In
support of President Obama’s goal of generating 80% of the country’s
electricity from clean energy sources by 2035, U.S. Department of Energy
Secretary Steven Chu announced the availability of up to $70 million in new
funding over three years for technology advancements in geothermal energy to
accelerate development of this promising clean energy resource. Innovations in
exploration technologies to locate geothermal energy resources and improvements
in resource characterization, drilling, and reservoir engineering techniques
will enable clean energy from geothermal sources to be a key contributor to the
nation’s renewable energy supply. By targeting funding to research and develop
these innovative technologies, the Department aims to reduce the upfront cost
of geothermal energy systems, expand their use, and enable the United States
to tap the huge potential of this renewable energy resource.
According
to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), new geothermal resources could add up to
30 gigawatts of renewable energy to the U.S. energy supply, and enhanced
geothermal systems have the potential for an even greater impact. This
competitive funding opportunity will support the Department’s goals of lowering
the cost and financial risk associated with confirming and characterizing
geothermal resources and overcoming key technical challenges to reservoir
creation and sustainability in enhanced geothermal systems. The ultimate goal
is to reduce the cost of new geothermal resources and enhanced geothermal
systems so they are competitive with conventional sources of electricity.
U.S. Department of
Energy, http://energy.gov
