A Geothermal First? Can the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean” be the first to go green? Montserrat is trying. Nearly 20 years after the Soufriere Hills volcano began erupting—rendering much of the island nation uninhabitable and exiling two-thirds of the population—the same geological forces could provide reliable, renewable geothermal energy. Like much of the Caribbean, this British overseas territory runs on costly oil and gas imports. But as on other islands, plate tectonics and volcanic activity bring magma close enough to the surface for geothermal wells to tap into the heated reservoirs just below. A single well can cost several million U.S. dollars, though. Last year, with U.K. funding, University of Auckland researcher Graham Ryan and an international team of scientists and engineers mapped two promising spots. Initial findings suggest there’s enough geothermal juice there to power the grid, warrant a third well—and maybe even sell to neighbors. —Jeremy Berlin National.Geographic.January.2015.01
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 11:52:52 +0000
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