§17194 Enhanced Geothermal Systems Research and Development

Summary

The Secretary must run and fund research, development, demonstration, and commercial projects to make enhanced geothermal systems cheaper and more efficient. Work will be done with industry, colleges, and national labs. The program covers 12 technology areas, like reservoir stimulation and closed-loop designs, ways to map and monitor fractures and stress, tracer methods, 3D/4D seismic imaging, better well placement and drilling tools, exploration tools, zonal isolation, long-term reservoir management, and studying risks of induced earthquakes. The Secretary must also set up up to 3 field test sites called FORGE to develop and test these tools. FORGE sites get funding for advanced monitoring, multi-zone and nonstimulation techniques, and dynamic reservoir modeling, and will share information with U.S. and international partners. Sites are chosen competitively from labs, universities, and multi-institution teams, with priority for existing field facilities and a goal of geological variety. A site already in existence on December 27, 2020 may keep support. Each new FORGE site can run for up to 7 years at first, with performance checks and the possibility of transfer or another term of up to 7 years after review. Starting December 27, 2020, the Secretary must also support an initiative to run 4 demonstration projects for power or direct heat in commercially promising places while considering environmental impacts. The 4 projects must together show different geologies and development methods and, when possible, use sites that already have subsurface data. At least 1 demonstration must be east of the Mississippi River. Funding set aside for FORGE is $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, $55,000,000 for 2022, $65,000,000 for 2023, $70,000,000 for 2024, and $70,000,000 for 2025. Funding for the demonstrations is $21,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.