Startup Tests Underwater Volcano as Power Plant
Endurance Energy tested an underwater geothermal power system at 5,000 feet depth in the Pacific Ocean. The experiment briefly produced electricity before a cable failure halted operations.
Startup Endurance Energy conducted a test last month aiming to harness underwater geothermal energy. The company sailed 300 miles off the Oregon coast and drilled a 52-foot well into the seabed at approximately 5,000 feet depth, accessing 500-degree heat. This marked the first fully encased well of its kind.
During the test, a three-ton generator was lowered to the ocean floor. When connected to a natural vent, it briefly produced electricity. However, the experiment was stopped due to a power cable failure, even though the generator momentarily produced more power than it consumed.
Andrew Redd, founder and CEO of Endurance Energy, who previously worked at SpaceX, believes in the concept's potential for stable, clean energy. "No one's ever tried this even close to the commercial scale that we're going after," Redd stated. The company has raised $63 million to date and aims to develop a network of underwater power plants.
The Adélie prototype, developed by the Seattle-based startup, is now back in the lab for further refinement. The next step involves developing a commercial-scale, 2-megawatt generator. The first commercial project is planned for the Kingdom of Tonga, where the grid primarily runs on diesel, and is expected to be operational next year.