Opinion: Utah's geothermal resources can lead the way to energy independence for Americans
America's next energy revolution isn't a distant dream; it's right at our feet. Or to be more accurate, it's right beneath our feet, in the same geological depths where we currently produce oil and natural gas.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who knows this industry well, recently spoke at a geothermal event and said that a mature geothermal industry could 'better energize our country and improve the quality of life for everyone. It could help enable AI, manufacturing, reshoring and stop the rise of our electricity prices.'
Geothermal energy — a reliable, 24/7 power source — offers a clear path to strengthening our grid, lowering costs and securing true energy independence. Not only that, but geothermal energy also draws on the same oil and gas production technologies that transformed America into a global energy superpower.
For Utah, there's another reason to be bullish on advanced geothermal: Our state is already a leader in the development of this technology. The Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) — the nation's leading technology accelerator for advanced geothermal — is located just outside Milford, around 200 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. And Utah ranks third in the nation for geothermal electricity generation after California and Nevada.
Support for geothermal isn't about fleeting trends or virtue signaling. It's about leveraging decades of American drilling expertise, refined by advances in hydraulic fracturing, horizontal drilling and subsurface engineering, to unlock vast domestic energy reserves.
Geothermal provides consistent, always-available power. This reliability is critical for grid stability and national security, ensuring our industries and homes are powered regardless of the weather. Furthermore, geothermal boasts one of the smallest land footprints of any energy source, respecting private property rights and minimizing environmental disruption.
With an estimated 5,000 gigawatts of untapped geothermal capacity, the U.S. has the opportunity to lead the world in this critical energy sector. For scale, that amount of capacity is roughly the same as 5,000 large-scale nuclear power plants, or 50 times the size of the current civilian nuclear power sector in the U.S. today.
Therefore, developing just a fraction of the nation's geothermal potential would be yet another game changer for America, securing energy independence for decades at least.
We must not squander this advantage. Currently, unnecessary regulatory barriers and a lack of investment in advanced drilling technologies stifle geothermal development. Expanding access to federal lands, streamlining permitting and incentivizing private-sector innovation will unleash our potential, drive down costs and create thousands of high-paying jobs in our energy-rich communities.
We cannot ignore the aggressive geothermal expansion of our global competitors, particularly China. To ensure our energy leadership and independence, we must cut bureaucratic red tape, prioritize domestic energy production and unleash American ingenuity. Geothermal is not just a clean energy solution; it's a strategic asset, strengthening national security, revitalizing industry and ensuring long-term economic prosperity.
To unlock this potential, Congress must act decisively.
First, we need comprehensive permitting reform to cut red tape and accelerate project timelines, removing the obstacles that hinder private investment. Second, we must maintain technology-neutral tax breaks, like the 45Y and 48E credits, to spur private investment and encourage innovation.
Finally, we must prioritize robust research and development funding to reduce drilling costs and advance next-generation geothermal technologies — like the work that Utah FORGE is doing, but on an even bigger scale.
By adopting these policies, we can unleash domestic energy production, reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, and cement our position as the global energy leader. This is not about ideology; it's about securing America's future — and leveraging Utah's natural resources and existing strengths to move the nation closer to true energy independence.
America is on the cusp of a technological revolution. With geothermal, we will unleash the power beneath our feet and make our country the envy of the world — again.
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