U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Geothermal Technologies Program

Vision, Mission and Goals

GTP is committed to achieving EGS technology readiness by 2015. While the program's vision and mission reflect the longer-term goal of cost competitive power production, demonstrating EGS technology readiness in the near-term is key. Specific activities for the next seven years that lead to achieving GTP's vision, mission, and goals are detailed in the draft Multi-Year Research, Development, and Demonstration Plan: 2009-2015 with Program Activities to 2025, which can be reviewed and commented upon here.

Our Vision

Geothermal energy will be a major source of clean, renewable, domestic, baseload electricity.

Our Mission

GTP will conduct research, development, and demonstration to establish EGS as a major contributor for electricity generation.

Our Goals

GTP's broad strategic goal is to develop the technology base that creates and sustains commercial-scale EGS reservoirs. This strategic direction is supported by two performance goals:

  • Develop a 5-MW proof-of-principle demonstration of EGS technologies by 2015. This goal is targeted at achieving two DOE Joule Milestones:

    • By 2009, determine actual pre-stimulation reservoir flow rate for at least one EGS field site.
    • By 2010, select a stimulation design plan predicting an increased reservoir flow rate of 10% or at least 10kg/second above EGS.
  • Validate the sustainability of at least a 5-MW EGS project by 2020.