Jay Clemens
The Energy Department has allocated $29 million in total funds for two separate geothermal systems research efforts led by the University of Utah and the Sandia National Laboratories.
Eeach team will receive funds to instrument, define and permit candidate sites for an underground laboratory as part of DOE’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy program, the department said Wednesday.
The Sandia team will perform work on a Fallon, Nevada-based site and the University of Utah team will conduct its study on a Milford, Utah-based site.
“Enhanced geothermal systems can help us tap into a vast energy resource with the potential to generate enough clean energy to power millions of homes,†said Franklin Orr, DOE undersecretary for science and energy.
DOE awarded the funds after the two teams explored potential EGS underground research labs under the competitive first phase of the FORGE program.
The candidate sites in Nevada and Utah will also use the money to prepare for the third phase of the competition that will designate one site as the headquarters for future underground field studies, the department added.
