About

What We Do 

The mission of the Office of Geothermal (OG), formerly the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), is to increase geothermal energy deployment through research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of innovative technologies that enhance exploration and production.

OG funds RD&D through three office sub-programs:

We work in partnership with industry, academia, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, and others on RD&D activities focused on these research areas:

OG advances the nation's potential to generate electricity and produce heating and cooling for U.S. homes and businesses from domestic geothermal resources by releasing competitive solicitations. These take the forms of Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), Notices of Technical Assistance, Prizes, Competitions, and Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs. Learn more about past and present OG funding opportunities.

Here's how the cycle of a typical OG fiscal year works:

1. OG receives taxpayer money, appropriated to OG by Congress.
2. To ensure money is released the right way, OG reaches out to diverse stakeholders for strategic direction and planning (typically public/private companies, municipalities, universities, and national laboratories).
3. OG makes these plans available to the public.
4. OG offers the public opportunities to receive funding for geothermal projects. Entities apply, and after an independent merit review and negotiation, OG selects projects and releases funding to those entities. These projects may perform research, development, and demonstration activities that will drive more geothermal use.
5. OG then monitors how the entities spend those funds.
6. Finally, OG releases public data and reports, and hosts events showcasing the projects’ results and progress for broad accessibility. 

Find out how to become a merit reviewer on the Funding Opportunities page.

Why Geothermal Matters 

Geothermal energy, which comes from the heat beneath our feet, is more vital than ever:

SUSTAINED – Geothermal resources will be continually replenished for billions of years and can supply power around the clock.

RELIABLE – Geothermal energy provides baseload power and delivers a high capacity factor—typically ~90%—meaning that geothermal power plants can operate at maximum capacity nearly all the time. This high capacity factor allows geothermal power generation to balance changing loads on the grid, making it a critical part of the nation's energy system.

VERSATILE – Geothermal is a total energy solution, providing electricity, heating and cooling, even access to critical minerals like lithium.

HUGE POTENTIAL – Geothermal has vast potential to provide energy solutions across the entire nation.

Despite its benefits, geothermal energy is still largely untapped in the United States. By researching, developing, and demonstrating innovative geothermal technologies, OG is stimulating the growth of the geothermal industry and helping the nation leverage its abundant heat resources.