Geothermal Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy released a groundbreaking analysis. All detailing how the United States can benefit from the vast potential of geothermal energy.
The analysis culminated in a report, GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet. All which summarizes findings showing that geothermal energy in the United States can be immense. For geothermal generation could increase more than 26-fold from today. I mean reaching 60 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity by 2050.
In addition to describing electricity-generation opportunities, the GeoVision analysis also shows how geothermal can enhance heating and cooling solutions. All for American residential and commercial consumers. Directly through direct-use and heat-pump technologies.
“There is enormous untapped potential for geothermal energy in the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry.
“Making geothermal more affordable can increase our energy options. That’s for a more diverse electricity generation mix. Also for innovative heating and cooling solutions. Especially and for all Americans.”
Geothermal Energy GeoVision Analysis
The GeoVision analysis represents a multiyear collaboration. All among industry, academia, the National Laboratories, and federal agencies. Coming together as a result to evaluate the potential. Moreover for different geothermal resources.
The effort assessed opportunities to expand nationwide geothermal energy deployment through 2050 by improving technologies, reducing costs, and addressing project development barriers such as long permitting timelines.
Potential for 13GW of Geothermal Energy by 2050
In the electric sector, under business as usual, geothermal generation capacity will grow to 6 GW by 2050. By accelerating geothermal development timelines, geothermal capacity could more than double from business as usual, to 13 GW. Geothermal capacity could increase even further—to 60 GW—by combining faster development timelines with technology improvements.
In the non-electric sector, technology improvements could enable more than 17,500 geothermal district-heating installations nationwide, and 28 million U.S. households could realize cost-effective heating and cooling solutions through the use of geothermal heat pumps.
Economy plus Geothermal Energy
The analysis also examined economic benefits to the U.S. geothermal industry; investigated opportunities for desalination, mineral recovery, and hybridization with other energy technologies for greater efficiencies and lower costs; and quantified potential environmental impacts of increased geothermal deployment.
In addition to summarizing opportunities for geothermal energy in the United States, the GeoVision analysis includes a roadmap of actionable items for stakeholders to reduce technology costs and speed up project-development timelines.
Source: Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or the Geothermal Technologies Office, visit the EERE website. To learn more about the GeoVision report, visit the Energy Department’s GeoVision analysis webpage.
Source: Department of Energy, MAY 30, 2019
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