Endurance Energy completes first subsea geothermal test near underwater volcano
The result is a technical milestone, but the system still produced less than 10 seconds of net-positive electricity.
Endurance Energy says it has completed the first test of a subsea geothermal power plant near an active underwater volcano, a result that matters because it points to a possible new renewable option for places now dependent on imported fuel. The three-week deployment happened in September at Axial Seamount in the northeast Pacific Ocean, where the 3-ton prototype operated almost a mile under the surface. The system produced less than 10 seconds of net-positive electricity, so this was a technical validation rather than a practical power source. The Seattle startup says it wants to commercialize the approach for Pacific island nations and other customers that need an alternative to costly fossil-fuel imports.
Why it matters
For places that rely on imported fossil fuel, the test keeps open the idea of a local renewable option that uses the deep ocean instead. It also shows the approach is still at proof-point stage: the prototype ran for weeks and worked, but not long enough to count as a practical power source yet. That leaves the next step as turning a validated concept into something that can supply real customers.
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Sources
- Ars Technica