Next-gen geothermal vastly expands the total resource available for geothermal power generation and creates a unique value proposition as a clean firm technology with the potential for flexible generation/energy storage, a minimal footprint, and broad geographic availability. Contact online >>
Next-gen geothermal vastly expands the total resource available for geothermal power generation and creates a unique value proposition as a clean firm technology with the potential for flexible generation/energy storage, a minimal footprint, and broad geographic availability.
The combination of large near-term grid system imbalances and the cost of rectifying these imbalances with existing technologies are driving buyers to pay between $70-$100 per MWh for the procurement of new clean firm geothermal power (Table 1), and geothermal has emerged as a valuable supplier in this market.
PATHWAYS TO COMMERCIAL LIFTOFF REPORTS. DOE is working to accelerate clean energy technologies from the lab to market to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have reinforced this mandate, positioning DOE to invest billions of dollars in large-scale
"Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Next-Generation Geothermal Power," marks the ninth installment in the Liftoff series which launched in March 2023. This report shows how advanced geothermal technology could increase the United States'' geothermal energy production to 90 gigawatts or more by 2050, a twentyfold increase.
The combination of large near-term grid system imbalances and the cost of
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DOE is working to accelerate clean energy technologies from the lab to market to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have reinforced this mandate, positioning DOE to invest billions of dollars in large-scale demonstration and deployment of these technologies over the next decade. In service of its mandate, the Department began publishing its Pathways to Commercial Liftoff Reports in March 2023 to provide a common fact base and a tool for ongoing dialogue with the private sector.
Each Liftoff Report takes the view of a technology or suite of technologies and is designed to build a common understanding with the private sector and broader ecosystem around the current state, pathways to commercial liftoff, and challenges and solutions to unlock scale for each. They do not represent DOE policy or strategy; they are a representation of DOE''s current understanding based on a synthesis of available facts. Given the rapidly evolving market, technology, and policy environment, the Liftoff Reports are intended to be "living documents" and will be updated as the commercialization outlook on each technology evolves.
The Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) in partnership with theLoan Programs Office (LPO), the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and other DOE offices played a key role in developing the Pathways to Commercial Liftoff Reports. OTT led and contributed to the structuring, quantitative analysis, and stakeholders engagement that went into developing each of these reports. Through its ongoing dialogue with the private sector, LPO gave aunique vantage point into the market barriers facing emerging sectors critical to the energy transition.
Watch the webinars on DOE''s channel and download the associated reports and sign-up to be notified when new reports and webinars are available at: https://liftoff.energy.gov.
Currently, reports and webinars are available for the following technology areas:
The U.S. Department of Energy''s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) collaborates on and develops several publications each year to inform and educate about advances in geothermal technology. Explore below for important analyses, planning documents, technical reports, and more, and check out the Office of Scientific and Technical Informationfor even more Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy publications on geothermal technologies and energy.
GTO released 19 case studies on geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems. These studies showcase installations across different U.S. climate zones, highlighting various system types, sizes, and benefits to help people better understand GHP technology. The results provide real-life examples of GHP systems in different parts of the country, making it easier for people to understand how such a system might work for them.
DOE''s Next-Generation Geothermal Power Liftoff Report highlights pathways to reach the commercial potential of next-generation geothermal as a clean, firm power source. The report includes solutions and investments necessary to help address remaining challenges to next-generation geothermal deployment and for geothermal to provide as much as 300 gigawatts of power on the decarbonized grid of the future.
This analysis from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) assesses the potential impacts of national-scale mass deployment of geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). The study concludes that, coupled with building envelope improvements, retrofitting around 70% of U.S. buildings with GHPs could reduce electricity demand by as much as 13% by 2050 versus decarbonizing without GHPs. This reduction in demand would avoid as much as 43,500 miles of new grid transmission lines by 2050—enough to cross the continental United States eight times.
This analysis from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory quantifies and characterizes the lithium resource in California''s Salton Sea region, including current and future amounts of lithium that may be recovered in geothermal brines, preliminary estimates of the effects of extraction on lithium concentrations, and potential environmental impacts of expanding lithium extraction operations in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA). The analysis concludes that total lithium resources in the region could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles—more than the total number of vehicles currently on U.S. roads.
Other Geothermal Publications of Interest
GTO contributes to many reports and other publications beyond those that it funds directly. Explore some of those resources:
IEA Geothermal''s Annual Reports
View the fact sheet highlighting the key findings from the GTO-funded analysis, "Characterizing the Geothermal Lithium Resource at the Salton Sea."
Wondering what geothermal energy is all about? Get fast facts about this renewable, reliable, and clean energy source that''s right under your feet, including a peek at its role in the natural world, home heating and cooling, and power production.
Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are clean, efficient systems for heating and cooling that can be installed in all 50 states. Learn how GHPs work, what types of GHP systems are available for use in homes and other buildings in the United States, and seven reasons why GHPs might be a perfect solution for your heating and cooling needs.
In 2022, DOE''s NREL brought together federal and state regulators, geothermal industry representatives, environmental non-governmental organizations, and Indian Tribes for multiple GTO-supported meetings/forums to discuss challenges and opportunities related to geothermal regulatory approvals and permitting. This report synthesizes the views expressed during those discussions.
This analysis, prepared by NREL, quantifiesthe potential of enhanced geothermal systems as a widespread renewable energy option in the United States. It finds that the Enhanced Geothermal Shot™ goal of significantly expanding enhanced geothermal systems deployment by cutting costs 90% to $45 per megawatt-hour by 2035 is ambitious but achievable with technology advances.
This report analyzes the viability of and provides recommendations for streamlining geothermal development at the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. Primary findings are that certain nontechnical barriers such as permitting costs play only a minor role in determining the viability of geothermal development in this location. Other barriers such as permitting timelines, government/agency coordination, and the potential colocation of lithium extraction with a geothermal plant may result in much larger impacts on project viability.
This report presents the study results on non-technical barriers that may influence geothermal project development in California and Nevada, including 1) an analysis of federal, state, and local geothermal regulatory and permitting processes and considerations; 2) case studies analyzing attributes at specific project locations; 3) an analysis of cost and timeline implications for geothermal project development; and 4) a qualitative analysis conducted through a series of semi-structured interviews with regulatory agencies and geothermal project developers in California and Nevada.
This study demonstrates how geothermal permitting timelines can vary from six months to several years, depending on the presence or absence of biological resources, cultural resources, and sensitive environmental issues at the project site. It also analyzes how the potential impacts of these permit barriers can range from investors abandoning geothermal development to making the product (i.e., electricity) more expensive and uncompetitive.
The GTO Fiscal Year 2022–2026 Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP) outlines GTO''s vision and mission, presenting a high-level technology structure for key areas of GTO research to support the growth and long-term contribution of geothermal energy to the U.S. electricity grid and American homes and buildings.
GTO regularly conducts peer reviews to obtain robust, documented feedback for program planning, during which qualified independent experts assess the progress and contributions of projects in GTO''s portfolio and provide high-level, strategic feedback. The findings help GTO identify strategies that will enhance existing efforts and shape future work for GTO-funded projects. Read all GTO peer review reports on the Geothermal Technologies Office Peer Review page.
This report describes the results of an analysis tracing the technological influence of geothermal energy research funded by GTO and its precursor programs, as well as geothermal energy research funded by other offices in DOE.
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