Regardless of advances in geothermal technology, geothermal will not provide the silver
bullet solution to our energy needs. Nor will any single resource. Instead, geothermal
technology advances can help increase our country’s share of renewable, sustainable
geothermal energy. And that’s important—today, only a fraction of the geothermal
resource base is tapped. Surface technology developments, in particular, can increase
energy production without impacting the resource base.
Technology, both surface and subsurface, can be developed a variety of ways. One of the
most promising of these has been through federal initiatives such as The U.S. Department
of Energy Geothermal Technologies Program. Unfortunately, the DOE program has
faced funding challenges in recent years. Limited resources have resulted in loss of staff
at national laboratories and universities. But a likely increase in FY2008 funding will
help DOE to chart a long-term course for geothermal energy.
The U.S. will increasingly prioritize clean, plentiful, renewable, reliable, sustainable, and
domestic energy sources—sources like geothermal energy. As geothermal energy use
expands and technology develops, it will play an important role in helping meet the
energy needs of the future.