The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office’s (GTO) Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2026 Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP), building on the findings of the GeoVision analysis, provides a high-level technology plan that focuses on key areas of GTO research to support the growth and long-term contribution of geothermal energy to the U.S. electricity grid and American homes and buildings.
Executive Summary
Geothermal energy—the “heat beneath our feet”—is a firm, flexible source of clean, secure, and reliable domestic energy that can be utilized across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Geothermal energy can help us access firm, secure domestic power, while offering grid stability, more affordable energy options, and efficient heating and cooling. Additionally, key geothermal technology and workforce pathways can assist the seamless transfer from oil and gas to renewables.
Secretary Granholm and the former director of the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), Susan Hamm, dig into GTO’s Multi-Year Program Plan in their geyser-side chat
The MYPP outlines GTO’s vision and mission, presenting a high-level technology structure for key areas of GTO research starting in FY 2022 and running through the end of FY 2026.
GTO considers the key findings of the GeoVision analysis to be clear evidence of geothermal energy’s role as critical to the nation’s aggressive, zero-carbon energy transformation. Thus, GTO has adopted the following strategic goals to reach geothermal energy’s full potential:
- Strategic Goal 1: Drive toward a carbon-free electricity grid by supplying 60 gigawatts (GW) of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) and hydrothermal resource deployment by 2050.
- Strategic Goal 2: Support building heating and cooling loads by capturing the economic potential of 17,500 geothermal district heating installations and by installing geothermal heat pumps in 28 million households nationwide by 2050.
- Strategic Goal 3: Deliver economic, environmental, and social advancements through increased geothermal technology deployment.
Read the full executive summary.
View GTO's prior MYPP here: Geothermal Technologies Office Multi-Year Program Plan: 2009-2015 with Program Activities to 2025.
Explore the MYPP
By 2050, deployment of carbon-free geothermal energy can help address the climate change crisis.
GTO’s vision is a vibrant domestic geothermal sector that contributes to a carbon pollution-free electric sector by 2035 and a net-zero emission economy by 2050 while providing economic opportunities and environmental benefits for all Americans.
GTO focuses on reducing geothermal development costs and risks by researching and advancing innovative technologies that address exploration and operational challenges
The high costs and risks associated with geothermal exploration are a major barrier to expanded development of both conventional hydrothermal and EGS resources.
Subsurface access through drilled and completed wells is required for all forms of geothermal energy exploration, characterization, and development.
Achieving aggressive EGS and hydrothermal resource deployment will require improving sub-economic naturally occurring hydrothermal systems or developing fully engineered geothermal reservoirs.
Geothermal resources contribute toward U.S. grid reliability, resilience, and security; supporting development of a robust domestic clean energy manufacturing supply chain; and more.
Each of GTO’s subprograms focuses on a distinct aspect of geothermal energy and addresses challenges unique to those aspects; however, several additional GTO focus areas, including geothermal integration and awareness activities, cut across subprograms.
GTO takes an active approach to consistently assessing program activities and effectiveness. GTO’s program evaluation activities ensure progress toward DOE, the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE), and GTO goals, while also ensuring effective stewardship of DOE investments and taxpayer dollars. GTO engages in informal and ongoing program evaluation through staff meetings, project check-in calls, brainstorming discussions, and other activities. In addition, GTO adheres to EERE guidelines for formal evaluations. These EERE guidelines are outlined in two key objectives:
- To assess whether planned technical goals were met, and determine commercialization and market results achieved.
- To identify opportunities to make continuous improvements in programs in order to effectively and efficiently manage public investments.
Program evaluation is a core GTO function. Regular evaluation activities help ensure progress toward research objectives, alignment with DOE and EERE goals, and effective public investment. Program evaluation activities also support GTO budget planning.
GTO-funded research projects that are submitted through an open and competitive proposal process undergo a comprehensive independent merit review by technology experts from industry, academia, and government.
In addition to being subject to merit review and regular check-ins, GTO-funded projects are evaluated throughout execution. In-progress reviews include state-gate reviews, go/no-go decisions, GPRA targets, and quarterly project milestones.
In adherence with EERE guidance, GTO uses an external peer review process to assess the performance of research activities and GTO as a whole. The peer review process may include a combination of peer reviews.
In some cases, GTO uses impact evaluations conducted by independent external experts to quantify research-attributed outcomes for geothermal. As defined by EERE, such outcomes may include economic performance (e.g., return on investment).
The results of evaluation activities can play an important role in helping GTO determine whether its investments are achieving strategic goals as well as leading to impactful energy, economic, environmental, and energy security benefits.
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