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) Office of Geothermal (OG) funds research, development, and demonstration of innovative geothermal technologies to realize that goal.
View the success stories below to learn how OG is stimulating the growth of the geothermal industry and the renewable energy sector—and helping the nation usher in its strong energy future.
Find more OG successes on the following pages:
FORGE | Drilling Demonstrations | Federal Geothermal Partnerships | Data, Modeling, and Analysis
GeoFlight | Hidden Systems | Lithium | Wells Of Opportunity | Community Engagement
Permitting | Small Business Research in Geothermal Energy | Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Diamonds are a Drill’s Best Friend: How PDC Drill Bits are Helping Geothermal Shine
Learn how the use of polycrystalline diamond compact drill bits is improving the geothermal drilling process.
May 28, 2025
Heating Things Up: OG’s Superhot Rock Research Breaking New Ground
Learn about OG's research in superhot rock enhanced geothermal systems and how it could help cut costs and expand geothermal energy access.
January 14, 2025
Geothermal Team Honored for Creating Domestic Lithium Pathways
Learn why Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory awarded the team behind a pivotal geothermal lithium resource characterization report for their societal impact.
December 17, 2024
AskGDR and You Shall Receive: New Virtual Assistant Increases Accessibility to Geothermal Data
The Geothermal Data Repository team keeps up their great work by championing data accessibility, introducing a new virtual assistant feature, and fostering scientific innovation.
November 19, 2024
Where Great Minds Meet: Fostering the Geothermal Workforce
Learn how the Geothermal INTERN opportunity supports a community of graduate students and contributes to the next generation of the growing geothermal workforce.
October 15, 2024
Geothermal Collegiate Competition Helps Communities Explore Renewable Energy
Learn how the Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC) helps student teams gain practical knowledge and experience in geothermal energy while collaborating directly with communities to explore geothermal solutions to real-world challenges.
September 16, 2024
Searching for Answers Below the Surface: Hidden Systems Exploration Uncovers Geothermal Energy Potential
Learn how a OG-funded research team used geophysical techniques to improve hidden system characterization.
August 20, 2024
Cracking the Code: Microseismicity Findings Point to Improved Geothermal Extraction
OG-funded research unearthed a connection between microseismicity and subsurface permeability.
July 16, 2024
Geothermal Scores Big at the “Super Bowl of the Energy Sector”
Learn about OG's experience at CERAWeek 2024, including how OG Director Lauren Boyd's panel discussion on “Geothermal: How Big is it Going to Get?” was standing room only.
May 13, 2024
Geothermal is Keeping Communities Warm (and Cool!) Nationwide
Geothermal is keeping communities warm (and cool!) nationwide! Learn how a growing number of community- or district-wide geothermal systems are bringing heating and cooling solutions to homes and businesses from Nome, AK, to Framingham, MA.
Utah FORGE: Building Relationships and Geothermal Understanding in Beaver County
Learn how the Utah FORGE team has become a celebrated part of the local community!
February 29, 2024
State Leadership in Advancing Geothermal: The WGA's Heat Beneath Our Feet Initiative
Learn about the success of the Western Governors’ Association’s Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative and how it’s helping advance development and deployment of geothermal energy technologies in the western United States and beyond.
September 23, 2023
Utah FORGE’s Literal Breakthrough for the Enhanced Geothermal Systems Community
FORGE has reached a significant milestone in advancing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technologies: confirmed connectivity between a newly drilled production well and the site’s existing injection well.
July 10, 2023
The Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ Summit Advances DOE's All-Hands-on-Deck Effort
Learn what was discussed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ Summit, held virtually on May 11, 2023, which convened key stakeholders to address how to cut the cost of enhanced geothermal systems by 90% by 2035.
May 15, 2023
Prize Winners Partner with Tribal Nation on Community Event
In November 2022, the Geothermal Vision team from the College of Engineering and Mines at the University of North Dakota (UND) and Reykjavik University celebrated their second-place win in the OG 2022 GCC.
December 7, 2022
Competition Winners Take their Geothermal Research on the Town
On September 2, 2022, the Sooners Geothermal Team from the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy at the University of Oklahoma (OU), celebrated their first-place win in OG's 2022 GCC.
November 14, 2022
Geothermal Manufacturing Prize Winners Take Innovation into the Third Dimension
DOE announced the winners of the American-Made Geothermal Manufacturing Prize, a competition to incentivize innovators to use 3D printing to address the challenges associated with operating sensitive equipment in harsh geothermal environments.
August 29, 2022
A Self-Guided Adventure through Lithium and Geothermal Energy
Explore the Lithium Storymap: Learn how OG is investing in research and development to support lithium extraction from geothermal brines and help advance progress toward a secure, domestic supply chain for this critical mineral.