Justin Benedict 1 Justin Benedict Dr. Johnson ENGL 20803 9 April 2015
1000 Degrees Below: Using Enhanced Geothermal Engineering to Power America When we hear the words “renewable energy”, we often think of the sociopolitical and economic controversy of the past decade associated with the issues of climate change and the Obama administration’s urgency to end the United States’ dependence on foreign and domestic gas and oil. In the progressive renewable energy industry, a culmination of cutting edge engineers and new-age hippies alike, wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and bio energy have been at the forefront of research and investment. Because of the high cost of implementing such forms of energy, as well as the amount of land needed to do so or the little availability of such resources in some cases, most of these forms of renewable energy have not taken off on a scale necessary to make significant changes to our carbon footprint. In more resent years, however, a new form of geothermal engineering, Enhanced Geothermal Engineering, or EGS has risen among renewable energy sources as a potential for major successes. Private companies, organizations and federal agencies have begun researching and developing EGS systems to provide safe and clean energy to America. Unfortunately EGS systems have come under great criticism and controversy due to their high cost and the geological and ethical implications of drilling artificial fractures into the Earth’s crust in areas of increased seismic activity. Resent headlines like “Is Disturbing A Sleeping Volcano To Get ‘Clean’ Energy Safe?” or