The U.S. Department of Energy announced a new department goal to cut the cost of enhanced geothermal systems by 90% to $45 per megawatt hour.
The Enhanced Geothermal Shot's goal is to advance the research and development of technologies that use Earth's heat resources to provide clean energy to Americans and expand the domestic geothermal industry, according to a Sept. 8 news release.
“The United States has a vast, geothermal energy resource lying right beneath our feet, and this program will make it economical to bring that power to American households and businesses,” Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said in the release. “DOE’s Enhanced Geothermal Shot will move geothermal technology from research and development to cost-effective commercial adoption, helping energy communities and workers transition to producing clean energy for the future.”
The Enhanced Geothermal Shot is the fourth "Shot" announced as a part of the DOE's Energy Earthshots Initiative to aid in breaking down scientific and technical barriers to address the climate crisis, the release reported. The Energy Earthshots back the Biden-Harris administration's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 while creating good-paying union jobs and expanding the economy.
According to the release, other Energy Earthshots include those focused on hydrogen, carbon-negative solutions and long-term energy storage.
"We need to give our clean energy future our best shot!" U.S. Department of Energy said in a Sept. 8 post on Twitter. "Our new Energy Earthshot will help cut the cost of geothermal by 90% to $45 per MW hour by 2035, so communities can use the planet's heat to power homes and businesses and create more jobs."
