DOE Seeks to Invest up to $90 Million in
Advanced Geothermal Energy Technology and Research
Jun 18, 2008 -- Energy Department Documents and Publications/ContentWorks
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) for up to $90 million over four years to advance the
research, development and demonstration of next-generation geothermal energy
technology which will harness the earth $B!G (Js interior heat extracted
from hot water or rocks. Currently, DOE has up to $10.5 million available
for immediate award under this FOA, with the remainder subject to change and
to Congressional appropriations. The FOA addresses the need for additional
technical understanding of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) to accelerate
the technology to a state of commercial readiness.
$B!H (JGeothermal energy is a clean, reliable, scalable, renewable energy
source and these geothermal projects will help the U.S. tap domestic heat
sources that were previously out of reach, $B!I (J Assistant Secretary of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner said. $B!H (JIncreasing
the use of traditional hydrothermal and geothermal base load resources is an
important component of the Administration $B!G (Js efforts to diversify our
nation $B!G (Js energy sources in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and enhance our energy security. $B!I (J
EGS are systems of engineered reservoirs created by drilling deep wells into
hot rock, fracturing the rock, and circulating a fluid through the wells to
extract heat. According to a recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) entitled, The Future of Geothermal Energy, EGS represents a
large, indigenous resource that, with a reasonable investment in research
and development (R&D), could provide the U.S. with 100,000 megawatts of
cost-competitive electricity, generating capacity by 2050, or 20 percent of
current electricity generation.
While EGS reservoirs have been designed, built, and tested in various
locations throughout the world, a number of technical hurdles remain before
EGS production facilities will reach commercial production rates and life
spans. Through this FOA, DOE will concentrate on issues related to EGS
reservoir creation, operation, and management. In the long-term, the work
aims to create, sustain, replicate and commercialize EGS technologies, while
in the short-term these projects will develop and demonstrate technologies
that are useful to both hydrothermal and EGS geothermal projects.
To reach these goals, this FOA will address two topic areas:
Component Technologies R&D: The R&D projects under this topic area will meet
the R&D needs identified in DOE $B!G (Js EGS Technology Evaluation Report
(2008). Projects will address aspects of engineered reservoir creation,
management, and utilization at high temperatures up to 300 $B!{ (JC and
depths as great as 10,000 meters.
System Demonstrations: The projects under this topic area will allow testing
and validation of stimulation techniques for improving productivity of wells
or increasing inter-well connectivity at existing geothermal fields. Use of
available or experimental technologies from geothermal, petroleum or other
relevant industries will be considered.
DOE anticipates making up to 26 awards through this competitive funding
opportunity, which is open to industry and academia. Funding is available at
$10.5 million for fiscal year (FY) 2008. Subject to annual Congressional
appropriations, up to an additional $30 million is expected to be available
for awards in FY 2009. Additional funding up to $49.5 million is expected to
be available in FY 2010, subject to change and Congressional appropriations.
A minimum of 20 percent private sector cost share is required for R&D
projects and funding for the awards is subject to Congressional
appropriations. Recipient cost share requirements for demonstration projects
will be up to 50 percent and vary by both the phase of the award and the
activities within a particular phase. Applications for this funding
opportunity are due on or before August 12, 2008.
DOE Js geothermal technologies program works in partnership with U.S.
industry to establish geothermal energy as an economically competitive
contributor to the U.S. energy supply. For more information on this FOA,
please visit
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal
- DOE-
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