Why not tap the earths core for energy?

Question

Why not dig a deep whole, pipe in some water and get everlasting energy?

If not the core than just deep enough to get a good amount of heat. I always hear about miners working in hot conditions. The mines have extensive AC systems.

Answer 1

This is already done, in a fashion, in places like Geysers in California where PG&E generates electricity from naturally occuring steam vents AND injects water to maintain and enhance steam production.

That is technically viable in places where an upwelling of magma is close enough to reach with current drilling technology - within a mile or two or three of the surface. Like in Yellowstone, Geysers and Iceland and some places in New Zealand. Even then, the wells aren't drilled into truely molten rock (it would melt the drill bit and the hole wouldn't stay open).

In most locations, the Earth's crust is thicker than we've been able to drill, although advances keep being made.

Even if we could drill as deep as we want, steam generated 10 miles down will largely cool as it rose through all the intervening cooler crust.

Heat does not allow you generate electricity. A DIFFERENCE in heat allows you to produce power. So you either need to bring the heat to the surface where things are relatively cool or bring something cold to depth where the hot rocks are (and that would be even harder).

As petroleum continues to get more expensive and drilling continues to advance, geothermal electrical power generation will become a bit more widespread. But there aren't a lot of places where it is easy enough to do.

Answer 2

The idea has merit if you turn the question inside out: The Earth is a natural insulator which below a certain level never freezes. There are several passive techniques which can take advantage of the Earth’s existing thermal properties which can greatly reduce our reliance on outside energy sources to provide heating and cooling. Just a few feet below ground the Earth maintains a temperature of about 55f. That is well above freezing but quite a bit cooler than air conditioning needs.

These effects can be achieved in a variety of ways. First (and most obvious) is to submerge the building below ground at least five feet. Second is to push berms up against the side of the building to provide a heat sink as well as a good deal of insulation. Third would be to install any of a variety of “heat pumps” which rely on air moving below ground (powered usually by wind, or in stagnant seasons by electricity) to cool off the air and return it to the building. Another technique I’ve read about involves drilling small bore holes into the ground around a building so that in winter the soil is cooled well below the normal level, and in summer that cool ground slowly absorbs greater than average heat out of the air and the structure. The process is reversed in the summer where the soils gain more heat that usual, and release that through the winter. This is how “lake effect” works, as large lakes will absorb a great deal of heat in the summer and release it though the winter and vice versa.

Answer 3

Because it would take more energy than we've ever mustered to do such a thing. Drilling through that much crust and mantle and "piping in some water" is an extremely inefficient way to retrieve energy... remember also, electricity does not do well over very long distances, so it couldn't only be done once... then there's the seismological factor, how long would you have until your rig broke, due to plate movements, etc?

Answer 4

sure operating steam generators from the nice and comfortable temperature contained in the earth is amazingly available. Its called geothermal skill. Its finished now international huge. There are some geothermal flora in CA. What you describe with a deep hollow is plenty better sturdy. many of the topic matters are it receives so warm our textile consisting of metallic damage down. The holes or wells getting used today are not from now on everywhere close to as deep as you describe. i'm no longer positive yet no longer over 10,000 ft deep or so. maximum a lot less i guess. between the biggest problems with geothermal from those type of wells is the corrosion from the minerals and chemical compounds contained in the area on the bottom of the properly.

Answer 5

the world governments do not want independent humanity that enjoys ,free energy and such ,

just as much as the big pharmaceutical companies wont get rich with healthy populations

and peace does not help an world economy that is used to make money with war.

the cure for aids,cancer etc, ,a car that runs on hydrogen ,tapping earths energy,anti gravity and much more has been known by the Masonic governments for a long time already
but these inventions beneficial to humanity ,are not beneficial to their Agenda for Global control .economics and reducing the world population by 60%.

Answer 6

I'm pretty sure we can't reach the core- it is too deep and I don't think we have a strong enough drill to penetrate through the mantle.
I think it would also muck with the magnetic field of the Earth, but I'm not positive about that.

Answer 7

We do not know how to drill holes any where near that deep. The core is about a thousand times deeper than the deepest oil well.

Answer 8

well for one if that doesnt work it could stop of even slow the rotation of the earths core. and if that happens we will no longer have a magnetic feild to protect us from solar radiation. it would be like throwing a wrench into a big machine. but it would be a good idea to try to harnes the earths magnetic polarity for power.

Answer 9

Because of the tremedous pressure and heat, it is easier said than done.