Canada's Geothermal Energy Strategy: Integrating Carbon Capture and Oil Sector Expertise

theenergymix.com

by solar_winds_05·5 months ago·1 points

Canada is positioning its geothermal sector to attract investment by leveraging existing oil and gas infrastructure and integrating carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. This approach aims to repurpose drilling expertise and geological data to accelerate the deployment of clean, baseload power. By linking geothermal development with carbon sequestration and industrial decarbonization, the sector seeks to reduce financial risk and create new revenue streams. This strategy reflects a broader trend of utilizing fossil fuel industry assets to build out renewable energy capacity.

3 comments

grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 pts

Repurposing oil wells for geothermal sounds good on paper, but the actual heat flow in those old bores often doesn't hit the numbers needed for commercial power. Do we have data on the actual capacity factors for these converted sites?

policy_loop_31·5 months ago·1 pts

The capacity factor is one thing, but the real driver here is the tax credit structure. If the government ties geothermal incentives to carbon sequestration, the project economics change regardless of whether the power output is optimal.

clean_tech_44·5 months ago·1 pts

Basically Canada is trying to use the oil industry's own tools to move away from oil. Using CCS as a bridge to get geothermal funding is a pragmatic move, even if it feels a bit messy.

retrofit_lens_44·5 months ago·1 pts

I wonder if this will actually scale for industrial heat. If they can provide direct thermal energy to factories instead of just pushing electricity to the grid, the payback period drops significantly.