Season 1, Episode 5
Geothermal Energy – An Everlasting Source of Sustainable Energy Right Below Our Feet with Christian Hardwick
In this episode of From the Field, guest Christian Hardwick explains why Geothermal Energy, sometimes a forgotten renewable, is the best sustainable resource to power the planet and combat climate change.
You'll Learn
How Christian decided to go back to school and study geophysics…by way of Antarctica.
FORGE Utah’s project on geothermal energy.
What is renewable energy and how it can benefit the planet.
EGS – Enhanced Geothermal System. How to extract geothermal energy.
Measuring Gravitational Fields to find an ideal geothermal site.
Electrical Fields identify electrical properties of material in the sub-surface. Geothermal fluids are conductive in electrical energy.
People are a little perplexed when they see Christian conducting his studies, especially when he uses a meter that resembles a bread box.
How geothermal is always producing energy vs wind and solar, which is not.
Top 10 Countries producing geothermal energy.
Geothermal can be used for more than just electricity.
Paying it forward – any information that you can contribute to renewable resources should be shared with others, to create a sustainable planet.
Links From the Episode:
About Christian
ABOUT CHRISTIAN HARDWICK
Christian Hardwick is a Geophysicist and Senior Geologist at the Utah Geological Survey (UGS). He is the Geothermal Section manager within the Energy and Minerals program and he has also been providing geophysical support for the Groundwater, Hazards and Geologic Mapping programs at UGS since 2011. Before re-entering academic pursuits, Hardwick was a journeyman carpenter based out of McMurdo, Antarctica for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). During his 4-year stint in the USAP he setup, maintained, and disassembled field camps for scientific researchers on Antarctic land, volcanoes, glaciers, coasts and sea ice as well as built a lot of custom apparatuses and enclosures for scientists. After the USAP and prior to joining UGS he worked at the Thermal Geophysics Research Lab, University of Utah where he measured thermal conductivities, wrote computational code and programs in multiple computer languages, and worked with lab colleagues on research projects involving micro gravity, paleoclimate, hydrology, geothermal systems, global heat flow and isostacy.
Hardwick received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geoscience with emphasis in Geophysics from the University of Utah in 2010 with the recognition of Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Geophysics. He was selected for and satisfactorily completed the Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE) in 2010 hosted by Los Alamos National Laboratory and held in Santa Fe, NM. He was one of the few SAGE students that received the ExxonMobil SAGE Scholar recognition and award. Hardwick participated in the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded International Research Experience for Students (IRES) program in 2011, along with only 3 other students. This IRES program took place at an active geothermal field near Taupo, New Zealand and focused on geothermal exploration emphasizing surface geophysical methods. Hardwick received his Master of Science in Geophysics from the University of Utah in 2013.
Hardwick specializes in applied geophysical methods of gravity, magnetotellurics, transient electromagnetics, thermal fields and heat flow. His work includes modeling and interpretation of geophysical data combined with borehole information, geologic data, temperature logs and downhole geophysical logs in an integrated approach. He is the manager of UGS geophysical equipment, data acquisition, processing and preservation. Hardwick is the lead pilot for the UGS small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) program where aerial survey data are collected and used to produce high-resolution maps and terrain models for various studies. He also runs and manages the UGS Thermal Geophysics Research Lab where thermal and other physical properties of earth materials are measured, downhole temperature data is processed and analyzed, and new research equipment is developed and tested for lab and field use.
In his leisure time, Hardwick enjoys learning new skills, travel, and most outdoor activities including hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing/snowboarding, and mountain biking.
Surveying the land
Christian doesn’t go far without his 4×4
Or his field notes!
