Geothermal energy can provide stable electricity that complements the intermittent power provided by other renewables, such as wind and solar. Creating such enhanced or engineered geothermal systems requires federal funding for research, the scientists say, something the Bush administration did not include in its fiscal year 2007 budget request. Congress allocated $24 million in 2006, and that funding level may be maintained this year, but it is still about half the amount that the report says is needed to develop geothermal into a resource that could power 25 million homes nationwide. "The surface has barely been scratched as far as harnessing the potential of this indigenous resource, not dependent on foreign fuels," Gilles adds. "We would like to see greater efforts exerted towards realizing its full potential."
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Add CommentI think the idea of advanced geothermal is very worthy of assessing. I am a bit confused on cost in the article; One billion dollars for 100 gigawatts comes to about $10 per kw - or is my arithmetic kookie? Is this $1 billion just for drilling? Of course you also need above ground generation. Sounds like a potentially great resource. Steer me to more on the status and economics.
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