Net-zero emission energy systems could potentially power civilization without further damaging our environment. Several proposed near-zero emission technologies (including solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and ocean thermal energy conversion) aim to convert available energy from the Earth's geophysical system to forms useful to humans. Other geophysical systems may be used to store potential, chemical, or thermal energy, or to offset emissions through carbon sequestration.

This session will highlight recent research aimed at identifying geophysical energy reservoirs and flows that might be converted to human uses, limits to that conversion and use, and unintended consequences if deployed at scale. This session will focus on environmental and geophysical sciences, however, discussion of technologies, and social or political barriers, is also welcome. Relevant topics could include: geophysical constraints on reliability and cost-competitiveness of various technologies, pathways to deployment, novel technologies, and approaches to smooth fluctuations in demand and supply.