What a yes vote endorsed
Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act
What this does
Congress directs the Department of Energy to expand federally funded geothermal research toward next-generation systems, a category the bill newly defines to include enhanced, closed-loop, and supercritical geothermal. It amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to create a next-generation geothermal research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program inside the Department's Geothermal Technologies Office, a competitively awarded center of excellence, and grants that can cover up to 80 percent of a commercial project's cost. It authorizes $150 million a year from 2027 through 2031, drawn from funds already authorized for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy rather than new money. It also directs at least one FORGE test site to gain next-generation testing capability within a year of enactment and requires the U.S. Geological Survey to update its national geothermal resource assessment every four years.
Passed the House by voice vote
How we know · 9 sourced claims
- The bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct federally funded research toward next-generation geothermal systems.Source: Sec. 2(a)
- It defines next-generation geothermal systems to include enhanced, closed-loop, and supercritical geothermal.Source: Sec. 2(a)(1), new EISA sec. 612 paragraph (9)
- It creates a next-generation geothermal research, development, demonstration, and commercial application program within the Department's Geothermal Technologies Office.Source: Sec. 2(a)(4)(E), new subsection (e)(1)
- It establishes a competitively awarded next-generation geothermal center of excellence.Source: Sec. 2(a)(4)(E), new subsection (e)(4)
- It authorizes grants that cover up to 80 percent of the cost of a commercial geothermal project.Source: Sec. 2(a)(4)(E), new subsection (e)(5)(D)
- It authorizes $150 million for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, drawn from funds otherwise authorized for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.Source: Sec. 2(a)(4), new subsection (f)
- It directs the Secretary to ensure at least one FORGE site can conduct next-generation geothermal testing within one year of enactment.Source: Sec. 2(a)(4)(D), new subsection (c) paragraph (7)
- It requires the U.S. Geological Survey to update the national geothermal resource assessment every four years, with the first update within two years.Source: Sec. 2(b)
- All provisions concern geothermal energy research and development, making this a single-subject measure.Source: Sec. 2