Small town eyes geothermal
Thargomindah, a small town located 1,000 kilometres west of Brisbane, could soon enjoy cheap power from a nearby geothermal project.
Greenvale Energy and CeraPhi Energy have announced a feasibility study to be conducted over 12 weeks, assessing the viability of tapping into the region's naturally hot underground wells to sustain a geothermal power plant.
If successful, this project would be Australia's sole operational geothermal plant, providing hope for reliable and sustainable electricity generation.
Greenvale Energy has expressed confidence in their advanced geothermal systems, which employ a closed-loop system, avoiding the extraction of underground water supplies used in traditional geothermal projects.
Instead, the technology harnesses the power of hot rocks. Turner stated that the plant, if established, would supply power to Longreach and contribute excess energy to the national grid.
While geothermal energy has faced setbacks in Australia, recent developments suggest a potential revival.
Geoscience Australia estimates that harnessing just 1 per cent of the country's geothermal energy could generate 26,000 years of clean electricity.
Successful geothermal projects in countries like Iceland, New Zealand, and Indonesia further demonstrate the technology's potential.