Deriving the Steady-State Geothermal Equation from the Principle of the Conservation of Energy

by Sarah Hartshorn

Submitted : Spring 2019

Geothermal energy is a booming business with gaining popularity. Low enthalpy geothermal plants are especially popular because they can be implemented in areas not associated with high tectonic activity. The main setback in these projects is cost. If an area must be drilled deeper than 1-3 kilometers, it is often discarded for a low enthalpy plant. In this report, the feasibility of drilling for low enthalpy geothermal energy in Cambridge, Massachusetts is calculated using Fourier’s Law and the Principle of the Conservation of Energy to find the steady-state geothermal equation. For this particular site, it is necessary to drill about four kilometers to reach a temperature appropriate for this energy source. This is not a feasible project as the cost of drilling four kilometers is too high for companies to go through with it.

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