A startup says it has found a hidden source of geothermal energy

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🗞️ Driving the news: Geothermal startup Zanskar has made a groundbreaking discovery in Nevada, identifying a hidden geothermal system that could power a future plant
• The company uses AI to analyze geological data, marking the first such find by the industry in decades
• This discovery signals a significant step forward for geothermal energy potential, which has long been underexploited

🔭 The context: Geothermal energy, harnessed from underground hot water reservoirs, has been considered a simple yet promising renewable energy source
• However, the challenge lies in finding these resources, particularly the "blind systems" that lack surface indicators
• Zanskar's AI-driven technology builds on previous geological research and represents a new approach to uncovering these hidden geothermal systems

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Geothermal power, a sustainable energy source, could play a key role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels
• Zanskar's discovery could unlock vast, previously uncharted geothermal resources, contributing to clean energy efforts
• With the world facing an energy crisis, breakthroughs in geothermal exploration could offer a valuable solution to the global transition to renewables

⏭️ What's next: Zanskar plans to conduct further testing to assess the size and flow rate of the newly discovered geothermal system
• The success of this project could pave the way for more geothermal plants, influencing the broader energy market and contributing to the United States' renewable energy goals
• The startup's AI-driven approach may also inspire similar ventures in the geothermal sector

💬 One quote: "Thanks to these new tools and capabilities, you can systematically find these sites and systematically derisk them—we just think this is the first full-scale signal that the tide has turned." — Carl Hoiland, Co-founder, Zanskar

📈 One stat: The U.S. government previously estimated that undiscovered geothermal systems could provide 30 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power over 25 million homes

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