Hydrogen enhanced geothermal power production
An energy system includes a natural or enhanced geothermal reservoir having a subsurface rock formation and an energy source integrated into the natural or enhanced geothermal reservoir configured to convert heat to energy. The energy source can include at least one of: a hydrogen source included in the subsurface rock formation, a methane or other hydrocarbon gas source, and a dihydrogen sulfide source. The dihydrogen sulfide and the methane or other hydrocarbon gas source can be converted to hydrogen and an associated carbon dioxide or sulfur reaction product can also be sequestered by mineralization in the subsurface rock formation following the conversion.
1 . A method of energy production, comprising:
collecting hydrogen from a first hydrogen source;
integrating the hydrogen into at least a portion of a geothermal energy system by combusting the hydrogen to produce energy, wherein the geothermal energy system includes a subsurface rock formation; and
collecting additional hydrogen from the subsurface rock formation by injecting one or more of dihydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide into the subsurface rock formation to react with components in the subsurface formation to form the additional hydrogen; and
integrating the additional hydrogen into at least a portion of the geothermal energy system.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hydrogen source comprises at least one of wind electrolysis, solar electrolysis, hydropower electrolysis, nuclear small modular reactor, or collection of natural subsurface hydrogen.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen and the additional hydrogen is integrated into the geothermal energy system by steam methane reformation, steam methane reformation with carbon capture utilization and storage, or electrolyzers.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting water or brine recovered from the geothermal energy system to stimulate further hydrogen production.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing and mineralizing CO 2 vented from the geothermal energy system.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subsurface rock formation comprises at least one of an iron-rich rock; mafic igneous rock; metamorphosed or hydrothermally altered mafic igneous rock; olivine- or pyroxene-bearing igneous or metamorphic sedimentary rock; olivine- or pyroxene-bearing igneous or metamorphic sediment; metamorphosed or hydrothermally altered olivine- or pyroxene-bearing igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rock; metamorphosed or hydrothermally altered olivine- or pyroxene-bearing igneous or metamorphic sediment; serpentine mineral-bearing rock; serpentine mineral-bearing rock sediment; partially or completely serpentinized rock; serpentinite; pyrite; iron-rich sandstone; other iron-rich sedimentary rock; or iron-rich sediments.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hydrogen source includes at least one of steam methane reformation, steam methane reformation with carbon capture utilization and storage, pyrolysis, collection of subsurface hydrogen, or electrolysis.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrolysis is performed via at least one of wind electrolysis, solar electrolysis, hydropower electrolysis, nuclear small modular reactor electrolysis.
9 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the electrolyzers perform at least one of wind electrolysis, solar electrolysis, hydropower electrolysis, and nuclear small modular reactor electrolysis.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the injecting of one or more of the dihydrogen sulfide or the carbon dioxide into the subsurface rock formation further comprises mineralizing at least one of the dihydrogen sulfide and the carbon dioxide by:
reacting the dihydrogen sulfide and the carbon dioxide with elements of the subsurface rock formation in a reaction comprising one or more of a serpentinization reaction, a pyritization reaction, or a decarbonation reaction.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
heating, with a fluid heat exchange system, one or more of the dihydrogen sulfide or the carbon dioxide injected into the geothermal energy system; and
providing heat for steam production in a steam turbine to produce electrical power.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising augmenting, using an energy source, heat from the geothermal energy system to produce electrical power.