Solar augmented geothermal energy
Tuesday, January 6th, 2009Conventional geothermal energy systems utilize natural reservoirs of heat energy located below the earth’s surface. Today, the United States Patent Office issued a patent which stores solar energy in subsurface geologic reservoirs. The method includes transferring concentrated solar thermal energy to a fluid, thereby generating a supercritical fluid. Once charged with the supercritical fluid, the subsurface geologic formation forms a synthetic geothermal reservoir.
Download United States Patent No. 7,472,548
