US Department of Energy chooses five geothermal teams for FORGE initiative

US Department of Energy (DOE) has picked five projects for the initial phase of the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) initiative.

While the first phase will involve an investment of $2m, it will be followed by the $29m second phase.

DOE will provide $31m in funding for the two FORGE phases over two years to selected teams.

Idaho National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Utah and two Sandia National Laboratories – the first in Coso, California and the second in Fallon, Nevada, are the teams which will be considered by FORGE.

The five teams stand for planned projects in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah.

Phase one will involve conceptual geologic modelling and create plans for data dissemination, intellectual property, environmental, health and safety information, communications and outreach, stakeholder engagement, R&D implementation, and environmental management.

Up to three teams will enter into the next phase, which will fully instrument, characterise, and permit candidate sites for full-scale operations to be undertaken by FORGE in the final phase.

The third phase will only have one operational team to implement FORGE at a single location.

US Under Secretary for Science and Energy Lynn Orr said: "Through these kinds of critical investments in renewable energy, the Department is helping develop cost-effective technologies for engineering geothermal systems that supply affordable, zero-carbon energy to millions of American homes and businesses.

"Enhanced geothermal systems could represent the next frontier of renewable energy and hold the potential to diversify the nation’s energy portfolio while reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere."