The majority of the funding ($350 million) has been earmarked for new investment in geothermal technology and far exceeds previous government commitments, while the remaining $117.6 million will be used to encourage the widespread deployment of solar technologies throughout the
The geothermal funds will support geothermal demonstration projects, Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) research and development; innovative exploration techniques; and a National Geothermal Data System, Resource Assessment and Classification System. In contrast to solar and wind which are intermittent and need to be stored for use during peak demand periods, geothermal is capable of providing “base load” power, since the energy source (Earth’s heat) is available on a continuous basis.
The $117.6 million of solar funding will be used to improve the cost competitiveness of solar technologies compared with conventional electricity sources and increase US solar technology manufacturers’ ability to compete with players from other nations.
"These technologies represent two pieces of a broad energy portfolio that will help us aggressively fight climate change and renew our position as a global leader in clean energy jobs,” declared Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
A breakdown of how the funding will be allocated taken from the Energy Department’s press release is as follows:
Geothermal Energy Investments ($350 Million)
Geothermal Demonstration Projects ($140 Million): Funding will support demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies to advance geothermal energy in new geographic areas, as well as geothermal energy production from oil and natural gas fields, geopressured fields, and low to moderate temperature geothermal resources.
Innovative Exploration Techniques ($100 Million): Funding will support projects that include exploration, siting, drilling, and characterization of a series of exploration wells utilizing innovative exploration techniques. Exploration of geothermal energy resources can carry a high upfront risk. By investing in and validating innovative exploration technologies and methods, DOE can help reduce the level of upfront risk for the private sector, allowing for increased investment and discovery of new geothermal resources.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems Technology Research and Development ($80 Million): Funding will support research of EGS technology to allow geothermal power generation across the country. Conventional geothermal energy systems must be located near easily-accessible geothermal water resources, limiting its nationwide use. EGS makes use of available heat resources through engineered reservoirs, which can then be tapped to produce electricity. While the long-term goal of EGS is to generate cost competitive clean electricity, enabling research and development is needed to demonstrate the technology’s readiness in the near-term.
National Geothermal Data System, Resource Assessment, and Classification System ($30 Million): The long-term success of geothermal energy technologies depends upon a detailed characterisation of geothermal energy resources nationwide. In 2008, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducted an assessment of high temperature resource potential in the
Solar Energy Investments ($117.6 Million)
Photovoltaic Technology Development ($51.5 Million): DOE will expand investment in advanced photovoltaic concepts and high impact technologies, with the aim of making solar energy cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity and to strengthen the competitiveness and capabilities of domestic manufacturers.
Solar Energy Deployment ($40.5 Million): Projects in this area will focus on non-technical barriers to solar energy deployment, including grid connection, market barriers to solar energy adoption in cities, and the shortage of trained solar energy installers. Combined with new technology development, these deployment activities will help clear the path for wider adoption of solar energy in residential, commercial, and municipal environments.
Concentrating Solar Power Research and Development ($25.6 Million): This work will focus on improving the reliability of concentrating solar power technologies and enhancing the capabilities of DOE National Laboratories to provide test and evaluation support to the solar industry.
