Iceland was able to take advantage of its important volcanic activity to produce electricity from geothermal energy. However, scientists from this country are seeking to expand this potential through a very ambitious project that involves drill a magma chamber.
As explained NewScientistThis is the first initiative in history to tunnel into a magma chamber to harness its power to create a source of unlimited geothermal energy. The proposal is not without its dangers, of course, but it is being planned carefully and over the long term.
Researchers from the Geothermal Research Cluster in Reykjavik, Iceland, explained what they are planning drilling a magma chamber in the caldera of Krafla volcano. The mission is not limited to studying its possible use as a source of unlimited geothermal energy, but also conducting numerous analyzes and potential discoveries about the behavior of molten rock and volcanic activity in the region.
This is part of a project that started in 2014 and is called Krafla Magma test bench (KMT), or the Krafla Magma Test Facility. Experts plan to begin digging the tunnels in 2026, with the initial goal of introducing several tools to collect information about the magma itself and the chambers in which it resides underground.
Icelandic scientists say that everything we know about magma today comes mainly from the study of lava. This is the importance of solving this problem. And once enough knowledge is gained, the second stage will begin, the goal of which will be to harness the potential of magma chambers as sources of unlimited geothermal energy.
In search of a source of unlimited geothermal energy
The Kuomintang initiative was born out of a rather curious fact. To do this we will have to return to Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP)or the Icelandic deep drilling project that started in 2000. It was intended to expand geothermal energy exploration in the country.
The peculiarity of this case is that in 2009 IDPL found itself almost by accident with a magma chamber in the caldera of Krafla volcano. Although the idea was to drill until they reached one of them, experts calculated that they would need to dig about 4 kilometers underground until they found it. However, at a depth of just over 2 kilometers, they discovered that they had already reached it.
It turned out to be a real success. After all, magma chambers They are very difficult to find, and there was no definite idea of how dangerous it was to drill them. Landsvirkjun, Iceland’s national energy company, has used drilling to generate electricity from geothermal energy. But he was able to do this only for 9 months due to overheating of the surface, reaching 450 degrees Celsius.
The experience gained in 2009 fueled the desire of scientists to continue research. That’s why the Kuomintang proposed drill two wells in the magma chamber already studied in Krafla. Work on the first will begin in 2026, with the goal of studying the molten rock, transitioning between its different temperatures and learning everything possible about it.
In search of important data about magma
But as we said earlier, it’s not all about finding a source of unlimited geothermal energy. The goal is also to obtain data that will allow the development of better systems for predict eruptionsto minimize loss of life and property.
Once the necessary information is received, the second drilling will begin. The main focus will be on studying the potential for generating energy from heat emanating from the Earth’s interior. However, the start date for this stage has not yet been determined.
As explained NewScientistInitial drilling carried out at Krafla in 2009 reached geothermal fluids with temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius and pressures up to 500 times atmospheric pressure. This generated 10 times more energy than standard geothermal drilling. Therefore, scientists are now seeking to introduce a technology called “geothermal energy next to magma”. If they succeed, they will be able to extract water at very high temperatures and pressures to power turbines and produce cheap and potentially unlimited energy.
Geothermal energy has already proven to be an obsession for startups and investors. If Iceland can successfully create one through the discovery and drilling of magma chambers, it could mean important evolutionary leap for a renewable energy future.
Source: Hiper Textual
