Deep U-tube heat exchanger breakthrough: combining laser and cryogenics gas for geothermal energy exploitation
DeepU has been funded under the European Commission's EIC Pathfinder program (GA 101046937) under Horizon Europe, which supports early-stage projects developing disruptive, high-risk/high-reward technologies with the potential to create new markets and address global disruption.
The project's technology aims to extract geothermal energy from deep underground (>4km) using vitrified, impermeable, and uncracked U-tube heat exchangers, combining laser and cryogenic gas drilling in a single solution.
In this way, the project aims to ensure greater accessibility to deep geothermal resources for the production of stable, continuous, and low-carbon energy of CO2.
Furthermore, the laboratory-scale demonstration will provide the information needed to assess the technological, environmental, and economic sustainability and define the potential and commercial attractiveness of the proposed solution.