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The Kola Superdeep Borehole reached temperatures of 500 degrees at the bottom. If you could dig down to where the temperature reaches just over 212 degrees, would you be able to run a steam engine by putting water in the hole and letting it boil to create steam to power the engine. As long as the heat remained the same and was able to properly run the steam engine, it would seem like a very renewable energy source as the water could be collected and dumped back down the hole to repeat the process indefinitely.

Kola Superdeep Borehole, https://archive.is/0zuzE Steam engines, https://www.mpoweruk.com/steam_turbines.htm

The Kola Superdeep Borehole reached temperatures of 500 degrees at the bottom. If you could dig down to where the temperature reaches just over 212 degrees, would you be able to run a steam engine by putting water in the hole and letting it boil to create steam to power the engine. As long as the heat remained the same and was able to properly run the steam engine, it would seem like a very renewable energy source as the water could be collected and dumped back down the hole to repeat the process indefinitely. Kola Superdeep Borehole, https://archive.is/0zuzE Steam engines, https://www.mpoweruk.com/steam_turbines.htm

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[–] • 17 pts 3y

Their island divided by continental plates, so they don't even have to go deep at all to get access to heat. They have hot springs all over the place, hell they even heat their sidewalks with geothermal energy so snow instantly melts and they don't have to shovel snow. And yes, they use this natural steam to turn turbines.

[–] • 8 pts 3y

New Zealand also has a bunch of geothermal power plants. Pretty sure they all use steam.

[–] • 0 pt 3y

Does it still require an electric plant or do people have setups in their homes? As in, no monthly power bill and unlimited power.

[–] • 2 pts 3y

There are in fact geothermal power setups in the private sector, but the vast majority is for public power, huge setups. You have to be very close to the magma to make a private setup financially viable, like in Rotorua, but I have seen them.

[–] • 1 pt 3y (edited 3y)

You need to think about many factors and the scale of them, drilling a 10m hole is one thing, drilling a 100m hole is a much more expensive and difficult problem to tackle, then you would need to do this for every home, have turbines and electrical equipment for each, and provide parts and maintenance.

The better approach is to change the scale and produce much more power at central locations and distribute the power which is done in many parts of the world.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it reasonable and affordable for every location? No.

[–] • 2 pts 3y

I believe you mean "mid atlantic ridge" rather than "continental plates."

[–] • 4 pts 3y

The mid-Atlantic ridge is a division between continental plates.

[–] • 2 pts 3y

Yes. Thank you for the correction.

[–] • 0 pt 3y

Did the dinosaurs move underground ?