Quaise Energy wants to dig the world's deepest hole

[Jan]

Why this company wants to dig the world's deepest hole

A startup spun off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is planning to dig the world's deepest hole to show the potential of tapping into terawatts of renewable geothermal energy almost anywhere on Earth.

Quaise Energy wants to drill down to depths of 20km, where the Earth's crust has a temperature of around 500°C.

 

[UrBaN963]

Why this company wants to dig the world's deepest hole

A startup spun off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is planning to dig the world's deepest hole to show the potential of tapping into terawatts of renewable geothermal energy almost anywhere on Earth.

Quaise Energy wants to drill down to depths of 20km, where the Earth's crust has a temperature of around 500°C.

I've seen this movie... let's not do that.

 

[Cray]

I've seen this movie... let's not do that.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Haven't the soviets already done this

 

[Pak Fa Fui]

What’s the current deepest?

 

[Cray]

Haven't the soviets already done this

Nope, their borehole only went down 12 262 m

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Nope, their borehole only went down 12 262 m

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole

Potato potado

A small hole should be somewhat easy enough but getting equipment to capture the heat down there I think will be the biggest challenge

 

[Cray]

Potato potado

A small hole should be somewhat easy enough but getting equipment to capture the heat down there I think will be the biggest challenge

True, but it will be interesting to watch them try.

 

[Pak Fa Fui]

After the steam comes the magma right?

 

[ArmatageShanks]

After the steam comes the magma right?

Only if you go deep enough does she release smegma

 

[grok]

If they drill it they will cum..

 

[Creag]

This has potential end in disaster before any real benefit is achieved. Nothing in the hands or watch of the ruling party turns to gold.

Ah, heck! Let's be positive for a change. This will be the rescue we need to get rid of Eskum. Go for it, I say. Just pick somewhere far away from me.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

so when do the residents of under earth get mad, and invade the surface?

 

[ToxicBunny]

I've seen this movie... let's not do that.

I raise you your scary movie and show you how it would actually save the world instead (just ignore the fact that the world was about to end due to human stupidity in the first place)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f4/The_Core_poster.jpg

 

[supersunbird]

so when do the residents of under earth get mad, and invade the surface?

I, for one, welcome our new lord Underminer.

 

[Iamn0tageek]

 

[G.A.S]

All concerns above aside, I suspect they vastly underestimate the technical challenges involved here.

I mean, I'd love to see feasible geothermal power at large scale, but (unfortunately) I doubt that this will be financially feasible.

 

[RedViking]

Isn't this a risk to global warming. What if they can't contain the heat?

 

[G.A.S]

Isn't this a risk to global warming. What if they can't contain the heat?

No: The heat required is about the same as that required by burning fossil fuels, but without the greenhouse gasses that is the actual problem with fossil fuels.

These are minor compared to actual volcanoes.

 

[Thor]

And then the earth aliens kill us