The Biden administration unveiled new initiatives on Thursday to accelerate the development of geothermal energy on U.S. public lands, including the approval of a significant geothermal project in Utah and efforts to streamline permitting processes. These measures support President Joe Biden's objective to eliminate climate-warming emissions from the power sector by 2035.
“Geothermal energy is one of our greatest untapped clean energy resources on public lands,” said Steve Feldgus, principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, underscoring the importance of geothermal energy as a consistent, weather-independent source of renewable energy.
The administration approved the Fervo Cape Geothermal Power Project in Beaver County, Utah, which could generate up to 2 gigawatts of power, potentially providing electricity to over 2 million homes. Currently, the U.S. has less than 4 GW of geothermal electric capacity, according to the Department of Energy.
To further promote geothermal development, the Department of the Interior proposed a new categorical exclusion that would streamline the permitting process for exploration and production. The exclusion would cover projects up to 20 acres in size, significantly reducing approval times and cutting costs for companies looking to harness geothermal resources.
The announcement comes at a time of growing electricity demand, fueled in part by the rise of data centers and advancements in AI technology. In August, Meta Platforms committed to purchasing geothermal power to supply its U.S. data centers.
