The Future of the American West: Reno, Nevada.

This "Futures Studies" project details the urban futures of thousands of cities across the globe as though they've somehow overcome all the grave environmental challenges our age and grown to become super Green and super-ecofriendly. This month, we highlight the future of Reno, Nevada.

Reno's Historic Legacy and Future Prospects

Reno, Nevada, is renowned for its association with two major social phenomena: gambling and divorce. The city’s gambling culture centers around slot machines, dice games, and card playing, while its divorce culture involves the legal dissolution of marriages. Remarkably, by the 1930s, Reno had established itself as the nation’s leading hub for both activities.

Evening View of Reno in the 1930s

In our future vision of Reno shown below, the city merges its historic themes of gambling and splitting to harness a nearby inexhaustible energy source: geothermal energy. This renewable energy is generated by the natural and artificial channeling of heat energy (in the form of super-hot water) from hot underground rocks through geological fissures up to steam-driven power plants on the surface. If successfully exploited, the heat energy emerging from these geological fractures could supply a quarter of the American West’s energy needs indefinitely, without emitting hydrocarbons or radiation.

However, the quest for geothermal energy is fraught with uncertainty and risk, as the exact locations of geothermal vents are unpredictable. This makes geothermal prospecting even more challenging than oil or gas exploration, which can often be guided by surface indicators like oozing crude.

In the twenty-second century, Reno entices high-stakes gamblers with a novel game: sinking geothermal drills. Each attempt costs around $10 million and involves selecting a drilling spot within Reno's administrative area. The high cost is due to the association of geothermal activity with granitic rock, making drilling a tough and lengthy process. Yet, those who succeed in striking geothermal heat will gain a share in an endless energy resource and contribute to Reno’s 22nd century status as the "Geothermal Capital of the World".

Reno, Nevada, in the Future