The solar steam is being injected into wells to make it easier to extract heavy crude from a 120-year-old oil field in the Central Valley town of Coalinga.

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Steam is also injected to get the vortex started.

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These fractures are then connected to create an artificial reservoir in which water can be injected to create steam.

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Geothermal power plants turn hot water into steam or vapor to run a turbine and generate electricity, after which the water is injected back into the underground geothermal reservoir.

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