The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) (renamed the Office of Geothermal in 2026) hosted its 2022 Peer Review in May 2022. During the peer review, 62 GTO-funded projects were presented by investigators and reviewed by external subject matter experts from industry, academia, and federal agencies.
To find information on past peer reviews, visit the GTO Peer Review webpage.
Research Areas and Structure
GTO’s Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP) outlines a five-year plan of activities GTO will pursue to support the growth and long-term contribution of geothermal energy to the U.S. electricity grid and American homes and buildings. The MYPP lays out research areas that provide the foundation for GTO’s research activities. The 2022 Peer Review presentations are organized by these research areas:
- Exploration & Characterization
- Subsurface Accessibility
- Resource Maximization
- Subsurface Enhancement & Sustainability
- Data, Modeling, & Analysis
Peer Evaluation Report
2022 Geothermal Technologies Office Peer Review Report
2022 Presentations
INnovative Geothermal Exploration through Novel Investigations Of Undiscovered Systems (INGENIOUS)
Bridget Ayling, University of Nevada RenoBRIDGE (Basin & Range Investigations for Developing Geothermal Energy) to Hidden Systems
Paul Schwering, Sandia National LaboratoriesUnderstanding a Stratigraphic Hydrothermal Resource – Geophysical Imaging at Steptoe Valley, Nevada
Paul Schwering, Sandia National LaboratoriesUsing Dark Fiber and Distributed Acoustic Sensing to Map and Monitor Geothermal Resources at the Basin Scale
Veronica Rodriguez, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryPFA Retrospective
Ian Warren, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryInnovative Subsurface Learning and Hawaiian Exploration using Advanced Tomography (ISLAND HEAT)
Ian Warren, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryAmplify EGS Near-Field Characterization Project
Michelle Robertson, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Jiann Su, Sandia National LaboratoriesGEOTHERMICA: DE-risking Exploration of geothermal Plays in magmatic Environments
Amanda Kolker, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryCloud Fusion of Big Data and Multi-Physics Models using Machine Learning for Discovery, Exploration and Development of Hidden Geothermal Resources
Maruti Mudunuru, Los Alamos National LaboratoryDetecting and Characterizing Fracture Zones Using Convolutional Neural Network
Yingcai Zheng, University of HoustonGeothermal Anomaly Detection from Hyperspectral Images via Deep Learning
Sebnem Duzgun, Colorado School of MinesSeismoelectric Effects for Geothermal Resources Assessment and Monitoring (SEE4GEO)
Christina Morency, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryInsightful Subsurface Characterizations and Predictions
Koenraad Beckers, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Drilling Technologies Evaluation
David Raymond, Sandia National LaboratoriesMicrohole Drilling – Application of Low Weight-on-Bit Technologies
Jiann Su, Sandia National LaboratoriesTargeted Energy Focusing to Induce Micro-Cracking for Reduced Cutting Energy and Increased Rate of Penetration
David Staack, Texas A&MToward Drilling the Perfect Geothermal Well: An International Research Coordination Network for Geothermal Drilling Optimization Supported by Deep Machine Learning and Cloud Based Data Aggregation
Adam Schultz, Oregon StateGEOTHERMICA: TEST-CEM: Sustainable Geothermal Well Cements for Challenging Thermo-Mechanical Conditions
Tatiana Pyatina, Brookhaven National LaboratorySustainable Well Cement for Geothermal, Thermal Recovery, and Carbon Storage Wells
Tatiana Pyatina, Brookhaven National LaboratoryAdvanced Insulating Lightweight Thermal Shock-Resistant Cement (TILTSRC) Suitable To Withstand Frequent Thermal Cycling
Tatiana Pyatina, Brookhaven National LaboratoryDevelopment of a Directional Cooling Induced Fracturing (DCIF) Technology for Near-Wellbore Stress Estimation in Geothermal Reservoirs
Samuel Voegeli, RESPECChanging the Ways Geothermal Wells Are Drilled: Physics-Based Drilling Parameter Selection, Workflow Implementation and Training in Order to Reduce Non-Productive Time and Increased ROP
Sam Noynaert, Texas A&MDemonstration of Ceramicrete® as a Robust Geothermal Well Cement
Oyelayo Ajayi, Argonne National LaboratoryDevelopment of Advanced Bit Material to Increase ROP in Geothermal Drilling
Oyelayo Ajayi, Argonne National LaboratoryDeveloping Advanced Lost Prevention Methods and Smart Wellbore Strengthening Materials for Geothermal Wells
Saeed Salehi, University of OklahomaReal-Time Drilling Optimization System for Improved Overall Rate of Penetration and Reduced Cost/Ft in Geothermal Drilling
Mohammed F. Al Dushaishi, Oklahoma State UniversityDownhole Sensing and Event-Driven Sensor Fusion for Depth-of-Cut Based Autonomous Fault Response and Drilling Optimization
Jiann Su, Sandia National LaboratoriesRotary Piston Motor for High-Temperature Directional Drilling
David Raymond, Sandia National Laboratories
Community Resilience Through Low-Temperature Geothermal Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage
Peter Nico, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryDynamic Earth Energy Storage: Terawatt-Year, Grid-Scale Energy Storage using Planet Earth as a Thermal Battery (RTES)
Travis McLing, Idaho National LaboratoryNovel Heat Pump Integrated Underground Thermal Energy Storage for Shaping Electric Demand of Buildings
Xiaobing Liu, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryAdvanced Techno-Economic Modeling for Geothermal Heat Pump Applications in Residential, Commercial, & Industrial Buildings
Xiaobing Liu, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryGeothermal Operational Optimization with Machine Learning (GOOML)
Paul Siratovich, Upflow LimitedImpact Analysis of Heating Electrification in the U.S. Buildings with Geothermal Heat Pumps
