Latest news with #FrontierObservatoryforResearchinGeothermalEnergy
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion: Cutting red tape for a geothermal boom
The United States is in the middle of a national energy emergency. It's going to take an all-of-the-above approach to get out of it, and Utah is poised to lead the way in the West. Our state has vast, untapped power beneath our feet including geothermal energy. Harnessing it will help us achieve energy security, create jobs and boost our economy. But to do so, we need to cut bureaucratic red tape. To highlight this need, I brought my colleagues on the House Committee on Natural Resources to southern Utah to tour a cutting-edge geothermal energy facility and hear from local and expert witnesses. Geothermal energy is piquing interest in D.C. and across the country for its unique ability to generate a large amount of baseload power. Here's how it works: steam or hot water is extracted from beneath Earth's surface to power turbines that generate electricity. What sets geothermal apart from other renewable energy sources like wind and solar is its reliability. The reservoirs beneath the surface are consistent and readily available. Utah is an ideal place to advance geothermal energy. It lies on the edge of the Basin and Range Province, a mountain range where the Earth's crust stretches, creates large faults and allows heat to rise to the Earth's surface. We're also home to the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, a cutting-edge research and development facility, which is key to positioning Utah at the forefront of geothermal energy development. Southern Utah especially has an abundance of geothermal potential, particularly near small, rural towns. Fervo Energy, just outside Milford, Utah, is developing enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), like the one we toured today, that could potentially be a game changer for geothermal energy production. Similar to hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas, EGS uses advanced drilling equipment and the injection of fluids into the subsurface to access geothermal resources that are not naturally located in reservoirs with the characteristics sufficient for conventional hydrothermal energy production. Increased permeability allows fluid to circulate throughout the fractured rock and to transport heat to the surface. EGS has the potential to greatly expand geothermal energy's domestic footprint — enabling development in shallow depth, hot dry rock regions across the U.S. However, bureaucratic red tape continues to stand in the way of a geothermal energy boom. A complex permitting process, particularly on federal lands, creates uncertainty and slows down projects. Permits are required for everything from exploration, land access and leasing, drilling, and production. Developers face years of delay and duplicative federal reviews. This is a major issue in the West, where a majority of our land is owned by the federal government. During the hearing, we will hear from witnesses who will share their experiences with permitting these facilities on federal land. Their testimony will shine light on issues that must be addressed by Congress and the new administration. I've already introduced three bills to address some of the issues facing geothermal energy producers. The FREE Act, to speed up our permitting process through permit-by-rule. The Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act, to expedite the approval process for geothermal drilling projects within 60 days. Finally, I'm co-leading the Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act to streamline geothermal permitting to mirror that of oil and gas wells. By unleashing geothermal energy, we will create high-skilled jobs in engineering, construction, research and much more. Moreover, a robust geothermal industry can stimulate economic growth through local partnerships, infrastructure development and increased tax revenue, positioning Utah as a leader in renewable energy technology. Utah has the potential to be a leader in renewable energy and be a key player in helping us secure U.S. energy independence. We're ready to tap into more geothermal resources here in the state. Cutting red tape and reforming our outdated permitting process is essential to making that happen.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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.
