RCN: SedHeat - Building an Interdisciplinary Community to Meet the Science, Engineering, and Educational Challenges for Sustainable Geothermal Energy from Sedimentary Basins

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RCN: SedHeat - Building an Interdisciplinary Community to Meet the Science, Engineering, and Educational Challenges for Sustainable Geothermal Energy from Sedimentary BasinsJohn Holbrook, Texas Christian University, EAR-1240138ABSTRACTThis proposal will support a Research Coordination Network that will draw together an interdisciplinary group of geoscientists, engineers, educators, and economists dedicated 'to form a central point of unity, exchange, and education to exceed the science and engineering challenges of sedimentary-basin geothermal energy' as its central stated goal. The RCN builds off the NSF SEES Workshop -Tracking an energy elephant: science and engineering challenges for unlocking the geothermal potential of sedimentary basins,- which was held November 2011 in Salt Lake City. This workshop included 71 participants, and was convened to address the question "What are the basic science and engineering questions that need to be addressed in order to make geothermal energy production from sedimentary basins practical?" The November 2011 SEES Workshop concluded that geothermal energy from sedimentary basins has the realistic potential to supply energy on the gigawatt scales of coal and nuclear. The barriers to sedimentary-basin geothermal are within the risk and uncertainty of economic extraction. Addition of sedimentary-basin geothermal to the U.S. energy portfolio would have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of the energy grid and the economy at large with negligible environmental impact. The program will strive to develop an educated community though preparation of course materials and directly reaching out to students though short courses and student lab visitation opportunities.