Geothermal Power Production, Hybridization and Storage

Geothermal power, a renewable energy source that harnesses the Earth's internal heat, has the capacity to generate electricity at a rate of around 15,000 TWh per year, exceeding global annual energy consumption. This chapter investigates the progress made in the field of geothermal power generation, hybridization, and storage, focusing on their potential contributions towards the advancement of a sustainable and environmentally conscious energy environment. Flash steam, dry steam and binary-cycle power plants are widely recognized as the predominant categories of geothermal power generation. The incorporation of wind, solar, and biomass energy into geothermal power systems via hybridization improves power generation efficiency, operational flexibility, and resource utilization. When geothermal resources are scarce, combining solar or biomass power with geothermal energy may enhance energy generation. The use of geothermal energy storage is crucial for mitigating the intermittency challenge and ensuring the utilization of geothermal energy in response to fluctuating demand. Thermal energy storage involves the storage of heated water derived from geothermal reservoirs within insulated tanks or subsurface aquifers, with the intention of utilizing it at a later time. In the year 2021, the nations of the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines collectively implemented the most amount of geothermal power, reaching a cumulative capacity of 15,372 MW. The integration of hybridization and storage technologies is facilitating the optimization of geothermal power generation, enabling the utilization of its full capacity and facilitating the transition to a more sustainable energy environment.