DOE Geothermal R & D Program Focused on Facilitating Long-Term, Cost-Effective Private Resource Development

Abstract

Analyses conducted in support of the National Energy Strategy projected that as much as 22,000 megawatts of cost-effective, moderate-temperature geothermal energy are available to the U.S. over the long-term, or to the year 2030. Thus, the primary hydrothermal technology research goal of the Department's Geothermal Division is to facilitate the ability of the private sector to exploit competitively this large source of energy up to that capacity level or greater. The primary mechanism for implementing this goal is an R&D core program cost-shared with industry focused on major costsensitive technology areas: exploration technology, reservoir engineering and management, and drilling. The NES analyses also indicated that electricity generated with energy derived from hot dry rock could be a geographically dispersed, logical followon to hydrothermal electricity in the longer term. In order to demonstrate whether energy at useful temperatures can be extracted over extended periods at competitive energy prices, a long-term flow test of an experimental HDR system will be conducted. This paper describes DOE'S current participation in R&D activities leading to the development of "cutting edge" technology that will serve the geothermal industry's interest well into the next century.