The peer review for the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), renamed the Office of Geothermal as of 2026, was held November 13-15, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. This gathering offered geothermal stakeholders an opportunity to learn about projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) across a wide spectrum of technical complexity and funding magnitude – from research and development, to demonstration and analysis.
The Office conducts this review regularly—with input from independent, qualified peers—to assess achievements in geothermal development and to meet strategic guidelines. Each project examined during the Peer Review represents a growing technology associated with one or more of the Office’s programs.
The 2017 Peer Review Report is a consolidated accounting of the 2017 peer review activities. It amasses the independent, expert evaluation of the technical progress and merit of projects funded by the Office as well as the feedback and recommendations on future strategic planning.
Peer Evaluation Report
2017 Geothermal Technologies Office Peer Review Report
2017 Presentations
FORGE
Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy - Fallon, NV
Doug Blankenship, Sandia National LaboratoriesEnhanced Geothermal System Testing and Development at the Milford, Utah FORGE Site
Joseph Moore, University of UtahEGS Collab
Feasibility Evaluation of Potential Stimulation Methods
Earl Mattson, Idaho National LaboratoryStimulation Investigations for Geothermal Modeling Analysis and Validation
Tim Kneafsey, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorySite Selection, Preparation, Drilling and Coring, Characterization
Patrick Dobson, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryRefine Stimulation Test Design, Preliminary THMC Test Design Modeling, and Monitoring Design and Installation
Joseph P. Morris, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryHigh Temperature Laboratory Experimentation to Support EGS Stimulations
Susan Carrol & Megan M. Smith, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryFlow Test Characterization and Drillback
Tim Johnson, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryStimulation in Stress Condition 1
Hunter A. Knox, Sandia National LaboratoriesEGS Demo
Full-Waveform Inversion of 2010 Walkaway VSP Data from Raft River Geothermal Site
Lianjie Huang, Los Alamos National LaboratoryJoint Active and Passive Seismic Imaging of EGS Reservoirs
Lianjie Huang, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFeasibility of EGS Development at Bradys Hot Springs, Nevada
Peter Drakos, Ormat Technologies, Inc.Poroelastic Tomography by Adjoint Inverse Modeling of Data from Seismology, Geodesy, and Hydrology
Kurt Feigl, University of WisconsinEGS Geophysics
Seismic Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Fracture Generation During EGS Resource Development
Roland Gritto, Array Information TechnologyPush-Pull Well Testing Using CO2 with Active Source Geophysical Monitoring
Curtis M. Oldenburg & Thomas M. Daley, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryEGS Geoscience
The Viability of Sustainable, Self-Propping Shear Zones in Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Measurement of Reaction Rates at Elevated Temperatures
Susan Carroll, Megan Smith, & Kristin Lammers, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLeveraging a Fundamental Understanding of Fracture Flow, Dynamic Permeability Enhancement, and Induced Seismicity to Improve Geothermal Energy Production
Chris Marone, Pennsylvania State UniversityLaboratory Evaluation of EGS Shear Stimulation
S.J. Bauer, Sandia National Laboratories; Ahmad Ghassemi, University of OklahomaLaboratory-scale Characterization of EGS Reservoirs
Ahmad Ghassemi, University of OklahomaEGS Tools
Application of Neutron Imaging and Scattering to Fluid Flow and Fracture in EGS Environments
Philip Bingham & Yarom Polsky, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryRadioisotope Tracers to Define Fracture Attributes for EGS
Shaun T. Brown, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryReservoir Stimulation with Operational Monitoring for the Creation of EGS
Carlos A. Fernandez, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryControlled Pressurization Using Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Propellants for EGS Well Stimulation
Mark Grubelich, Sandia National LaboratoriesA Reactive Tracer Method for Predicting EGS Reservoir Geometry and Thermal Lifetime: Development and Field Validation
