US DOE awards up to US$ 38 Million to advance Geothermal energy development

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded US$ 38 million over three years for projects to accelerate the development of promising geothermal energy technologies and help diversify America's sources of clean, renewable energy.

Thirty-two innovative projects in 14 states will develop and test new ways to locate geothermal resources and improve resource characterisation, drilling, and reservoir engineering techniques, which will enable geothermal energy sources to help reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. The projects will be funded through DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and are part of the Obama administration’s goal of generating 80% of U.S. electricity from clean energy sources by 2035

"The Department of Energy is investing in pioneering new technologies that will further develop the nation's geothermal resources, create skilled jobs for American workers, and help diversify our energy portfolio," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

These awards are part of the department’ efforts to reduce the cost of geothermal energy and make it more competitive with current sources of baseload electricity.

Currently it is very expensive to drill for geothermal resources and create reservoirs, but once the power plants are set up they are virtually carbon neutral and have comparatively low running costs. If the start-up costs can be reduced geothermal power could be a major resource for the US, which has many active geothermal areas which could be tapped.

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