美国能源部正在努力在目前不可行的地区扩大地热能的使用。该部门的“Enhanced Geothermal Shot”program, announced Sept. 8, aims to reduce the cost by 90% by 2035 of enhanced geothermal systems for generating power, as part of broader Biden administration efforts to achieve a net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050.

美国能源部长詹妮弗·格兰霍尔姆（Jennifer Granholm）在一份声明中说，将地热技术从研发转移到具有成本效益的商业采用水平将有助于过渡到清洁能源生产。达到90％的降低目标将为地热电源的价格定为每兆瓦45美元。根据美国能源信息管理局的最新信息，今年在美国不同地区，预测批发电价的平均价格在69美元至平均每公里 /小时。short-term energy outlook.

Geothermal power plants work by tapping into wells of hot rock and water at least 4,000 ft underground. The plants use steam from those reservoirs to produce electricity. Currently, varying underground conditions impact the cost-effectiveness or viability of geothermal power in many areas, but DOE officials say enhanced systems could overcome those conditions with artificial reservoirs—potentially allowing for construction of geothermal power plants in just about any part of the U.S.

The U.S. has more than 5 terawatts of heat resources, enough to meet global power needs, Granholm said. Currently, geothermal energy is used to generate just 3.7 GW of electricity in the U.S.

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“The United States has a vast, geothermal energy resource lying right beneath our feet, and this program will make it economical to bring that power to American households and businesses,” Granholm said.

新计划标记了DOE的第四个“能源地球”计划，旨在提高清洁能源和相关技术的进步。其他人则专注于氢，网格规模的能量存储和从大气中从大气中清除二氧化碳。但是该部门已经在通过其地热技术办公室来促进增强的地热和类似工具。

In August, DOE's Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy field laboratory in Utah announced it would provide up to $44 million in funding to test and evaluate new enhanced geothermal tools and techniques. The department also announced $165 million in July for a consortium of experts to develop a geothermal energy roadmap and fund research in gaps the experts identify.

官员们说，DOE还于4月发布了一份信息，以支持8400万美元的增强地热试点项目，这些项目将基于该部门先前的开发工作。新利18备用网址