The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) launched the #GeothermalEverywhere campaign to highlight key initiatives across program areas. From the Salton Sea in California to Beaver County in Utah, GTO is bringing geothermal everywhere. Learn more about the latest developments across program areas by clicking the images below.
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The GeoFlight initiative—a joint effort between GTO and the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey—captures surface and near-surface geologic data to identify geothermal and mineral resources. This and other similar data-gathering initiatives will help regional and local communities make informed decisions about future energy and mineral resource plans.
GTO is on the lookout for geothermal sources without obvious markers—like hot springs—on the Earth’s surface. Locating these resources drives down costs and risks associated with the discovery of hidden geothermal systems in the Basin and Range regions of the western United States and elsewhere.
Since 2018, GTO has funded early-stage research and development applications in machine learning to develop technology improvements in exploration and operational improvements for geothermal resources.
GTO’s 2022-2026 Multi-Year Program Plan presents GTO’s vision, mission, strategic goals, and high-level technology structure through the end of FY 2026, outlining how GTO-funded research will support the growth and long-term contribution of U.S. geothermal energy to the U.S. electricity grid and American homes and buildings.
Geothermal heating and cooling technologies, including geothermal heat pumps and district heating and cooling, offer green, efficient temperature control solutions for homes and businesses. GTO is investing in research on the design and deployment of district and community-scale geothermal heating and cooling systems.
The Geothermal Energy from Oil and gas Demonstrated Engineering (GEODE) initiative leverages technologies and workforce from the oil and gas industry to expand geothermal energy deployment.
Data is key. From geothermal resource locations and heat maps, to project costs and how long they take to permit—is critical in identifying, addressing, and overcoming barriers to geothermal adoption.
Lithium, which can be extracted from geothermal brines, is a critical material essential to the economic and national security of the United States.
Drilling deep into the earth to access geothermal energy is expensive, often accounting for more than 50% of a geothermal project’s total costs. GTO is funding drilling research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) to substantially lower costs in developing geothermal energy.
Published in 2021, the U.S. Geothermal Power Production and District Heating Market Report identifies where the geothermal power sector is primed for technological innovation and highlights significant opportunities for expanding power production.
Through the Wells of Opportunity initiative (WOO), GTO is investigating how oil and gas wells can be used to harness geothermal energy via retrofitting of inactive or unproductive wells or co-production on active wells.
GTO’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) initiative is a dedicated field site where scientists and engineers can develop, test, and accelerate breakthroughs in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The site’s cutting-edge research, coupled with an innovative collaboration and management platform, helps scientists identify a replicable, commercial pathway to EGS.
GTO's and the Federal Energy Management Program Federal Geothermal (FedGeo) Partnerships initiative provides technical assistance for geothermal energy deployment at federal sites to help expand deployment of geothermal heating and cooling technology, thereby helping the federal government lead by example in decarbonizing buildings.
Part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s American-Made prizes and competitions, the Geothermal Collegiate Competition invites teams from collegiate institutions to develop real-world geothermal solutions while competing for cash prizes and gaining resume experience in the renewable energy industry. Through this competition, students broaden their understanding of how geothermal energy can play a meaningful role in communities and the transition to a clean energy economy.
The Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ aims to usher in a clean energy future by bringing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) to Americans nationwide. By dramatically reducing the cost of EGS—by 90%, to $45 per megawatt hour by 2035—we can unlock affordable clean energy for over 65 million American homes and exponentially increase opportunities for geothermal heating and cooling solutions nationwide.
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