Deep Geothermal Superpower

Presenters Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon and Dr. Ian Graham provide a plain-language introduction to geothermal electricity and heat production, focusing on deep enhanced geothermal systems (or “deep EGS”) that create heat-exchange reservoirs in hot, dry rock more than 5 kilometres below Earth’s surface.

Part of the Transition Accelerator’s Pathways to Net Zero webinar series, this conversation presents the deep EGS opportunity, highlights important R&D gaps, and identifies key technical, financing, and regulatory challenges. The speakers propose that Canada can and should become the global leader in deep EGS—but to do so, it must create strong incentives to solve the technology’s core R&D challenge: cost-effective, deep drilling through hard (igneous and metamorphic) rock. A Q&A session follows.