Superhot Rock Geothermal in Wyoming

The document highlights superhot rock geothermal as a scalable, carbon-free energy source that could significantly exceed Wyoming's current electricity needs while utilizing the state's existing oil and gas expertise.

• Superhot rock geothermal is an emerging technology that pumps water into deep underground rocks to produce steam for carbon-free electricity, clean hydrogen, and high-energy-intensity products. Unlike traditional geothermal, it does not require natural underground water sources, potentially making it viable globally.
• Preliminary modeling indicates that Wyoming possesses substantial superhot rock resources; just 1% of this resource could provide 125 GW of energy capacity, generating over 1,043,464 GWh of electricity. This amount is 62 times Wyoming's 2023 electricity consumption of 16,790 GWh.
• Superhot rock geothermal is highly energy-dense with a low land footprint. Producing 1 GW requires approximately 12 sq mi of land, 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 Wyoming's oil and gas sector, as the industry's subsurface expertise, assets, and workforce (including geoscientists, mechanics, and electricians) are applicable to superhot rock geothermal production.
• As a source of clean firm power available 24/7, superhot rock geothermal reduces the need for excess generation, expensive backup, and extensive transmission infrastructure. A study in California indicated that clean firm power could reduce new transmission requirements by one-third.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Superhot Rock Geothermal in Wyoming. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150239/Wyoming-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Superhot Rock Geothermal in Wyoming. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150239/Wyoming-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Superhot Rock Geothermal in Wyoming |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150239/Wyoming-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 Wyoming}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/22150239/Wyoming-SHR-Regional-Assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }