this post was submitted on 31 Jan 2025
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Futurology

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[–] Majorllama 86 points 3 weeks ago (35 children)

I'm a huge nuclear energy advocate, but if there is an even better way to get baseline power to fill in the gaps between solar and wind I am all for it. My only question would be the downsides (if any) of using the earths core to power things.

Like if every country starts slapping these things down all over the place would it even start cooling the core in any meaningful way? Would that potentially lead to problems later?

My gut says no, but I would rather at least ask the question and get laughed at than never consider it and have it bite us in the ass later.

[–] MrEff 18 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

I can't find where I read it, but I remember it being something like: if all of humanity consumed the same amount as an energy hungry American and then doubled it while getting all of its power from geothermal then we have almost tapped 1% of the crusts potential, rounding up.

[–] MrEff 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I did some looking around. Looks like I was a factor of 10 off. As in- not 1% but 0.1% and that could be sustained for millions of years

Other estimates suggest that harnessing just 0.1% of the Earth’s heat could supply the world’s total energy needs for two million years>

https://www.contrary.com/foundations-and-frontiers/geothermal

https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal-faqs#:~:text=4.5%20billion%20years.-,This%20heat%20is%20continually%20replenished%20by%20the%20decay%20of%20naturally,essentially%20inexhaustible%20supply%20of%20energy.

There is also a great pdf over at www.worldenergy.org under their geothermal - world energy council that is a little old but still points out the math on just how immense the energy output of earth is. We could each run our own small AI data center on geothermal power and the earth would still have extra. And we are only talking about tapping into the very top of the crust.

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