Wednesday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced an initiative that is being called “Heat Beneath Our Feet” (HBOF) as his 2023 Western Governors’ Association (WGA) Chair initiative at the Western Governors’ Association meeting.
He referenced HBOF as a bold initiative that will jump-start the development of geothermal energy generation for Colorado and the West. HBOF and the exploration of geothermal energy generation is an innovative approach to expanding clean energy resources, saving people money, and promoting bipartisan partnership with the other Western States.
“As the incoming Chair of the bipartisan Western Governors Association, I am excited to establish the Heat Beneath Our Feet as my initiative because geothermal energy is an opportunity to save people money, boost local economies, and help us achieve 100 percent renewable energy in Colorado by 2040,” said Polis. “I look forward to making progress towards clean, lower-cost power through the Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative and the strong bipartisan partnership of the WGA that will lead geothermal energy innovation.”
Polis Administration goal: achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2040
The hot springs throughout Colorado are indicators of what lies beneath our feet. Featured image, Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Chaffee County, Colo. Image courtesy of Instagram.
According to the governor’s office, geothermal energy provides new resources to advance the goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2040 and ensuring other states have that opportunity to develop renewable energy technology. While the announcement on Wednesday was short on details, the Polis administration promises that more details will be incorporated into a formal announcement in Colorado in the next few weeks.
Through the HBOF initiative, the WGA will evaluate geothermal energy technology development in the Western States and assess the potential benefits it would offer. Geothermal energy is a renewable resource that can generate electricity or provide heating and cooling for buildings and water.
The U.S. possesses approximately 25 percent of the world’s installed geothermal energy capacity, and 95 percent of that is in the Western States. Bringing the WGA bipartisan leadership focus to exploration provides an opportunity for collaborative development.
An advantage of geothermal energy generation is the significant cost-cutting opportunities. Geothermal heat pumps are estimated to save people 30 to 60 percent in annual energy costs and have a lifespan of more than double that of current heating systems, saving people money on long-term investments. Geothermal energy can also boost local economies by creating jobs and relying on American-made energy sources.
A Plethora of Congratulations from Various Colorado Energy Providers
“Tri-State applauds our Western Governors’ leadership in launching The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative,” said Duane Highley, CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. “Exploring and validating the West’s abundant geothermal resources advances the potential for much needed emissions-free dispatchable power at a time when conventional base load resources are retiring from service.”
“Xcel Energy Colorado is excited about the Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative as geothermal electric generation and ground-source heating are both important advanced technology solutions to further decarbonize our system toward a net zero future,” said Xcel Energy-Colorado President Robert Kenney.
“Geothermal technology solutions can provide the important emissions-free electricity we need when the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining while supporting our customers’ heating needs and a robust energy grid,” he added. “The coordinated technology advancement contemplated by the Heat Beneath Our Feet Initiative, working with our electric plans and Clean Heat Plans, is exactly what we need in the West to foster innovation and new technology,”
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo. specializes in the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy systems integration, and sustainable transportation. NREL is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of Energy and operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy
“The Western United States is blessed with enormous geothermal resource potential. This resource can be tapped for heating and cooling, electricity production, and even energy storage and mineral production. It is always available and thus a natural complement to variable renewable energy sources, providing firm capacity to stabilize grids and allowing decarbonization of heating and cooling,” said Laboratory Program Manager for Geothermal at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Dr. Amanda Kolker.
“Despite all this, growth in the U.S. geothermal sector has been slow over the past three decades,” she added. “If we are serious about decarbonizing energy in the Western U.S., we need to start taking advantage of the heat beneath our feet.”
“Denver Pipefitters Local #208 couldn’t be more excited about Governor Polis’s 2023 WGA chair initiative ‘The Heat Beneath Our Feet’! Utilizing Geothermal technologies for power generation and building heating/cooling needs will be critical to addressing climate change,” said Denver Pipefitters Local #208 Business Manager Gary Arnold. “Not only is geothermal a clean source for electricity generation and building HVAC needs but it also allows trade professionals like Pipefitters to continue valuable middle-class careers. With project examples like Colorado State Universities, Moby Complex Geo-X system, and the National Western Stock Show’s Energy Plant, geothermal technologies have shown tremendous possibilities for both workers and climate advocates. Our future should not penalize the many middle-class workers in our state that perform tirelessly to provide comfort to our communities. Instead we should recognize their efforts and utilize their talents for a shared better future.”
“The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative marks an important step forward for the geothermal industry, building on recent technology breakthroughs and market developments currently driving a resurgence in our sector. Fervo Energy applauds Governor Polis and the Western Governor’s Association for their leadership in tapping the enormous potential of geothermal to be a key enabler of a secure, cost-effective, and carbon-free power grid throughout the western United States,” said Co-Founder, and CEO, of Fervo Energy, Tim Latimer. (Fervo Energy is a next-generation geothermal energy developer.)
“Geothermal energy represents an exciting and enormous opportunity for Colorado and the United States in the rapid move to a low-carbon energy system. It is a secure, predictable, and renewable resource that can benefit homeowners and businesses alike. Geothermal energy can make use of the skills and experience of Colorado’s cutting-edge workforce and regulations, and continue to make the state a leader in the clean energy revolution,” said Morgan D. Bazilian, Ph.D. Director, Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines.
“Consumers in the West are supportive of partnerships and initiatives that overcome market barriers to delivering low-cost energy, build local economies, and meet state policy goals. The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative brings together the right parties to tap into the beneficial potential of geothermal energy,” said Cindy Schonhaut, Director, Colorado Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate.
“The environmental benefits of geothermal energy generation could improve all Western states’ impact on the environment.,” she added. “Geothermal energy provides a cleaner, more reliable energy source. In Colorado, HBOF geothermal initiative offers a new pathway to clean energy and could be a key factor in the Polis administration’s goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2040.”
Progress on Geothermal During the 2022 Legislative Session
Governor Polis signed two bipartisan bills to spark the conversation about geothermal research, education, and implementation in Colorado. HB22-1381 is set to launch in the fall of 2022 and will provide grants to homeowners, local governments, and private organizations that want to research, develop, and invest in geothermal processes. SB22-118 is a bipartisan bill passed to offer education and guidance for consumers of geothermal energy sources and create business models for geothermal projects in the state.
“There is no better time to turn WGA’s attention to the ‘Heat Beneath Our Feet,'” said Paul Thomsen, Vice President at Ormat Technologies. (Ormat supplies alternative and renewable geothermal energy technology). “Geothermal energy is a zero-emission resource that can yield the highest economic value of any renewable resource in the West. It is also uniquely positioned to address the emerging resiliency and resource adequacy challenges of the next decade.”
The geothermal sector is growing and poised to be a robust economic generator. A number of businesses have embraced the entrepreneurial spirit in this space and are receiving the funding and resources to be on the front lines of developing new geothermal technologies.
Through Governor Polis’s Chair initiative Heat Beneath Our Feet and the WGA’s bipartisan partnerships, Western states will lead the development and exploration of geothermal energy resources. For more information visit: https://westgov.org/initiatives/
Featured image: Flash Steam Geothermal Power Plant in Nevada. Photo courtesy Dennis Schroeder, NREL. According to NREL, Flash Steam power plants are the most common and use geothermal reservoirs of water with temperatures greater than 360°F (182°C)
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