Improving Electricity Output from Geothermal Power

Get more energy out of the earth

Silica build-up can seriously limit the efficiency of an otherwise attractive source of energy: renewable, reliable, low carbon emitting geothermal power. In this environmentally-conscious era, a process which prevents the build-up of silica, so geothermal power plants can extract maximum energy, would have significant potential commercial value.

And that's just what Viclink has patented. A unique process forms Nano-structured Calcium Silicate (NCS) which prevents the chemical reaction which leads to the deposition of silica. This allows geothermal power plants to operate at lower temperatures, which means more electricity is generated.

In New Zealand, geothermal energy provides around seven per cent of all electricity. Depending on the plant, a reduction in silica deposition could make way for an increase in geothermal electricity production of up to 20 per cent, along with reduced operating expenses.

Viclink is working with potential commercial partners to commercialise the technology.