Xiaobing Liu, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jonathan Ho, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGeothermal Deep Direct-Use Combined with Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage on the West Virginia University Campus-Morgantown, WV
Nagasree Garapati, West Virginia UniversityGround-Truthing: Exploratory Borehole Characterization and Modeling to Verify and Expand Techno-Economic Evaluation of Earth Source Heat
Steve Beyers, Cornell University
All Metal Zonal Isolation for Geothermal Reservoirs
Yosafat Esquitin, Welltec Inc.GEOTHERMICA: SPINE: Stress Profiling in EGS
Yves Guglielmi, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryGEOTHERMICA: DEEP: Innovation for De-Risking Enhanced Geothermal Energy Projects
Nori Nakata, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryThe EGS Collab SIGMA-V Project: Stimulation Investigations for Geothermal Modeling Analysis and Validation – Multiple National Laboratories
Tim Kneafsey, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryIncreasing Power Generation at the Patua Nevada Geothermal Field through Targeted and Adaptive EGS
Trenton Cladouhos, Patua Acquisition Company, LLCEnhanced Geothermal System Concept Testing and Development at the Milford City, Utah FORGE Site
Joseph Moore, University of UtahMachine Learning Approaches to Predicting Induced Seismicity and Imaging Geothermal Reservoir Properties
Chris Marone, Pennsylvania State UniversityImproved Lost Circulation Management for Geothermal Drilling
Pat Dobson, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorySupercritical Systems
Eric Sonnenthal, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryCollection of Microearthquake (MEQ) Data for Mitigating, Characterizing, and Understanding Induced Seismicity for Optimizing the Performance of EGS
Nori Nakata, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryWHOLESCALE — Water & Hole Observations Leverage Effective Stress Calculations and Lessen Expenses
Kurt Feigl, University of Madison WisconsinZIPPER: Zonal Isolation with Plug and Perf in Enhanced Reservoirs
Jack Norbeck, Fervo Energy CompanyWS: Pressure, Orientation & Timing (POT) for Anhydrous Energetic Stimulation
Eric Robey, Sandia National LaboratoriesWS: CO2-Responsive Fracturing Fluids for Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Carlos Fernandez, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryFoam Fracturing Study for Stimulation Development of Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS)
Hong Wang, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryFully Retrievable, High Temperature Packer System Utilizing Thermally Degradable Expanding Foam for Zonal Isolation
Geoffrey Garrison, HotRock Research Organization
Geothermal in the Arctic - GTO at WGC Support
Amanda Kolker, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGeothermal Non-Technical Barriers: A State and Local Perspective
Aaron Levine, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGT-Mod
Tom Lowry, Sandia National LaboratoriesU.S. DOE Geothermal Data Repository (GDR)
Jon Weers, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGeothermal Resource Portfolio Optimization & Reporting Technique
Aaron Levine, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGeothermal Student Competition
Caity Smith, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryGETEM
Chad Augustine, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryClosed Loop Geothermal Working Group - PNNL
Mark White, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryClosed Loop Geothermal Working Group - INL
Theron Marshall, Idaho National LaboratoryClosed Loop Geothermal Working Group - SNL
Mario Martinez, Sandia National Laboratories
Geothermal Coproduction at Blackburn Oil Field, Nevada
Benjamin Burke, Transitional EnergyIntelligent Repurposing of Hydrocarbon Wells System to Harness the Geothermal Potential of Oklahoma Sedimentary Basin
Saeed Salehi, University of OklahomaZero-emission Power Generation from Oil and Gas Production Streams
Carrie Murtland, ICE Thermal HarvestingPorous Polymer to Modify Fracture Permeability
John Stormont, University of New MexicoGeothermal Heat Pump & Phase Change Material Super-Hybrid Systems
Roshan Revankar, Melink CorporationAdvanced, Low-Cost Indoor Heat Exchanger for Geothermal Heat Pump Systems
David Sykes, Mainstream Engineering CorporationElectrical and Thermal Energy Storage for Geothermal Power Plants
Subramanian Iyer, Nrgtek Inc.Feasibility of Storing Heat in the Subsurface for Flexible Electricity Generation
Nicholas Malkewicz, Projeo CorporationEnergy Storage Grand Challenge Benchmarking
Daniel Ginosar, Idaho National LaboratoryComparative Analysis of Three Sequential Near-Field Well Stimulations at Three Operating Geothermal Fields in Nevada
John Akerly, Ormat Nevada Inc.Well Construction Working Group and Roadmapping
Yarom Polsky, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryThermally Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (TICP) as a Method to Control Hydraulic Properties in Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Lee H Spangler, Montana State UniversityReversible Reservoir Permeability Modification via In-situ Formation of Silicate Gel Plugs from Micro/Nano-Encapsulated Reactant Fluids
Seiji Nakagawa, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryInnovative Particle Gels for Controlling Preferential Fluid Flow in Geothermal Reservoirs to Enhance Heat Recovery
Baojun Bai, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyTemperature-Sensitive Hydraulic Conductivity Controller Proppant for Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Arash Taleghani, Pennsylvania State University ParkTemperature-responsive Swelling Particles for Elimination of Cooled Short Circuits in a Discrete Fracture
Adam Hawkins, Cornell UniversityDevelopment of Ionic Based Fluid to Improve Fluid Hydraulics in Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Mohammed F. Al Dushaishi, Oklahoma State University
Get that latest news and information on GTO funding opportunities, prizes and competitions, activities, and events by signing up for our email updates.