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Gaps, Challenges, and Pathways Forward for Superhot Rock Geothermal Synthesis Report
The report argues that superhot rock (SHR) geothermal energy, defined as leveraging rocks at 374°C or above, has the potential to provide scalable, renewable baseload power at costs competitive with fossil fuels. While much of the necessary technology exists due to progress in unconventional oil and gas and next-generation geothermal, significant gaps remain in materials science, drilling efficiency, and reservoir stimulation. The most critical need identified is the establishment of laboratory and field facilities to test equipment under actual SHR conditions. Key technical hurdles include improving rates of penetration in hard basement rock, developing casing and cement that can withstand extreme thermal swings and corrosion, and creating reliable fracture networks in the brittle-ductile transition zone (BDTZ). Power production is the most mature segment, with most components at TRL 8-9, though integrated system prototypes and cost-effective turbine designs are still needed.
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Document type: Report