Geothermal Energy Program overview

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5861807· OSTI ID:5861807

The mission of the Geothermal Energy Program is to develop the science and technology necessary for tapping our nation's tremendous heat energy sources contained with the Earth. Geothermal energy is a domestic energy source that can produce clean, reliable, cost- effective heat and electricity for our nation's energy needs. Geothermal energy -- the heat of the Earth -- is one of our nation's most abundant energy resources. In fact, geothermal energy represents nearly 40% of the total US energy resource base and already provides an important contribution to our nation's energy needs. Geothermal energy systems can provide clean, reliable, cost-effective energy for our nation's industries, businesses, and homes in the form of heat and electricity. The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Energy Program sponsors research aimed at developing the science and technology necessary for utilizing this resource more fully. Geothermal energy originates from the Earth's interior. The hottest fluids and rocks at accessible depths are associated with recent volcanic activity in the western states. In some places, heat comes to the surface as natural hot water or steam, which have been used since prehistoric times for cooking and bathing. Today, wells convey the heat from deep in the Earth to electric generators, factories, farms, and homes. The competitiveness of power generation with lower quality hydrothermal fluids, geopressured brines, hot dry rock, and magma ( the four types of geothermal energy) still depends on the technical advancements sought by DOE's Geothermal Energy Program.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5861807
• Report Number(s): DOE/CH/10093-95; ON: DE91002172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
BRINES
ENERGY SOURCES
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION
GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
MAGMA
PROGRESS REPORT
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
US DOE
WELL DRILLING
DOCUMENT TYPES
DRILLING
ENERGY
EXPLORATION
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
INDUSTRY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POWER PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
150500* - Geothermal Energy- Economics
Industrial
& Business Aspects
150800 - Geothermal Power Plants
150300 - Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology