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Shale drilling strategies could cause a geothermal rise, IEA states

The shale drilling methods that caused a boom in oil and gas output have actually also stimulated the development of geothermal, which in theory might provide a. stable source of power equal to the demand of India and the. United States combined, the IEA said on Friday.

Speaking after publication of the Paris-based agency's very first. report on geothermal energy, International Energy Administration. ( IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol stated the source was matched. to supplying the massive amounts of steady energy information centres. require.

The new structure of geothermal is very similar to the oil. and gas revolution. We see that the new innovations are. unlocking the international potential with the so-called horizontal. drilling and hydrofracking as used in shale, Birol said.

One of the drivers of this cravings for geothermal energy. is the requirement for electrical energy for data centres. When you take a look at. the United States, there is a big push for data centres, which. desire 24/7 electricity, making geothermal an excellent fit.

Unlike sustainable products from wind and solar, geothermal. energy can be a consistent source of power, but it is in its infancy. and the IEA and Birol said it needed government support and. significant financial investment.

The shale drilling methods in concern have also. brought in opposition from ecological campaigners in the. context of the oil and gas market since of concerns over. water pollution and earthquakes.

Three quarters of geothermal's worldwide capacity is. concentrated first in the United States, then China and after that. India, Birol told Reuters.

The incoming Trump administration has said it will push for. more oil and gas drilling and wants to downsize green power. initiatives, but Birol said he saw no reason that should. exclude increased geothermal use.

Geothermal heating might rise to as much as 800 gigawatts. ( GW) globally, or 15% of global demand development by 2050, with an. yearly output equivalent to the combined current need for the. U.S. and India, IEA information revealed.

International investments would need to go beyond $1 trillion

(source: Reuters)