Five sites announced in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Idaho
The Energy Department has announced five projects selected for a total of $2 million for the first part of the multiphase Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) effort. This field laboratory, dedicated to cutting-edge research on enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), could unlock access to a domestic, geographically diverse, and carbon-free source of clean energy with the potential to supply power to up to 100 million homes in the United States. The first two phases of FORGE will provide a total of up to $31 million over two years for selected teams:
Key Partners: Snake River Geothermal Consortium, which includes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Universities of Idaho, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, Idaho State University, Boise State University, Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah, Geothermal Resources Group Inc., Baker Hughes, U.S. Geothermal Inc., Mink GeoHydro Inc., Campbell Scientific, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Geological Survey, and Idaho Department of Water Resources.
The proposed FORGE site on the Snake River Plain in Idaho is located on Idaho National Laboratory’s lands, and has already been designated as a 100 km2 Geothermal Resource Research Area. The field site is located along the Yellowstone Hotspot—an area with potentially high subsurface temperature and mechanical rock characteristics favorable for EGS reservoir stimulation. Snake River Geothermal Consortium will begin planning , modeling, and public engagement to adapt existing technologies to geothermal systems, helping to advance geothermal energy as a widespread source of renewable baseload power.
Key Partners: Oregon State University and AltaRock Energy, Inc.
The proposed FORGE site at Newberry Volcano is led by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and brings together the regional, educational, and outreach experience of Oregon State University, along with the geothermal industrial management experience of AltaRock Energy, Inc., a commercial geothermal energy company. Beneath the Newberry Volcano may exist one of the largest geothermal heat reservoirs in the western United States. AltaRock Energy has already been developing and applying EGS technologies at Newberry Volcano for the last four years. PNNL will develop plans and procedures to deploy the proposed FORGE facility at Newberry Volcano and initiate rigorous and reproducible methodologies that could help accelerate cost-competitive EGS power within the United States.
Key Partners: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Nevada-Reno, GeothermEx/Schlumberger, U.S. Navy, Coso Operating Company LLC, and Itasca Consulting Group
The proposed FORGE site at Coso, California, is located near the Coso geothermal production field within the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Data from the proposed site potentially indicates the presence of high subsurface temperature with little fluid and permeable rock at depth. Sandia National Laboratories and its partnering national laboratory, government agencies, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders will complete the requisite modeling and site characterization needed to determine the suitability of the Coso field site for a large-scale, economically sustainable EGS demonstration project.
Key Partners: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Nevada-Reno, GeothermEx/Schlumberger, U.S. Navy, Ormat Technologies Inc., and Itasca Consulting Group
The proposed FORGE site at Fallon, Nevada, is located on the U.S Navy’s Naval Air Station Fallon. Sandia National Laboratories and its partnering national laboratory, academic institutions, government agencies, and industry stakeholders propose the area as a potential FORGE site because previous analysis has revealed its suitability for research and development of an EGS reservoir. The team will develop additional scientific data including detailed analyses of rock samples, natural seismicity, surface and borehole characteristics, and other geological analyses. It will also generate a 3-D model and plans for potential development of the Fallon site for the FORGE EGS demonstration.
Key Partners: Utah Geological Survey, Murphy-Brown LLC, Idaho National Laboratory, Temple University, Geothermal Resources Group Inc., and U.S. Geological Survey
The proposed FORGE site outside of Milford City, Utah, may be underlain by large volumes of high temperature granite, potentially conducive to EGS development. The site is located between four and eight kilometers west of several deep wells drilled as part of a geothermal exploration project in 1979. The University of Utah along with its partnering government agency, national laboratory, academic institution, and industry stakeholders will conduct tests and refine models to demonstrate the site’s viability for a dedicated research facility to advance EGS technology.
- Idaho National Laboratory on the Snake River Plain, Idaho
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at Newberry Volcano, Oregon
- Sandia National Laboratories in Coso, California
- Sandia National Laboratories in Fallon, Nevada
- University Of Utah in Milford City, Utah
Click through for more information:
- IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY
Key Partners: Snake River Geothermal Consortium, which includes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Universities of Idaho, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, Idaho State University, Boise State University, Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah, Geothermal Resources Group Inc., Baker Hughes, U.S. Geothermal Inc., Mink GeoHydro Inc., Campbell Scientific, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Geological Survey, and Idaho Department of Water Resources.
The proposed FORGE site on the Snake River Plain in Idaho is located on Idaho National Laboratory’s lands, and has already been designated as a 100 km2 Geothermal Resource Research Area. The field site is located along the Yellowstone Hotspot—an area with potentially high subsurface temperature and mechanical rock characteristics favorable for EGS reservoir stimulation. Snake River Geothermal Consortium will begin planning , modeling, and public engagement to adapt existing technologies to geothermal systems, helping to advance geothermal energy as a widespread source of renewable baseload power.
- PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY
Key Partners: Oregon State University and AltaRock Energy, Inc.
The proposed FORGE site at Newberry Volcano is led by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and brings together the regional, educational, and outreach experience of Oregon State University, along with the geothermal industrial management experience of AltaRock Energy, Inc., a commercial geothermal energy company. Beneath the Newberry Volcano may exist one of the largest geothermal heat reservoirs in the western United States. AltaRock Energy has already been developing and applying EGS technologies at Newberry Volcano for the last four years. PNNL will develop plans and procedures to deploy the proposed FORGE facility at Newberry Volcano and initiate rigorous and reproducible methodologies that could help accelerate cost-competitive EGS power within the United States.
- SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES
Key Partners: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Nevada-Reno, GeothermEx/Schlumberger, U.S. Navy, Coso Operating Company LLC, and Itasca Consulting Group
The proposed FORGE site at Coso, California, is located near the Coso geothermal production field within the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Data from the proposed site potentially indicates the presence of high subsurface temperature with little fluid and permeable rock at depth. Sandia National Laboratories and its partnering national laboratory, government agencies, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders will complete the requisite modeling and site characterization needed to determine the suitability of the Coso field site for a large-scale, economically sustainable EGS demonstration project.
- SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES
Key Partners: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Nevada-Reno, GeothermEx/Schlumberger, U.S. Navy, Ormat Technologies Inc., and Itasca Consulting Group
The proposed FORGE site at Fallon, Nevada, is located on the U.S Navy’s Naval Air Station Fallon. Sandia National Laboratories and its partnering national laboratory, academic institutions, government agencies, and industry stakeholders propose the area as a potential FORGE site because previous analysis has revealed its suitability for research and development of an EGS reservoir. The team will develop additional scientific data including detailed analyses of rock samples, natural seismicity, surface and borehole characteristics, and other geological analyses. It will also generate a 3-D model and plans for potential development of the Fallon site for the FORGE EGS demonstration.
- UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
Key Partners: Utah Geological Survey, Murphy-Brown LLC, Idaho National Laboratory, Temple University, Geothermal Resources Group Inc., and U.S. Geological Survey
The proposed FORGE site outside of Milford City, Utah, may be underlain by large volumes of high temperature granite, potentially conducive to EGS development. The site is located between four and eight kilometers west of several deep wells drilled as part of a geothermal exploration project in 1979. The University of Utah along with its partnering government agency, national laboratory, academic institution, and industry stakeholders will conduct tests and refine models to demonstrate the site’s viability for a dedicated research facility to advance EGS technology.
