McNerney Geothermal Energy Bill Clears Next Legislative Hurdle

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MCNERNEY GEOTHERMAL ENERGY BILL CLEARS NEXT LEGISLATIVE HURDLE

Congressman Jerry McNerney's (CA-11) geothermal energy bill, which would authorize research and development funding for cutting edge, 21st century geothermal energy, today unanimously passed the full House Committee on Science and Technology.

"Enhanced geothermal systems offer tremendous potential to fulfill this country's growing energy needs," said Rep. McNerney. "This bill allows us to tap into that promise to expand renewable options and truly move in the direction of energy independence."

A recent report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, entitled The Future of Geothermal Energy, estimates that new Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) may provide more than 100 Gigawatts of affordable energy over the next 50 years in the U.S. alone. That's enough energy to power as many as 75 million homes.

And unlike other renewable resources that depend on daylight or wind, geothermal provides "baseload" power, which means that the source is uninterrupted and constant, running day and night, 365 days a year.

Dr. Jeff Tester, one of the lead MIT researchers on The Future of Geothermal Energy report, in testimony before the House Science and Technology Committee in April addressed the vast potential for geothermal energy.

"In fact, many attributes of geothermal energy, namely its widespread distribution, base-load dispatchability without storage, small footprint, and low emissions, are very desirable for reaching a sustainable energy future for the United States," Dr. Tester reported.

"Expanding our energy supply portfolio to include more indigenous and renewable resources is a sound approach that will increase energy security in a manner that parallels the diversification ideals that have made America strong," Dr. Tester concluded.

Rep. McNerney agreed, noting, "Geothermal energy is readily available and clean, which will help address the problem of global climate change, and is domestically produced, which will help lead to the creation of a new energy technology economy."

The bill, the Advanced Geothermal Research and Development Act of 2007, H.R. 2304, expands existing geothermal energy programs at the Department of Energy and authorizes $90 million a year for fiscal years 2008 to 2012 to fund research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of new geothermal technologies.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems, in which manmade geothermal reservoirs are created where they do not exist naturally, is different from more conventional geothermal energy, currently in use today.

The bill also calls for the creation of two Centers for Geothermal Technology Transfer to function as geothermal information clearinghouses. One center will be located west of the Rocky Mountains and one to the east, given the vastly different geophysical characteristics of the United States. The centers will be located at institutions of higher learning.

The Advanced Geothermal Research and Development Act of 2007 today passed the House Science and Technology Committee. The bill passed the Energy and Environment Subcommittee last week.

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