A UNSW geophysics expert explains what geoenergy and geostorage are, and why they are likely to be crucial on the journey to a cleaner future.
The world is in an era of energy transition - shifting from a reliance on fossil fuels to a future powered by sustainable energy sources including solar, wind and hydropower.
A key reason is the urgent need to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but with big change also come significant challenges.
Scaling up renewable energy sources that are consistent and reliable and which can meet ever-greater demand requires significant technological innovation, economic investment and no little time.
In addition, there are key industries - such as iron, steel and cement production - that require high-temperature heat that is much harder to generate via renewables.
To solve some of these problems during this period of transition, engineers are proposing the increased use of the earth itself to help generate clean energy and store unwanted emissions to better protect our environment and combat climate change.
