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119-hr-8790119th Congress

Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act

Sponsored By: Representative Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]

Passed House

Summary

This bill would create a coordinated federal push to commercialize next‑generation geothermal energy by expanding research, testing sites, data sharing, and competitive grant funding. It targets enhanced geothermal, closed‑loop designs, and supercritical systems while directing updated resource mapping and new reporting requirements.

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  • Researchers and industry: Offers competitive grants for hardrock drilling, reservoir characterization, and advanced sensing tools, with the federal cost‑share capped at 80% and $150 million authorized per year for FY2027–2031.
  • National Laboratories, universities, and workforce: Establishes a Next‑Generation Geothermal Center of Excellence to coordinate FORGE testing, speed commercialization, provide technical assistance, and support workforce development.
  • Communities, land managers, and developers: Requires an MOU between the Departments of Energy and Interior for subsurface and critical‑minerals data sharing, directs Interior to sponsor supercritical exploration boreholes, and makes resulting heat, lithology, and strain data publicly available.

*Would authorize $150 million annually for FY2027–2031 for DOE geothermal R&D, increasing federal spending authorization over that period.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More public data for deep geothermal

If enacted, DOE and Interior would share more subsurface data and upgrade DOE’s public geothermal data portal with map views. Interior would be able to drill supercritical exploration boreholes in representative regions and territories, with all data posted publicly. The national geothermal resource assessment would be done every four years, with the first update due within two years, and would include areas with supercritical potential. DOE would send progress reports to Congress within one year and then every two years. DOE would also report within five years on water use, including use of brackish water and water per megawatt‑hour compared to other power sources.

New grants for next-generation geothermal

If enacted, DOE would run a program to research, test, and bring next‑generation geothermal to market. DOE would award competitive and commercial‑readiness grants to labs, companies, and universities. The federal share would cover up to 80% of project costs. A Center of Excellence would coordinate research, workforce training, and best practices. Congress would authorize $150 million each year for FY 2027–2031.

New definitions and tools for geothermal research

If enacted, the bill would define “next‑generation” and “supercritical” geothermal and include closed‑loop systems. It would replace “enhanced” with “next‑generation” in DOE program text so more projects would qualify. DOE hydrothermal research would be required to use advanced tools like machine learning.

Supercritical testing at a federal geothermal site

If enacted, DOE would ensure within one year that at least one national geothermal test site can run next‑generation tests, including in supercritical conditions. This would expand near‑term field testing capacity.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]

NC • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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