ARRA OPP # 23: DOE Geothermal Technologies

President Obama recently announced that he will direct $350 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to accelerate the development, deployment, and use of geothermal energy sources.  This is a significant commitment of funding to a technology that received only $19.3 million in FY 2008.  These funds are part of the Administration’s efforts to develop the clean energy economy.
 
The Administration will provide $350 million in new investments in geothermal technology, including:

• $140 million for enhanced geothermal systems demonstration projects;
• $80 million for enhanced geothermal systems technology R&D;
• $100 million for innovative exploration techniques; and
• $30 million for a national geothermal data system, resource assessment, and classification system.

Additional details and links to the synopsis for each announcement follow.  A link to the complete announcement is provided where available or it can be accessed through FedConnect as described in the synopsis.
 
The $350 million in Recovery Act funding is a significant investment in this new technology and will be focused on:

Enhanced Geothermal Systems Demonstration Projects.  With a proposed $140 million, DOE intends to support demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies to advance geothermal energy in new geographic areas but also geothermal energy production from oil and natural gas fields, geopressured fields, and low to moderate temperature geothermal resources.  Applications are due July 30.  DOE has added Recovery Act funds to a funding opportunity announcement issued last March.  Universities, non-profit entities, for-profit private entities, State and local governments and Indian tribes are eligible for this program.  DOE and non-DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) are eligible to be sub-recipients of funding.  Non-federal cost sharing is required.
  
 DOE is seeking projects in a variety of geologic formations that will demonstrate and validate stimulation techniques that will sustain fluid flow and heat extraction rates for five to seven years and that produce at least 5 MWe per year per project.  DOE will also consider projects that characterize, stimulate and validate underutilized geothermal resources, particularly in urban and rural regions with high electricity costs (Alaska, Hawaii, the eastern U.S., and Indian reservations.  Projects are to be developed in three specific phases:  Phase 1 – Pre-stimulation; Phase 2 – Reservoir Creation and Characterization; and Phase 3 – Validation and Power Generation.
  
 The synopsis can be found here.  
  
 The complete FOA can be found here.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems Technology R&D.  DOE has added Recovery Act funds to a FOA announced last March. With $80 million in Recovery Act funding, DOE plans to research geothermal power to expand beyond the conventional locations near accessible geothermal water resources.  DOE will focus on engineering reservoirs to produce heat resources to generate electricity. Applications are due July 17.
 DOE is seeking advanced technology to address key aspects of engineered reservoir creation, management, and utilization identified in the GTP (Geothermal Program) Multi-Year Research, Development, and Demonstration (MYRDD) plan. Projects will be evaluated based on their ability to advance technology toward ultimate, specific target specifications to drive market development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems. Teaming between academia, industry, and National Laboratories/Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) is encouraged.
 
 DOE has added six new Topic Areas to this FOA, including: 1) Mineral Recovery from Geothermal Fluids; 2) High Temperature Cements; 3) Directional Drilling Systems; 4) High Temperature Downhole MWD Tools for Directional Drilling: 5) Well Stimulation Technologies for Highly Deviated Wells; and 6) Fracture Characterization Technologies.
 
 The synopsis can be found here.  
 
 The complete FOA can be found here.
 
 Innovative Exploration Techniques. DOE will allocate $100 million to projects that will explore, site, drill and characterize a series of geothermal exploration wells using innovative techniques.  This program is designed to help reduce the up front risks for the private sector in development new geothermal resources.  An additional $30 million will go to creation of a National Geothermal Data System, Resource Assessment, and Classification System discussed below.  Applications are due July 22.
 
 DOE seeks proposals in three Topic Areas:
 Topic Area 1 – Validation of Innovative Exploration Technologies which is designed to reduce the high level of risk during early stages of geothermal project development with a focus on locating undiscovered geothermal systems and increasing the reliability of site characterization to prioritize target sites for energy production;
 Topic Area 2 – Geothermal Energy Production from Low Temperature Resources, Coproduced Fluids from Oil and Gas Wells, and Geopressured Resources; and
 Topic Area 3 – Geothermal Data Development, Collection and Maintenance to collect and maintain data on all 50 states to make geothermal data available to the public and reduce the risk associated with initial stages of geothermal development.  DOE has identified the need for a detailed inventory and characterization of geothermal energy resources in the U.S. This effort will build on an assessment of Western geothermal resources done by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).  DOE intends to work with USGS and other partners to carry out this project.  DOE will also develop a nationwide data system of geothermal resources and a classification system to help determine site energy potential.

The synopsis can be found here.