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One of the promising hydrogen pathways being examined by GM is geothermal production of electricity, which would be used to generate hydrogen through electrolysis. The statistics on geothermal energy are compelling. Around the globe, the geothermal resources are larger than coal, oil, gas and uranium resources combined. Some 24 countries generate power from geothermal sources and global installed capacity is 8,900 megawatts (roughly equivalent to the electrical capacity of Kuwait). In the US there is installed geothermal electrical generating capacity of 2,850 MW and the western states have identified more than 100 sites with near-term potential to generate 13,000 MW. The world hotspots for geothermal activity follow the fault lines between the earth‘s tectonic plates. As a result there is great potential for exploiting this energy source along the west coast of the North and South American continents as well as the western edge of the Pacific Rim (a rough circle known as the ‘Ring of Fire’).
Geothermal hotspots around the globe. Elsewhere the plate boundaries mean there are hotspots in southern Europe and the eastern edge of the African continent. One of the most isolated but active geothermal locations on the planet is the island of Iceland, which sits on the fault line between the North American and Eurasian plates. Over the last 50 years Iceland has vigorously exploited its geothermal and hydroelectric generating potential to become one of most energy-independent countries on the planet. |
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