• The Geothermal Energy Podcast

  • 著者： Frank Lapinski
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The Geothermal Energy Podcast

著者： Frank Lapinski
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  • Interviewing the movers and shakers of geothermal! Episodes coming out soon (expect roughly 3 per month) We also publish a weekly newsletter that you can subscribe to here: https://geothermalweekly.substack.com/

    geothermalweekly.substack.com
    Geothermal Weekly
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あらすじ・解説

Interviewing the movers and shakers of geothermal! Episodes coming out soon (expect roughly 3 per month) We also publish a weekly newsletter that you can subscribe to here: https://geothermalweekly.substack.com/

geothermalweekly.substack.com
Geothermal Weekly
博物学 科学 自然・生態学
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エピソード
  • Michael Brookman - Quaise Energy's Senior RF Engineer

    Michael Brookman - Quaise Energy's Senior RF Engineer
    2025/04/17
    In this episode, I sit down with Michael Brookman, a seasoned physicist whose career has spanned from nuclear fusion research to pioneering advancements in geothermal energy. Currently serving as a Senior Radio-Frequency (RF) Engineer at Quaise Energy, Michael focuses on leveraging RF technology to revolutionize geothermal energy production.Episode Highlights:* Michael's Journey: From his early days studying physics at the University of Wisconsin to his pivotal roles in nuclear fusion projects across the U.S., including his tenure at General Atomics and Commonwealth Fusion Systems.​* Transition to Geothermal: The motivations and insights that led Michael to shift from fusion to geothermal energy, emphasizing the potential for immediate impact, reduced cost, and scalability.​* Innovative Drilling Techniques: An exploration of how Quaise Energy is adapting gyrotron technology—originally used in fusion reactors—to drill deep into the Earth's crust using millimeter waves, enabling access to superhot geothermal resources. ​* Overcoming Challenges: A discussion on the technical and regulatory hurdles in advancing geothermal technology and how Michael's team is addressing them.​Join us as we delve into the intersection of fusion and geothermal technologies and discover how innovations in one field can catalyze breakthroughs in another.Thanks for reading The Geothermal Energy Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive our new posts and podcast weekly!🧭 Michael’s Journey: From Shotgun Accident to Fusion Physicist* Survived a childhood hunting accident, discovered fusion through video games like MechWarrior and Civilization.* Studied physics at University of Wisconsin (working on the Madison Symmetric Torus), then UT Austin for PhD (with Ken Gentle’s group)* Specialized in RF systems and gyrotrons at General Atomics (working on their tokamak, DIII-D) and Commonwealth Fusion Systems.🔁 Why the Leap from Fusion to Geothermal?* Quase’s 2030 timeline is half that of fusion’s long timelines (2035+).* Geothermal works now, and Quaise aims for <$75/MWh vs. fusion’s projected $140–$500/MWh.* Inspired by How Big Things Get Done—modularity is key to scaling - many gyrotrons making many wells.💡 What is Quaise Doing?Goal: Unlock superhot geothermal by drilling with millimeter waves.The Tech:* Gyrotrons generate high-power millimeter waves that can drill through rock; basically they’re laser beams.* Current testing shows drilling to be at a rate of a meter per hour.* Power is transmitted through corrugated waveguides to vaporize rock—no conventional drill bits needed, avoiding typical wear and tear, bit trucking.* Uses compressed air to cool and clear debris from the hole.* See a video of the drilling in action here. Learn more about the research here.If you’ve read this far, you’ll like our future posts too : )🔬 Tech Challenges and Evolution* Managing arcing (essentially current hopping about the system in potentially damaging ways) in high-power systems (shutoff within 10 microseconds).* System resilience: Quaise’s protection systems and control software allow for long, stable runtimes—orders of magnitude longer than fusion pulses.* Powering the system: Needs ~3 MW input for 1 MW output (~40% efficiency). Can use diesel generators or grid, all containerized on trucks.* Manufacturing bottleneck: Gyrotrons are custom-built. Quaise works with Microwave Power Products to scale production.⚙️ Why Superhot Rock?* Electricity generated by heating water, putting it through a turbine, extracting power from the temperature & pressure drop - Higher input temperatures and lower output temperatures → higher thermodynamic efficiency* More energy per well = higher power density = more competitive with fossil and nuclear.🧱 Barriers to Scale* Permitting takes 12+ months—slower than oil & gas (<12 months).* Goal: modernize geothermal permitting to match its competitors.📈 What’s Next?* Near-term: Field deployment west of Austin, TX using 1 MW gyrotrons in truck-mounted systems.* Target: Delivering power in 5 years on the West Coast at scale; global expansion beyond that.* Long-term goals:* Scaling 1 MW gyrotrons (faster, deeper drilling) and drilling into hot basement rock (granite, basalt).* Lower cost per megawatt-hour to compete with all major energy sources✨ Magic Wand Wish:Fix permitting. It’s the single biggest blocker to faster geothermal deployment.📚 Learn More🔗 https://www.quaise.energyRemember to:And follow us on your favorite platforms in addition to sharing your thoughts, questions, and recommendations for future guests on:* Substack* Spotify* Apple Music* Amazon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit geothermalweekly.substack.com
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    33 分
  • Jen Wakeland - Strategic Development Director of Beaver County, Utah