Jefferson Tester, Donald Koch, & Adam Hawkins, Cornell UniversityHigh Temperature Downhole Motor
David W. Raymond, Sandia National LaboratoriesEnhanced High Temperature/High Speed Data Link for Logging Cables
Avery "Zack" Cashion, Sandia National LaboratoriesHigh Temperature Chemical Sensing Tool for the Distributed Assessment of Fracture Flow in EGS
Avery "Zack" Cashion, Sandia National LaboratoriesQuantifying EGS Reservoir Complexity with an Integrated Geophysical Approach
John N. Louie, University of Nevada, RenoGeneral R&D
Fracture and Permeability Imaging Using Joint Inversion of Multi-type Geophysical Data
Lianjie Huang Los Alamos National LaboratoryNew Exploration Methods Applied to Previously Studied “Known Geothermal Resource Areas” in Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon
Patrick Dobson, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Travis McLing, Idaho National LaboratorySelf-Healing & Re-Adhering Cements with Improved Toughness at Casing and Formation Interfaces for Geothermal Wells
Carlos A. Fernandez, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryMicrohole Drilling: Application of Low Weight-on-Bit Drilling Technologies
Jiann Su, Sandia National LaboratoriesIntegrating Magnetotellurics, Soil Gas Geochemistry and Structural Analysis to Identify Hidden, High-Enthalpy, Extensional Geothermal Systems
Philip E. Wannamaker, Energy & Geoscience Institute, University of UtahPlay Fairway Analysis
Discovering Blind Geothermal Systems in the Great Basin Region: An Integrated Geologic and Geophysical Approach for Establishing Geothermal Play Fairways
James Faulds, University of Nevada & Nevada Bureau of Mines and GeologyThe Convergence of Heat, Groundwater, & Fracture Permeability: Innovative Play Fairway Modelling Applied to the Tularosa Basin
Gregory D. Nash, Energy & Geoscience Institute, University of Utah; Carlon R. Bennett, Ruby Mountain, Inc.Play Fairway Analysis of Geothermal Potential across the State of Hawaii
Nicole Lautze, University of HawaiiPlay Fairway Analysis (PFA): Structurally Controlled Geothermal Systems in the Eastern Great Basin Extensional Regime, Utah
Philip E. Wannamaker, Energy & Geoscience Institute, University of UtahNorthwest Volcanic Geothermal Province Studies
Erick R. Burns, U.S. Geological SurveySnake River Plain PFA
John W Shervais, Utah State UniversityGeothermal Play-Fairway Analysis of Washington State Prospects
Corina Forson, Washington Geological SurveySubsurface R&D
Development of a Novel, Near Real Time Approach to Geothermal Seismic Exploration and Monitoring Via Ambient Seismic Noise Interferometry
Jay Pulliam, Baylor UniversityAutonomous monitoring of wellbore integrity applying Time Reverse Nonlinear Elastic Wave Spectroscopy (TR NEWS) and Fiber Optic Sensing and Communication
P. Johnson & G. Guthrie, Los Alamos National LaboratoryHigh-Resolution 3D Acoustic Borehole Integrity Monitoring System
Cristian Pantea, Los Alamos National LaboratoryWellbore Integrity asSEssment with Casing-based Advanced senSING (WISE-CASING)
Yuxin Wu, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryEmbedded Sensor Technology Suite for Wellbore Integrity Monitoring
Paul R. Ohodnicki, Jr., National Energy Technology LaboratoryAdvanced Downhole Acoustic Sensing for Wellbore Integrity
Thomas Dewers, Sandia National LaboratoriesGeothermal Fault Zone and Fluid Imaging through Joint Airborne ZTEM and Ground MT Data Inversion
Philip E. Wannamaker, Energy & Geoscience Institute, University of UtahA Novel Approach to Map Permeability Using Passive Seismic Emission Tomography Constrained by Joint Inversion of Active Seismic and EM Data
Ian Warren, U.S. Geothermal Inc.General R&D
Low Energy, Low Cost Forward Osmosis for Water Treatment using Geothermal Heat
Dan Wendt & Aaron Wilson, Idaho National Laboratory; Robert Kostecki & Nic Spycher, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDesalination of Impaired Water Using Geothermal Energy
Craig Turchi, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryHarmonic Adsorption Recuperative Power System
B. Peter McGrail, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryMineral Recovery
Extraction of Rare Earth Metals from Geothermal Fluids using Bioengineered Microbes
Yongqin Jiao, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryDemonstrating a Magnetic Nanofluid Separation Process for Rare Earth Extraction from Geothermal Fluids
B. Peter McGrail, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryWestern USA Assessment of High Value Materials in Geothermal & Produced Fluids
