US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has initiated a significant shift in American energy policy. “180 degree shift” This move diverges from strategies aimed at addressing climate change and promotes the increase of oil and gas production.
The secretary’s stance contrasts sharply with the previous administration’s focus on renewable energy growth, yet he is not entirely against low-carbon energy solutions. Earlier this month, Wright praised the potential of geothermal energy, stating, “we haven’t seen a launch yet, but we ought to.”
As an expert and researcher in geothermal heating, I have optimistic expectations for the administration’s endorsement of geothermal, an up-and-coming sector that can utilize the expertise of fossil fuel workers. This is primarily because, with adequate funding, our country could harness heat from the Earth, one of the most potent and dependable energy sources available.
Beneath significant portions of the United States, including the northeastern regions, where oil and gas activities were once prevalent, layers of heated rock exist thousands of feet underground, containing immense geothermal energy reserves. “Enhanced Geothermal Systems” offer a means to capture this heat by creating artificial fractures deep underground, enabling heat absorption from hot rocks to be returned to the surface for immediate use.
The US Department of Energy estimates that geothermal district heating could potentially supply energy to 45 million American households. Its applications also stretch to industrial uses where thermal energy is vital for operations such as greenhouses, aquaculture, food processing, and process heat.
Significantly, deep, direct geothermal projects relieve substantial pressure on the electrical grid, enhance energy reliability, and broaden choices for the swiftly evolving digital economy.
Developing this technology necessitates specialized expertise that is predominantly found within the oil and gas sectors. The core skills in the fossil fuel industry, such as excavation, coring, and underground environment analysis, are precisely what is required to advance geothermal energy.
The hurdle is not about the feasibility, but rather the investment needed. There is a pressing requirement to implement improved modeling tools for efficient geothermal reservoir management, enhance underground imaging and mapping, and refine system performance.
With appropriate backing, transitioning to geothermal energy could create thousands of high-quality jobs. Investing in geothermal will not only diversify the energy sector but also expand the skilled labor force and safeguard the environment.
Cornell University illustrates what can be accomplished. The Earth Source Heat project demonstrates how deep, direct geothermal energy operates in the northeast. In the summer of 2022, the university drilled a borehole nearly two miles deep with expertise from SLB, which has a history in fossil fuels.
This borehole yields critical data on temperature, permeability, and rock characteristics beneath Cornell’s campus. This information confirms the potential for heating university buildings with hot water. If a full-scale enhanced geothermal system proves successful, it could serve as a template for broader adoption throughout the region.
Nevertheless, transitioning the workforce is not an automatic process. In New York and Pennsylvania alone, over 37,000 skilled fossil fuel workers possess a significant amount of the knowledge and skills necessary to develop geothermal energy. Targeted support has empowered them to facilitate a shift towards a continuously emitted, non-polluting heat source.
Policymakers need to take action. While technology is ready, the financial incentives are lacking.
Federal tax incentives focused on merging geothermal district heating projects with workforce transition funds could unleash more private investments. Streamlining regulatory processes will minimize risks for businesses undertaking these initiatives.
In the eastern US, substantial, federally-supported full-scale demonstration projects are crucial for mitigating risks, increasing public awareness, attracting private sector investment, and actively involving communities in the development of energy infrastructure.
Critics claim that geothermal energy is either too costly or too tardy. However, this perspective is myopic. This initiative is not just about constructing a clean energy framework, but about garnering widespread support for a stronger and more resilient energy future.
The heat beneath our feet has the potential to fuel our future, but only if we invest in the requisite skills, expertise, and labor to access it.
Croelson is a professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and leads several enhanced geothermal research initiatives at Cornell University. Wayne Besner Kerr is the Earth Source Heat Program Manager at Cornell University. Jefferson Tester is a Crawl Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems at Cornell University and a prominent researcher in Earth Source Heat.
