Writer Callie Patteson interviewed WISER Director Sam Taylor for her story on how geothermal could emerge as an expanded energy option in the United States, thanks to technologies developed by the oil and gas industries.
“There’s a lot of parallels,” Taylor told the Washington Examiner. “That’s part of why it’s been exciting work, it really is taking a set of tools we’re pretty familiar with and applying it in a really different way.”
“There’s a lot of parallels,” Taylor told the Washington Examiner. “That’s part of why it’s been exciting work, it really is taking a set of tools we’re pretty familiar with and applying it in a really different way.”
By using these advanced drilling methods, companies can access heat deep within the Earth to generate clean, reliable, carbon-free electricity. Startups like Fervo Energy and Sage Geosystems, supported by major tech firms including Google and Meta, are demonstrating that geothermal energy can provide consistent baseload power without emissions, unlike wind or solar. While challenges such as high costs, slow permitting, and grid integration remain, experts believe these innovations could make geothermal a major player in the clean energy transition within the next few years.
Use this link for the full article in the Washington Examiner.
Researchers at West Virginia University are studying data from an exploratory geothermal well drilled in Morgantown, W.Va., to assess the potential for geothermal energy development in West Virginia and the broader Mid-Appalachian region. Their published findings are available here.
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