Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act

This bill amends federal energy law to expand Department of Energy research on next-generation geothermal energy, including closed-loop systems and systems operating at very high (supercritical) temperatures. It creates a research program with milestone-based grants for deep drilling, a geothermal center of excellence, and grants for commercial and surface-facility technologies, authorizing $5 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It directs the Interior Department to commission exploration boreholes deeper than 8 kilometers and share the data publicly. It also requires the U.S. Geological Survey to update geothermal resource assessments every four years and requires reports on water use and on progress.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Catherine Cortez Masto Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors