The current energy crisis is faced not only with the problems associated with its extraction and production, but also with an increasingly high demand that puts future generations at a disadvantage. In this situation, there is a push for renewable alternatives capable of meeting existing demand, due to the growth of technological solutions, the capabilities of transportation technology, the demands of digitalization and connectivity, and above all, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Each industry has opted for alternative energy, such as electric motors in the automotive industry. In this context, some are beginning to bet on geothermal energy.
This is the case of a team from Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) in Iceland, led by Bjorn Guðmundsson, who proposes drilling the Krafla volcano in search of molten rock as an energy source. According to Yan Lavallée, a professor of magmatic petrology and volcanology at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, if magma is extremely energetic, why not use it as an alternative energy source? It’s quite a risky bet, since it is not easy to find magma sources, in addition to the unpredictability of its patterns.
Energy crisis
The current energy crisis forces us to seek other, more sustainable energy resources. Nowadays, the main source of energy comes from the extraction and production of fossil fuels, which poses a serious problem for the environment. Furthermore, the pace at which society is demanding energy is not sustainable for future generations.
That is why there has arisen a need to find new, more sustainable energy sources that can meet exponential demand. The growth of technological solutions, the capabilities of transportation technology, the demands for digitalization and connectivity, and the increasing advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.
In search of alternative energies
Faced with this situation of growing demand, diminishing fossil fuels, and increasingly atrocious consequences of climate change, industries are looking for alternatives. In the chaos of the automotive industry, they have opted for electric motors as substitutes for traditional combustion engines. Work is also being done on alternative engines, such as hydrogen engines.
Molten Rock
In the list of solar, wind, electric motors, or green hydrogen energy, geothermal energy is increasingly being considered. That is why a team from Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) in Iceland, led by Bjorn Guðmundsson, has focused on the Krafla volcano. The team intends to start drilling in 2027, aiming to investigate and develop the potential of molten rock as an energy source.
According to the professor of magmatic petrology and volcanology at Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, and head of the KMT scientific committee, Yan Lavallée, “Magmas are extremely energetic. They are the heat source that powers the hydrothermal systems that generate geothermal energy. Why not go to the source?”.
Obstacles of Geothermal Energy as a Source of Power
Despite the potential it presents, the truth is that this new approach has several obstacles. First of all, the unpredictability of volcanic magma patterns must be taken into account. In the event that some of the energy produced by molten rock could be harnessed, this offers the potential to provide an unlimited source of energy. Another aspect to consider when using geothermal energy as an alternative source is that it is not commonly found. Locating magma is difficult, so much so that currently it has only been drilled in Iceland, Kenya, and Hawaii.