Seminar 4 – Clean Energy Technologies

Geothermal

Prof Richard Hillis
Australian School of Petroleum
The University of Adelaide

Abstract

The installed global electricity generation capacity of geothermal energy is around 9 GW, less than 1 % of demand. Both in the USA and Australia there are bold predictions that geothermal energy could supply 10 % of demand by 2020. Delivery of this prediction would require technically more challenging geothermal resources (deeper and tighter) to be commercialised.

This talk will discuss how the current geothermal boom in Australia, particularly in South Australia, is endeavouring to slice deeper into the geothermal resources pyramid. This is in part driven by the CO2 emissions-free nature of geothermal electricity. It will also summarise the projects of some of the key Australian players and will discuss the cost of electricity generation versus CO2 emissions for various generation technologies.

Biography

Richard Hillis is the Head of the Australian School of Petroleum and Professor of Petroleum Geology at the University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Imperial College, University of London, and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He is a geologist whose interests are in tectonics, petroleum geology and geothermal energy. He leads a group of 10 at the Australian School of Petroleum.

Richard has undertaken consulting projects, taught professional short courses worldwide and has authored over 100 scientific papers. He is a non-executive director of privately-owned JRS Petroleum Research Pty Ltd and of the ASX-listed geothermal exploration company Petratherm Ltd.

[Return to Seminar Program]