    Jen Wakeland - Strategic Development Director of Beaver County, Utah
    2025/04/10
    Beaver County, Utah is a rural region making big moves in geothermal — home to legacy power from Blundell, research leadership through FORGE, EGS development from Fervo Energy, and AGS innovation via Rodatherm.In this episode, we talk with Jen Wakeland, Strategic Development Director of Beaver County, Utah, in her last few weeks in the role before transitioning to working for the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity as the Business Development Director. In our conversation, breaks down how this momentum happened, what developers need to know about working in rural communities, and how infrastructure, permitting, and community trust all converge in a place like Beaver.🔍 Topics covered — with actionable insights:How Beaver became development-ready:* Legacy geothermal (Blundell) built long-term technical capacity* FORGE helped de-risk local resources and validate commercial potential* Local land use plans and zoning evolved to support new industries like data centersWhat developers get right (and wrong) when entering a rural region:* Start early, be transparent, and show up in person — relationships are non-negotiable* Hire local when possible to create early advocates and community trust* Bring challenges to the county — staff can often solve more than you’d expectInfrastructure challenges tackled head-on:* Housing: Coordinated residential development and temporary RV sites for construction crews* Workforce: Planning for both short-term labor and long-term population growth* Transmission: Collaborating with local offtakers (like data centers) to reduce export dependence and boost resilienceThanks for reading The Geothermal Energy Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive our new posts and podcast weekly!Keeping cities, counties, and the state aligned:* Monthly economic development boards with reps from schools, towns, and state agencies* Direct lines to BLM, utilities, and legislators for rapid problem-solving* Shared public milestones (like casing ceremonies) to reinforce buy-inThe roadmap for being a good community partner:* Be visible at local events — rodeos, Pioneer Day, the county fair* Communicate openly about seismicity, water use, and system monitoring* Engage across the full ecosystem — not just during permitting🎧 If you're building geothermal or siting clean energy in rural America, this episode shows what real alignment looks like — and why it matters.Remember to share your thoughts via comments and ratings, subscribe, and find us on your favorite platforms:* Substack* Spotify* Apple Music* Amazon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit geothermalweekly.substack.com
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    1 時間 4 分
  • [Part 2] Ken Wisian - Associate Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology with the University of Texas at Austin

    [Part 2] Ken Wisian - Associate Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology with the University of Texas at Austin
    2025/04/03
    In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Ken Wisian, we discuss the challenges and opportunities facing geothermal development in the U.S.We cover why geothermal has historically lagged behind wind and solar, how federal and state programs are changing the economics, and what it will take to move from exploration to execution. Topics include Department of Defense projects, geothermal storage, long-term technical risks, and how public funding is shaping the next wave of deployment.🔍 Topics covered:* Why geothermal investment has lagged wind and solar — and what’s changing now* The importance of derisking early-stage projects through mapping and modeling* The Department of Defense’s evolving role in geothermal:* Feasibility studies at Ellington Field, Corpus Christi, and Fort Bliss* Behind-the-meter models and long-term resilience* Tradewinds geothermal portal (see more on recent developments here) and SBIR/STTR pathways* Subsurface energy storage:* The Sage–San Miguel project in Texas* How shallow systems store pressure/heat and complement renewables* Use cases for turning intermittent generation into baseload* Long-term technical risks and research priorities:* Cycling effects on fractures and elastic rock behavior* Geochemistry, mineral scaling, and fluid/rock interactions* Materials science and thermoelectric research* Mentioned Researchers/Research:* Ken Wisian* FORGE Initiative* Eric van Oort* Mohamed Shafik Khaled* Shuvajit Bhattacharya* The role of machine learning in geothermal:* Merging disparate subsurface datasets* Downhole diagnostics and predictive modeling* How aerospace, high-temp electronics, and defense R&D could transfer into geothermal* Ken’s advice for navigating SBIR, STTR, and federal grant programs* Why interdisciplinary teams — blending engineering, geology, economics, and policy — are key to project executionIf you’re building geothermal solutions or considering a project, this episode offers a practical look at what’s working, what’s coming next, and where developers can plug in.PS - if you’d like to check out Part 1, see below: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit geothermalweekly.substack.com
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    48 分

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