Geothermal energy

The fact that the government has allocated €130 million for the creation of a wind farm is a move in the right direction both environmentally and from the financial point of view. Now research undertaken shows that wind energy here is only 10 per cent efficient. No matter how much we complain on windy days, apparently we do not get that much that often.

Yet there is hope for cheaper energy and very much less investment is needed though 100 per cent reliable day and night. This is geothermal energy.

This is no science fiction. It is here and it is working and highly efficient. The system consists of drilling a borehole kilometres deep into the earth till the hot rocks of between 150˚C and 250˚C are reached. The depth could vary between three to six or seven kilometres. Water is flushed into it and pumped up again at extremely hot temperatures which turns the turbines. This enhanced geothermal system EGS has the advantage of being put anywhere, even right next to the doorstep of Delimara power station. Environmentally it is zero harmful. If we are lucky, this hot strata of rocks could be nearer to the surface and less expensive. But it is there and effective and worth it.

As usual the Germans were the first to go at it. These have commissioned their first commercial EGS in Landau last year. It produces 22 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. Locally the authorities may have enough geological data to weigh up the depth we have to dig. Expertise is available. The viability of such a project could be evaluated. It is not the cost that should worry us, because it is available and this could literally send the Finance Minister walking happily to the bank not to issue bonds but to deposit our savings. Dare we do it?