Tectonic Plates Beneath Seas Are Clean Energy Jackpots, Finds French Firm
20th February 2024
Companies have already moved offshore with geothermal exploration, ideally looking for areas to tap near well-known volcanoes included in the Indo-Pacific Ring of Fire. However, according to renewable energy technology company CGG, the areas around the volcanoes are different, and each needs individual attention to maximize its potential.
In contrast, tectonic plates on the ocean floor are a much more consistent geothermal energy resource, per a whitepaper CGG released. This is due to seafloor spreading, where the moving tectonic plates create gaps on the ocean floor, and magma from under the Earth’s crust flows out to create new rock.
Compared to volcanic regions on the ocean floor, tectonic plates offer a much more consistent temperature range, making them suitable for power generation.