Utah is among three states in the West with federal lands boasting vast geothermal resources that are part of an upcoming auction to turn on emission free, baseload power.
The Bureau of Land Management said it will hold a competitive geothermal lease sale later this month in Sacramento (next Wednesday, after the GRC Annual Meeting & GEA GeoExpo+), offering parcels in California, Nevada and Utah. For Utah, it will be the first time federal geothermal resources have been up for bid in six years.
A total of 15,782 acres of public lands in the Beaver and Milford area will be offered as part of the U.S. Department of Interior's goal of developing 10,000 megawatts of non-hydro renewable energy.
Utah already produces 59 megawatts of energy from geothermal resources, but at least a dozen projects are in some stage of development that could produce more emissions-free power generation. One of the state's two power generating stations that use geothermal — Cove Fort — is part of an exploratory expansion project that could amp production, according to an announcement made in 2015.
