Spotlight on Women in Geothermal – Terra Rogers, Clean Air Task Force
Spotlight on Women in Geothermal - Terra Rogers
Carlo Cariaga
8 Oct 2024
In this special feature on Women in Geothermal, we highlight Terra Rogers and her work in championing for superhot rock energy.
The USA Chapter of Women in Geothermal has been running a series of “Spotlight on Women” features highlighting the important role of women in the geothermal sector.
From this series, we are now feature Terra Rogers, Program Director for Superhot Rock Energy at Clean Air Task Force.
Click here to read the full “Spotlight on Women in Geothermal” feature on Terra Rogers.
Terra initially worked as a chemical engineer after graduating from the Colorado School of Mines. She then pursued an MBA from the Harvard Business School, which led to her developing an interest in renewable energy, and eventually to the field of geothermal energy.
A pivot to geothermal
Terra’s technical background and experience, paired with an interest in energy solutions, eventually led her to explore renewable energy sources. As her career evolved, she recognized the potential of geothermal energy as an underutilized yet incredibly potent source of clean and consistent power. This realization sparked her pivot into geothermal, where she believed her skills in engineering, data analysis, and communication could make a significant impact.
Today, as the Program Director for Superhot Rock (SHR) Energy at the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), Rogers is pioneering efforts to harness the potential of this technology. SHR geothermal taps into the subsurface temperatures exceeding 400°C, which provides higher energy density for power generation and may make geothermal projects feasible on a global scale.
For Rogers, this technology represents a key opportunity to reshape the future of clean energy, offering a more scalable and reliable solution compared to existing renewable options.
The importance of information
Rogers recognizes that there is a significant gap in public understanding and awareness of geothermal energy, particularly SHR. She also believes that a geothermal policy backed by unbiased reporting is key to enabling the development of projects both locally and internationally. In an industry that hopes to get more interest from venture capital, sharing information publicly can attract investors but may also jeopardize intellectual property. Therefore, a regulated ecosystem for data sharing is essential.
To tackle this challenge, Rogers has focused on advocacy and education. She understands the importance of sharing accurate, compelling information with diverse stakeholders—from government officials who can shape policy to industry leaders who can drive innovation. Terra and the SHR team at CATF are preparing five technology gap reports that aim to describe the limiting factors for SHR, hoping to help inform policy decisions to foster a more transparent and secure environment for innovation and project development.
Recently, Rogers testified on behalf of H.R. 8665 the Supercritical Geothermal Research and Development Act, to the US House of Representatives – which, according to Rogers, was a “significant step toward recognizing the unparalleled potential of the next generations of geothermal energy in the US energy portfolio”.
Don’t think small
To someone trying to start in the geothermal industry, Terra advises not to think small. This underscores her belief in the massive potential of geothermal to disrupt the global energy market. It is this belief that fuels her passion to drive the activation of funding for geothermal projects, recognizing that costs can reduced if there is a wider recognition of the terawatt-scale potential of geothermal.
Rogers continues to advocate for a venture-backed first-of-its-kind geothermal project that shows the energy density of a SHR system. She believes that international collaboration and knowledge sharing are crucial, recognizing similar advancements in EGS would not have been possible without collaboration.
Terra’s vision is for the geothermal industry to leverage these cross-industry innovations and international collaborations to realize its full potential. By doing so, geothermal energy can become a major player in the global energy market, providing a sustainable, energy-dense power source.
Past Women in Geothermal highlights:
