50% of the state's 2023 electricity consumption, which totaled 492,820 GWh.
• Superhot rock geothermal is highly energy-dense with a low land footprint, requiring approximately 12 sq mi to produce 1 GW, which is significantly less than natural gas (160 sq mi), solar (180 sq mi), offshore wind (520 sq mi), and biomass (14,000 sq mi).
• The technology offers a transition pathway for the oil and gas sector in Texas, as subsurface expertise and assets, as well as roles for geoscientists, mechanics, and electricians, are transferable to the superhot rock industry.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Superhot Rock Geothermal in Texas. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150226/Texas-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Superhot Rock Geothermal in Texas. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150226/Texas-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Superhot Rock Geothermal in Texas |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150226/Texas-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 Texas}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150226/Texas-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }