Bipartisan superhot rock legislation introduced in U.S. Senate will be key to accelerating next-generation geothermal, strengthening U.S. energy leadership

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the bipartisan Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act, which would bolster federal funding for next-generation geothermal research, development, and commercialization. The bill includes targeted funding for superhot rock geothermal, an abundant, always available clean firm energy source.

“The U.S. is at the forefront of geothermal energy innovation, and this bill has the potential to strengthen global leadership, boost competitiveness, and accelerate the next generation of clean firm technologies,” said Terra Rogers, Director for Superhot Rock Geothermal at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “This nation has vast, underutilized next-generation geothermal and superhot rock potential. This bipartisan bill has important components – R&D programs, improved data collection and better learning and information sharing – that align with CATF’s recommendations for unlocking that potential. We applaud Senators Cortez Masto and Murkowski for their work together to accelerate this clean, reliable, and abundant energy option.”

The bill includes several important provisions that:

• Ensure future DOE-funded geothermal test beds include superhot rock energy, focusing federal funds on the highest-potential pathway for dramatically lowering costs and expanding geothermal energy across many more regions
• Authorize the drilling of deep exploration boreholes across the U.S. to increase knowledge of the subsurface

• Authorize funds for superhot rock energy research and development in numerous targeted research areas – including deep drilling, materials development, and equipment design – so key technologies can advance toward commercial deployment
• Establish a Geothermal Center of Excellence to coordinate on research and development, commercial testing, workforce development, information sharing, and more
• Expand and improve the geothermal data repository to help project developers learn from prior work and identify the best locations to site their projects
• Include superhot rock energy in DOE geothermal potential reports, ensuring that these estimates include the full spectrum of potential geothermal technologies

CATF’s first-of-a-kind modeling found that just 1% of the United States’ superhot rock geothermal potential could produce 4.3 terawatts of clean firm power – over 1,000 times the current installed geothermal capacity. Explore the heat endowment and project map that identifies superhot rock geothermal potential worldwide.

---

Press Contact

Samantha Sadowski, Senior Communications Manager, U.S., ssadowski@catf.us, +1 202-440-1717

About Clean Air Task Force 

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 30 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.