Geothermal energy is one of the few truly inexhaustible, carbon-free power sources, but tapping into it requires reaching super-hot rock miles below the Earth’s surface. Traditional drilling can’t reliably or affordably reach those depths.
That’s why researchers at the PSFC are exploring millimeter-wave (MMW) drilling, a technique pioneered at the PSFC and adapted from fusion energy research. Instead of grinding through rock, high-frequency waves heat and fracture it, creating boreholes up to 15 km deep. This approach could overcome the limits of mechanical drilling and unlock the vast potential of super-hot rock geothermal energy worldwide.
The PSFC is proposing the world’s first dedicated laboratory for millimeter-wave (MMW) drilling—an approach that could unlock deep geothermal energy. This new test stand will explore whether MMW drilling can work under the extreme heat and pressure found miles underground, and will test key technologies like durable waveguides, high-power RF transmission, and next-generation magnets. It will also allow researchers to study how rock behaves at scale, including permeability, porosity, and borehole stability. At 500 times larger than existing facilities, this lab would be the first to realistically replicate super-hot rock geothermal conditions.
