Google, which has a huge interest in affordable power to run its ever-growing numbers of server farms, is heavily investing in research into the development of geothermal power. In the US, Google is the largest funding source for geothermal research.

MIT researchers estimate that the America could develop 100 gigawatts of generating capacity from geothermal over the next 40 years at a cost of US$1 billion. Australia is trying something similar, but its timetable is much more aggressive, and costs more. “The association estimated A$12 billion would need to be invested to develop the 2,200 megawatts of power, but added the cost of generating electricity would fall to acceptable levels by the time commercial projects were up and running.”

The amount of energy that could be generated from geothermal power is has massive potential. The Australian group estimates that just 1 percent of the country’s geothermal capacity could provide 26,000 years worth of clean electricity.