Spring Forward With GTO

Bookmark and Share

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Energy dot gov Office of Energy Efficiency and renewable energy

Geothermal Technologies Office

Divider

March 16, 2022

drill down

Spring Forward With GTO   

Estimated read time: 4 minutes 

Director’s Note: Spring is the season of new beginnings! With the recent launch of the office’s Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP), the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is looking ahead with renewed energy and excitement for new opportunities to advance geothermal. Through our funding initiatives, prizes, and competitions, we will continue our work to achieve a clean energy future, and we hope you’ll join us!

                                                                                   —GTO Director Susan Hamm  

Riddle me this: How does the geologist find a great rock pun?

Share The Drill Down with your friends and colleagues. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please subscribe. Reach out to us at DOE.Geothermal@ee.doe.gov; we welcome your feedback or suggestions.  

Announcements

Funding Opportunity: Geothermal Drilling Technology Demonstration Campaign

Photo

GTO is investing $20 million in developing geothermal technologies to reduce the costs and time of drilling. GTO is seeking applications from drilling service providers, well service companies, research institutions, geothermal operators and developers, and any entity that can bring real-world solutions to geothermal drilling. Check out the GTO-maintained teaming list to connect your organization with other applicants. Letters of intent are due by April 4.

Remote, Island, and Islanded Communities Are Eligible to Apply to the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP)

The application period will close on April 15 for ETIPP, an initiative that provides assistance through community-driven approaches to ensure isolated communities have the skills and tools needed to advance their energy systems and lower their vulnerability to energy challenges. For more information, visit the ETIPP website.

New Email List Shares Funding Opportunities

Photo

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) launched a new email list to share its open funding opportunities and prizes. Researchers, entrepreneurs, academics, professionals, and other stakeholders are encouraged to sign up to receive information from across all of EERE’s clean energy research programs. Visit EERE’s funding opportunities webpage to register and find additional information.

Want To Learn More About DOE’s Office of Electricity?

Sign up to receive information about how the Office of Electricity is supporting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the Building a Better Grid Initiative and expanding cutting edge R&D around innovative grid technologies, energy storage, and advanced modeling and data analytics.

President Biden has set aggressive goals in the fight against climate change: 100% clean energy by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions across the economy by 2050. This means we need to modernize and expand our critical electric infrastructure to support hundreds of gigawatts of clean energy, while ensuring that our grid is resilient, reliable, and affordable for all communities.

Request for Information: Department of Defense Seeks Information Related to Geothermal Energy

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently issued a request for information seeking information related to the feasibility of implementing a firm-fixed-price renewable energy supply agreement for geothermal energy for use at multiple DoD locations. Submissions are due by April 21 at 3 p.m. ET. Learn more.


Publications and Products

Powerpoint

Last week, GTO staff hosted their quarterly webinar, providing the latest information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; sharing updates on GTO’s projects, budget, new staff, and events; and participating in a panel discussion on the MYPP. In case you missed it, visit the presentations webpage to view slides and a transcript.


Upcoming Events and Webinars

Announcing GeoRePORT 2.0

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is hosting a webinar on March 29 at 1 p.m. ET to announce GeoRePORT 2.0. Register now.

GTO’s Virtual Peer Review

Photo

Join GTO virtually for the 2022 peer review where 62 GTO-funded projects will be presented and systematically reviewed by external subject matter experts from industry, academia, and federal agencies on May 10, 12, 16, 18, 24, and 26 for half-day sessions. If you have questions about the peer review, email GTOPeer-Review2022@ee.doe.gov, and if you’d like to serve as a merit reviewer, please send your resume or CV to doe.geothermal@ee.doe.gov.


Lab News

NREL

Congratulations to NREL’s Amanda Kolker, who has accepted the position of laboratory program manager for geothermal energy. In her new role, Kolker will work with NREL leadership and research staff to support and enhance the lab’s geothermal R&D portfolio—including working closely with GTO. Read more.


In Case You Missed It

Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm at CERAWeek

A week ago, Secretary Granholm addressed delegates at the 40th annual CERAWeek to discuss the challenges and opportunities of reducing emissions while supplying the needs of a growing global economy as the U.S. transitions to a clean energy future. Watch the keynote speech or read her remarks.

A “Rock Star” System for Geothermal Energy

A team of scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and its collaborators designed a first-of-its-kind system to help understand how to harness energy from deep below the ground as part of the EGS Collab project. This new “rock star” system is designed to understand how water flows through very hot rock underground and transfers the heat to the surface. Read more.

Help Rename Geographic Locations!

The Secretary of the Interior has created the Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force to review and replace names of geographic places that contain derogatory or offensive language. Review and leave a comment on its list of more than 600 places by April 25.


Geothermal Energy Around the Web

LBNL To Lead Research on Salton Sea Geothermal Lithium. With nearly $1.2 million in support from GTO, scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), the University of California Riverside, and Geologica Geothermal Group, Inc. will work together to both quantify and characterize the lithium in the Salton Sea. The project also aims to address the after-effects of lithium extraction. 

Well-Constructed Solution: Geothermal to Power Bitcoin Mining. Mining for cryptocurrency and bitcoin is an energy-intensive process that requires a large amount of power. Entrepreneurs and investors are exploring geothermal energy as the answer to creating a greener currency future.  


Answer: Just give them a moment and they’ll dig one up.

Did we miss your event or an interesting media piece? Please reach out to us at DOE.Geothermal@ee.doe.gov!