Scientists seek to tap Kingdom’s geothermal energy: A constant source of energy beneath the Earth’s surface is showing promise for Saudi Arabia’s cooling and desalination needs, and some experts believe it could even surpass the potential of solar and wind in some cases

Unlike other renewables that depend on sunshine or wind, geothermal energy flows steadily underground, offering year-round baseload power. It can be tapped by drilling wells to bring heat to the surface, which is either turned into steam to turn turbines and generate electricity, or used directly for cooling and desalination.

For the Kingdom, which faces soaring demand for air conditioning and potable water, it could provide a cleaner and more resilient alternative to fossil fuels.

After reading the article it’s a bit clearer that the geothermal isn’t attempting to supplant the solar, which, in a desert… Is good.

Bringing up the AC electricity consumption seems odd. I thought almost always AC could be covered by solar, since sun = heat = AC usage.

But eh, guess they’re just throwing things at the wall for the article’s sake