Nevada is the second-largest producer of geothermal electricity in the US. Geothermal resources account for 25% of the state’s renewable energy generation and 9% of total electricity generation. Due to the Great Basin’s ideal landscape, a recent analysis has found that the development of geothermal technologies could allow the Silver State to produce as much as 30 gigawatts of geothermal power, which is approximately 30x more than currently produced.
“As the United States looks to produce enough energy to meet our rising demand, we must include next-generation geothermal as one way we can reliably and efficiently generate electric power,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “Right now, Congress can proactively and thoughtfully push for the research and development of the necessary infrastructure to produce cutting edge, commercial-ready geothermal energy. In an-all-above approach to energy, it’s a piece of the puzzle that will help lower energy costs and power our future.”
“Alaska holds some of the most promising geothermal resources in the world,” said Sen. Murkowski. “At a time when energy prices are rising due to forces beyond our control, this legislation ensures we have the tools, data, and innovation needed to unlock that potential and deliver reliable, baseload, homegrown energy for generations.”
The Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act would establish Research and Development (R&D) Programs at the Department of Energy (DOE). These programs would ensure that existing programs are also available for the testing of these next-generation technologies, enhance the collaboration between DOE and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to locate ideal conditions for next-general geothermal energy production, and expand public-private partnerships by establishing a Next-Generation Geothermal Center of Excellence to advance enhanced geothermal energy technologies, including supercritical geothermal energy production.
Additionally, this legislation would:
Read the full bill here. This legislation is endorsed by the Clean Air Task Force, ClearPath Action,Climate Innovation Action, Eavor, Fervo Energy, Geothermal Rising Action, National Wildlife Federation, and the World Resources Institute.