Stuart Simmons, Energy & Geoscience Institute, University of UtahAssessing REE Concentrations in Geothermal and O&G Produced Waters: A Potential Domestic Source of Strategic Mineral Commodities
Scott Quillinan, School of Energy Resources, Carbon Management InstituteMaximizing REE Recovery in Geothermal Systems
Robert A. Zierenberg, University of California, Davis; Mark H. Reed, University of OregonDeep Direct Use
Earth Source Heat: Cascaded Systems Approach to DDU on the Cornell Campus
Jefferson Tester & Teresa Jordan, Cornell UniversityDeep Direct Use: Turbine Inlet Cooling in East Texas
Craig Turchi, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryPortland Deep Direct-Use Thermal Energy Storage (DDU-TES) Feasibility Study
John Bershaw, Portland State UniversityDDU Feasibility Study for the Hawthorne NV Army Depot and Surrounding Community
Thomas Lowry, Sandia National LaboratoriesGeoHRC: Large-Scale, Deep Direct-Use System in a Low-Temperature Sedimentary Basin
Yu-Feng Forrest Lin, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignFeasibility of Deep Direct Use Geothermal on the WVU Campus-Morgantown, WV
Brian J. Anderson & Nagasree Garapati, West Virginia University
Method for the Production of Diamond-Hardfaced Titanium Carbide/Titanium Bits for Geothermal Drilling
O.A. Voronov, Diamond Materials Incorporated (Diamond Materials of Monroe)A Near-Real-Time Electromagnetic Data-Link for Geothermal Downhole Instruments
Jeffery Gabelmann, David Glowka, & Mark Oerkfitz, E-Spectrum TechnologiesAdvanced Analysis of Geothermal Heat Pump System Data
J. Matthew Davis, University of New Hampshire; Robert Sullivan, Ground Energy Support LLCWellbore Integrity Mapping Using Well-Casing Electrodes and Surface Based Electrical Field
Kris MacLennan & Greg Nieuwenhuis, GroundMetrics, Inc.; Michael Wilt & Evan Um, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryIntegration of a Concentrating Solar Steam Topping Turbine to an Existing Geothermal Binary Power Plant
Kevin Kitz, US Geothermal; Daniel Wendt, Idaho National Laboratory; Guangdong Zhu, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryA Numerical Tool for the Design of EGS Based on Modeling of THM Processes and Explicit Representation of Fracture Networks
Azadeh Riahi, Branko Damjanac, Jim Hazzard, Jason Furtney, & Christine Detournay, Itasca Consulting Group, Inc.Geothermal Exploration for Direct Use of Hot Water in Wells, Nevada
Nicolas Spycher, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Mark McKoy, National Energy Technology LaboratoryGreenFire-LLNL Small Business Vouchers Pilot
Joseph P. Morris, Oleg Y. Vorobiev, Frederick J. Ryerson, & Robert J. Mellors, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryRapid Distributed Sensing of Subsurface In-Situ Stress
John Ohanian & Andrew Boulanger, Luna; Tom Doe, Golder AssociatesAdvanced, Low-Cost Indoor Heat Exchanger for Geothermal Heat Pumps
John Bustamante, David Sykes, & Josh Sole, Mainstream Engineering CorporationPiezoresistive Metal Rubber™ Sensors for the Health Monitoring of Packer Materials for Geothermal Wells
Michelle Berg, Hang Ruan, & Richard Claus, NanoSonicGeothermal / Solar Hybrid System Modeling with Thermal Storage
Joshua McTigue, Craig Turchi, & Guangdong Zhu, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryControlled-Porosity Ceramic Material for High Temperature Downhole Applications
Bill Lowry, Olympic Research IncorporatedSelective Recovery of Critical Materials from Geothermal Fluid
Phillip Halstenberg, Richard Mayes, & Bruce Moyer, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryAdvanced Testing Method for Ground Thermal Conductivity
Xiaobing Liu, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Rick Clemenzi, Geothermal Design Center, Inc.; Liu Su, University of TennesseeAdvanced Data Logging Electronics for High Pressure and Temperature Subsurface Environments
A. Matt Francis, Jim Holmes, Matthew Barlow, Nick Chiolino, & Ian Getreu, Ozark IC, Inc.Rugged, Long-Life Flow Monitoring for Enhanced Geothermal Systems
A. Matt Francis (PI), Jim Holmes, Matthew Barlow, Nick Chiolino, & Ian Getreu, Ozark IC, Inc.; Fredrik Rehnmark, Jameil Bailey, & Evan Cloninger, Honeybee RoboticsGeothermal Well Logging Camera
Randy Normann, Dave Glowka, Charles Normann, Joe Henfling, & Marshall Soares, Perma Works, LLCEvaluation of FastCAP Ultracapacitors in Geothermal Environments
Avery T. Cashion & Grzegorz G. Cieslewski, Sandia National LaboratoriesTech to Market Showcase
Frank Maldonado, Sandia National Laboratories