U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Geothermal Technologies Program
Education Links
This page contains education links about geothermal energy for kids, teachers, and universities.
Kids
Teachers
Universities
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Alabama
Box 870276
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0276
Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) Research activities at the University of Alabama are conducted in the GeoCool Lab. The laboratory includes a variety of ground-coupled, groundwater, lake water, and water-to-air heat-pump systems, as well as conventional HVAC equipment and an ice thermal storage system. The GeoCool Lab also publishes Outside the Loop, a newsletter for geothermal heat pump designers and installers. The publication is funded by Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC)."
900 University Avenue
Riverside, CA 92521
Phone: (909) 787-1012
Programs within the Department of Earth Sciences include coursework in Geothermics.
Center for Energy and Combustion Research (CECR)
9500 Gilman Drive, EBU IIo
La Jolla, CA 92093-0411
The CECR emphasizes on finding solutions to "fundamental problems deriving from the interrelated physical, biological, economic, political, and social consequences of people's need for energy, and fostering and supporting combustion science."
Research includes energy conservation for home and industrial use; evaluation of advanced fossil-fuel technologies; oil recovery from heavy oil sources, tar sands and oil shale; developments of advanced fuel cells, and investigations of geothermal and renewable energy sources.
Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering
"GeoCrack"
Manhattan, KS 66506
Phone: (785) 532-5610
The focus the program is modelling flow in fractured rocks. The primary application is geothermal reservoirs, where such capability is needed to simulate systems in which re-injection is used to circulate the fluid. However, GeoCrack has also been expanded to other applications. Development of the Geocrack3D program is supported by the US Department of Energy and the post-MTC Project (Murphy Project) by NEDO in Japan.
Buildings and Thermal Systems Research Group
Stillwater, OK 74078-8014
"Research of the Building and Environmental Thermal Systems Research Group of Oklahoma State University includes building heat transfer, HVAC systems modeling, building energy simulation, hydronic heating systems, geothermal heat pump systems and ground loop heat exchanger technology."
OSU is also the home of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, whose goal is to "promote the growth and advancement of the geothermal industry while ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of installed systems." The IGSHPA can be contacted at:
490 Cordell South
Stillwater, OK 74078-8018
Phone: (405) 744-5175
Fax: (405) 744-5283
Geo-Heat Center
3201 Campus Dr.
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
Phone: (541) 885-1750
Fax: (541) 885-1754
This organization supports development of geothermal energy resources. Although they are not a research funding source they do provide technical assistance in related technology development or applications. OIT also provides a clearinghouse service for geothermal development grants. Research at the Geo-Heat Center is supported in part by the US Department of Energy.
Certification Program in Energy Studies
PO Box 195
Pomona, NJ 08240
Phone: (609) 652-1776
Energy studies is an interdisciplinary program designed to educate students in problems associated with energy usage and to pose methods for possible solutions to those problems. "Energy prices and supplies are a major concern for homeowners, business people, and industry. The majority of residential and commercial buildings in the United States will have their energy efficiency drastically upgraded during the next decade. The geothermal heat pump project at Stockton is serving as a national model for such upgrades"
Geothermal Lab
PO Box 0395
3225 Daniel
Dallas, TX 75275-0395
Phone: (214) 768-2749
Fax: (214) 768-2741
The SMU Geothermal Laboratory is an educational/ research arm of the Department of Geological Sciences. The Geothermal Laboratory measures various parameters relating to the thermal field of the Earth and applies these observations to areas such the geothermal resources, plate tectonics behavior and the mapping of Earth's thermal properties at the surface and subsurface levels.
Department of Petroleum Engineering
[Stanford Geothermal Program]
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-2220
Phone: (650) 723-4744
The goal of the Stanford Geothermal Program is to develop reservoir engineering techniques for efficient production of geothermal resources. The primary focus is to investigate reinjection into vapor-dominated reservoirs such as The Geysers.
Mackay School of Mines and College of Engineering
Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy
Mackay School of Mines/168
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, Nevada 89557
The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy at the University of Nevada, Reno focuses on locating and optimizing geothermal energy resources. The Center's team of scientists specializes in geochemistry, hydrogeology, geophysics, thermodynamics, remote sensing, seismology and structural geology (geologic mapping).
Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC)
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND 58202
Phone: (701) 777-2011
The EERC has an interdisciplinary approach to energy and environmental research. Studies begin with fundamental evaluation and characterization of the Earth's resources, followed by research into the development of innovative technologies to extract and use these resources in an efficient and environmentally safe manner. Research includes the development of analytical techniques in chemistry, mineralogy, and engineering, and applications in the areas of coal, oil, gas, biomass, geothermal energy conversion technologies, solid, liquid, and gaseous emissions; groundwater, mined lands, and energy conversion residuals.
423 Wakara Way, Suite 203
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
84108-1210
Phone: (801) 581-5126
Fax: (801) 585-3540
The Geothermal Energy Unit performs basic and applied research in geothermal exploration, reservoir delineation, drilling and logging, and production. It has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy for more than 20 years, and works closely with the geothermal industry to improve geothermal technology.
Department of Geological Sciences
1046 Derring Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0422
Phone:(540) 231-8912
Fax:(540) 231-3386
The southeastern United States Geothermal Data at the Regional Geophysics Laboratory in the Department of Geological Sciences at the Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University, provides information on terrestrial heat flow and practical applications of low-temperature geothermal energy. The geothermal energy database includes temperature data from hundreds of temperature and other geophysical logs, rock thermal conductivity, and heat flow values from New Jersey to Georgia. The program is funded primarily by the US Department of Energy.
WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Program
925 Plum Street SE, Bldg. #4
P.O. Box 43165
Olympia, WA 98504-3165
and
WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Program
222 North Havana
Spokane, WA 99202
Phone: (509) 477-6700
The Energy Program is housed within the Washington State University's Cooperative Extension and conducts research, develops tools, and disseminates information to enable people to make informed decisions about energy. The program has been affiliated with the University since 1996. Previously it was part of the state energy office.
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