New federal program dedicated to superhot rock geothermal could help address barriers, accelerate commercialization
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) has announced the creation of a dedicated research and development program for superhot rock (SHR) geothermal, which will be critical to accelerating the commercialization of the innovative clean firm energy source. The program will allocate $30 million to advance geothermal technologies capable of operating in extreme high-temperature environments.
“Today’s announcement to dedicate federal resources to superhot rock geothermal research and development is an important moment for American innovation and energy leadership. SHR has the potential to deliver an affordable, homegrown source of clean firm electricity to meet growing demand 24/7,” said Terra Rogers, Director for Superhot Rock Geothermal at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “We support DOE in recognizing the potential of this transformative energy source and investing in critical research areas like heat extraction and well construction that are aligned with priorities CATF identified as essential to deployment. This program represents growing momentum for SHR and will be critical to overcoming technical barriers and reaching commercialization at a meaningful pace.”
CATF recently commissioned a report series, “Bridging the Gaps,” which analyzes the methods, challenges, and pathways forward to advance superhot rock for siting, heat extraction, power production, well completion, and drilling. Notably, two of these topic areas have been targeted for funding by the new ARPA-E program.
The U.S. has fewer than 4 gigawatts of installed geothermal energy, and almost all of it is conventional geothermal energy that draws on rare, shallow reservoirs of naturally occurring hot water. CATF’s first-of-a-kind modeling, which focuses on the more ubiquitous heat resource rather than water, 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. Developing this transformative clean energy resource through ARPA-E’s program would strengthen America’s energy security, reduce emissions, provide reliable baseload power for a more resilient grid, and maintain U.S. technological leadership in an emerging global market for superhot rock geothermal technology.
Contatto con la stampa
Steve Reyes, Communication Manager, [email protected], +1 562-916-6463
Circa Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) è un'organizzazione globale senza scopo di lucro che lavora per salvaguardarsi dai peggiori impatti del cambiamento climatico catalizzando il rapido sviluppo e la diffusione di energia a basso contenuto di carbonio e di altre tecnologie per la protezione del clima. Con oltre 25 anni di esperienza riconosciuta a livello internazionale in materia di politica climatica e un forte impegno nell'esplorare tutte le potenziali soluzioni, CATF è un gruppo di advocacy pragmatico e non ideologico con le idee coraggiose necessarie per affrontare il cambiamento climatico. CATF ha uffici a Boston, Washington D.C. e Bruxelles, con personale che lavora virtualmente in tutto il mondo. Visitate catf.us e seguite @cleanaircatf.
