WASHINGTON — Today, RealClearEnergy published an op-ed by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) President Heather Reams outlining the untapped potential of next generation geothermal technology to acheive American energy dominance. The op-ed follows the release of CRES Forum’s new white paper, “The Conservative Case for Next Generation Geothermal Energy.”
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Geothermal energy presents a unique opportunity for renewed American leadership with a resource that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of weather. This relatively untapped source of power uses energy stored in the earth to generate electricity or provide heat. It is inherently resilient and reliable, strengthens the grid, reduces energy costs and expands our energy supplies, with essentially no emissions. As President Trump and Congress work to enact meaningful policies to lower energy prices and achieve energy dominance, lawmakers must embrace policies that align with an all-of-the-above—and below—energy strategy.
Historically, geothermal energy was concentrated in geologically active regions like the American West, Hawaii and Iceland, where natural hot spots are abundant. However, recent innovations are unlocking new types of advanced geothermal systems that can be deployed in more areas. Advanced geothermal uses methods of drilling that utilize experience honed from the oil and gas sector to produce new energy resources. These new technologies are an attractive solution to address growing energy demands and related concerns over meeting energy demand.
While the successes of other renewable energy sources like wind or solar are subject to the weather—if the sun shines or if the wind blows—geothermal energy systems are incredibly resilient against extreme weather events and physical attacks as most of the system is underground. In practice, this means geothermal energy systems would be uninterrupted in nearly every scenario—hurricanes, tornadoes, freezing temperatures or wildfires—ensuring American families and businesses would maintain access to their power sources when needed the most.
Despite its potential, the geothermal energy market remains largely untapped due to burdensome permitting barriers and upfront capital costs. With permitting reforms and increased research and development funding, the federal government can reduce barriers to commercializing and scaling geothermal energy. Going forward, President Trump and Congress must come together to address these challenges to unleash this promising resource.
Our federal permitting system has long been recognized as “broken” and overly restrictive, deterring private investment and limiting our ability to deploy clean energy projects. By passing comprehensive permitting reform, Congress can accelerate the approval of critical new energy projects—including geothermal projects—to break ground.
In addition to the lengthy permitting system, geothermal projects also require significant upfront capital, further deterring private investment. Predictable, yet limited tax incentives can help offset high upfront costs, alleviate market uncertainty and catalyze investments. To provide market certainty and encourage continued investment, Congress must prioritize protecting existing tax incentives which already support geothermal technology deployment.
And, as with any budding technology, we must ensure adequate funding—both private and federal—is allocated to research, development, demonstration and deployment. To scale and commercialize this technology, we cannot lose sight of the importance of federal programs that ensure the United States remains on the cutting edge of new and competitive technology.
The United States has a significant head start in the technologies, supply chains and human capital needed to lead the world in geothermal energy. However, China and other nations are rapidly scaling their investments in geothermal energy to challenge U.S. leadership. If this trend continues, China could emerge as the dominant player in the space—putting both our energy security and national security at risk.
Geothermal energy, especially advanced geothermal technologies, must be a cornerstone of America’s path to energy dominance—delivering baseload power, bolstering our energy supply and cementing our nation’s role as a global energy leader. With our existing expertise, paired with unmatched research and innovation at our national laboratories and universities, there is no question the United States is positioned to dominate the geothermal energy market.
As global competitors race to control the future of energy, the United States cannot afford to fall behind. Congress and the Administration must act now to secure American energy dominance. It’s time to put American energy first.
Heather Reams is President of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES).
Read the full op-ed here.