US To Boost Geothermal Energy Use

More than 190 million acres of federal land in 11 western states and Alaska will be made available to energy companies for the development of geothermal energy in the production of electricity; said the U.S. Department of the Interior. 

Interior Secretary Dick Kempthorne said that “these federal lands hold a huge energy potential”. He added that the geothermal areas under lease could provide 5,540 megawatts of generation capacity by 2015.  This would be enough to meet the energy needs of 5.5 million homes. 

Support for the use of this energy source will be provided by tax breaks passed by Congress this month. 

Geothermal energy comes from sources deep within the earth and can generate electricity with few carbon emissions.  Geothermal energy can also provide heat for buildings, greenhouses, aquaculture and  other activities. 

The United States leads the world in producing electricity from geothermal energy.  Twenty-nine geothermal plants can be found on federal land in California, Nevada and Utah.  These produce 1,250 megawatts  to supply the electricity for 1.2 million homes.

Lands in the National Park System, including Yellowstone, would not be available under the final geothermal plan. 

States would receive half of the revenue from geothermal leasing. Royalties would go to the state where the lease occurred.  The county government would get 25 percent, and the other 25 percent would go to the federal fund to be invested in geothermal development. 

—

On the Net:

• U.S. Department of the Interior