Geothermal Success Stories

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Domestic geothermal resources have the potential to contribute substantially to generating electricity and producing heating and cooling for U.S. homes. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) funds research, development, and demonstration of innovative geothermal technologies to realize that goal.

View the success stories below to learn how GTO is stimulating the growth of the geothermal industry and the renewable energy sector—and helping the nation usher in an energy future.

2025

Heating Things Up: GTO’s Superhot Rock Research Breaking New Ground

Mazama’s superhot working site at Newberry Volcano
Mazama’s superhot working site at Newberry Volcano
Mazama Energy

2024

Geothermal Team Honored for Creating Domestic Lithium Pathways

LBNL Lithium Team Wins Award for Societal Impact
Members of the ”Characterizing the Geothermal Lithium Resource at the Salton Sea” report team receive the Directors Award for Societal Impact.
© The Regents of the University of California, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

AskGDR and You Shall Receive: New Virtual Assistant Increases Accessibility to Geothermal Data

Screen with Data
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Where Great Minds Meet: Fostering the Geothermal Workforce

2024 cohort of Geothermal INTERNs

Six of the 2024 Geothermal INTERNs. (Left to right) Porraket Dechdacho, Tyler Hickey, Lauren Terry, Hugo Zazueta, Seungmin Lee, and Feaze Ghazvini.

Geothermal Collegiate Competition Helps Communities Explore Renewable Energy 

2023 GCC policy track team meets with stakeholders in Elim, AK
The GCC 2023 first-place policy track team meets with community members from the Native Village of Elim, Alaska to celebrate and discuss their geothermal project.
Photo by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Searching for Answers Below the Surface: Hidden Systems Exploration Uncovers Geothermal Energy Potential

Monte Neva Hot Springs, Steptoe Valley
Monte Neva Hot Springs, Steptoe Valley
Photo Credit: Nick Hinz

Cracking the Code: Microseismicity Findings Point to Improved Geothermal Extraction

Old Main building at Penn State

Old Main building at Penn State University

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Geothermal Scores Big at the “Super Bowl of the Energy Sector”

Lauren Boyd speaking at CERAWeek 2024
Link URL
https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/articles/geothermal-scores-big-super-bow…
Geothermal Technologies Office Director Lauren Boyd speaks on the “Geothermal: How Big is it Going to Get?” panel at CERAWeek 2024.

Geothermal is Keeping Communities Warm (and Cool!) Nationwide

Community Geothermal Postcard image
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/geothermal-district-heating-cooling

Utah FORGE: Building Relationships and Geothermal Understanding in Beaver County

Utah FORGE staff member Christopher Katis calls on one student among many raised hands in an elementary school classroom.
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/utah-forge-building-relationships-and-geothermal-unde…
Utah FORGE's Christopher Katis calls on one of Utah’s future geothermal experts!
Flash Point SLC

2023

State Leadership in Advancing Geothermal: The WGA's Heat Beneath Our Feet Initiative

Colorado Governor and WGA 2023 Chair Jared Polis and other WGA members receive a tour of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus.
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/state-leadership-advancing-geothermal-wgas-heat-benea…

WGA members, including Colorado Governor and WGA 2023 Chair Jared Polis, receive a tour of the NREL campus.

Photo credit: Joe DelNero/NREL

Utah FORGE’s Literal Breakthrough for the Enhanced Geothermal Systems Community

Utah FORGE at sunset
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/utah-forges-literal-breakthrough-enhanced-geothermal-…

The Utah FORGE site.

Photo credit: Clay Jones 

The Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ Summit Advances DOE's All-Hands-on-Deck Effort

Read the recap
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/enhanced-geothermal-shottm-summit-recap

 

2022

Competition Winners Take their Geothermal Research on the Town

The 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition winning team from the University of Oklahoma poses for photo in front of competition banner
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/stakeholder-event-highlights-student-plan-transition-…

The Sooners Geothermal Team from the University of Oklahoma, winners of the 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition.

Prize Winners Partner with Tribal Nation on Community Event

The 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition second-place winning team University of North Dakota and Reykjavik University poses with their award
Link URL
/eere/geothermal/articles/community-event-highlights-geothermal-district-heatin…
The 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition second-place winning team from the University of North Dakota and Reykjavik University

Geothermal Manufacturing Prize Winners Take Innovation into the Third Dimension

Geothermal Manufacturing Prize Winners hold up their giant checks with GTO staff members
Link URL
/eere/articles/doe-announces-geothermal-manufacturing-prize-winners
The Geothermal Manufacturing Prize Winners with GTO staff members

A Self-Guided Adventure through Lithium and Geothermal Energy

Shoreline at the Salton Sea during sunset.
Shoreline at the Salton Sea during sunset.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Snyder