INTRODUCTION TO GEOTHERMAL ENERGY SYSTEMS

Credit Hours: 3 · Graduate

This course will provide a broad overview and introduction to geothermal energy systems and how they fit into the future energy source mix. Students will gain an understanding of the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of using the earth's internal heat as a low-carbon, resilient energy source. We will cover the technical aspects of finding, developing, and producing energy from the earth; we will also cover some of the non-technical ESG-related challenges. Each student will undertake a self-paced evaluation of a geothermal opportunity using the tools and techniques covered in the course and will make a final presentation of that evaluation to the class. The course will include an optional 2–3-day field trip to an active geothermal site to see field operations in action. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, students should have a general knowledge of Earth Science.