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| Flow test at Theystareykir, Iceland. By Bastien Poux, Pontoise, France. Honorable Mention GRC Photo Contest 2017 |
The Trump administration is looking to carve out a place for geothermal energy in its energy abundance agenda, starting several initiatives to help the undervalued renewable resource expand beyond the volcanic Pacific region.
The Trump administration is brainstorming ideas that could help the industry, particularly in expanding its use eastward, where geothermal is more difficult to tap because there is less volcanic activity than in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Energy Department’s request for information, called “Identifying Opportunities to Address Barriers for Lowering the Cost and Risk of Geothermal Drilling,” said the agency “is specifically interested in information on defining major challenges in geothermal drilling and identifying opportunities in research and development and process improvement, including opportunities to collaborate on best practices with other drilling industries.”