#geothermal

#geothermal

The ground beneath our feet holds so much energy that experts at the Department of Energy think geothermal power could generate 60 gigawatts - or nearly 10% of U.S. electricity - by 2050. Zanskar co-founder and CEO Carl Holland thinks that lofty number is too low, mostly because it's discounting conventional geothermal's potential. The DOE's figures assume advances in enhanced geothermal, which uses fracking techniques to access hot rock deep underground.

The plan - hatched by Troy's economic-development office to revitalize the downtown area and now driven by regional utility company National Grid - is to combine the buildings' heating and cooling systems in a single high-efficiency, low-carbon network. The hope is that more buildings will join the scheme before the thermal network begins operating in 2027. Ultimately, it might wean all of the Central Troy Historic District off natural gas.