U.S. Department of Defense expands engagement with next-generation geothermal

Air Force defenders at the 2023 Defender Flag event at Fort Bliss, Texas (source: Senior Airman Antonio Salfran, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Carlo Cariaga 17 Apr 2024

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has engaged with three more geothermal companies in its initiative to enhance the energy resilience of its facilities with geothermal energy. This expands on the four geothermal projects that the DoD had announced in late 2023.

The three companies and the respective DoD installations where they will deploy their novel geothermal technologies are as follows:

• Fervo Energy, at the forefront of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (GE) research, will explore the EGS potential at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon in Nevada;
• GreenFire Energy will explore the potential of deploying their GreenLoop closed-loop geothermal technology at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro in California; and
• Sage Geosystems, which is working on geothermal energy utilization from geopressured geothermal systems (GGS), will be conducting activities at the Fort Bliss Army installation in Texas.

With this set of new projects, the DoD now has seven installations where geothermal use is actively being evaluated and explored.

Exploring different geothermal solutions

“The U.S. Army is excited to explore the potential for hot dry rock geothermal systems at Fort Bliss through the unique application of technology from both the traditional geothermal industry as well as leveraging innovations from the oil and gas sector,” said Michael Jones of the Army Office of Energy Initiatives. “We are seeking to deploy novel geothermal technologies and techniques to ensure our installations remain energy resilient while lowering our carbon footprint.”

Sage Geosystems will be exploring the potential to deploy GGS technology for energy production, but also the potential synergies for direct thermal use, energy storage, and dispatchable power to support cost-effective energy resilience.

“We are focused on scaling our innovative GGS technology and are thrilled to have the support of the U.S. government in showcasing the advantages of hot dry rock geothermal,” said Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems. “Energy resilience for the U.S. military is essential in an increasingly digital and electric world and we are pleased to help the U.S. Army and DIU to support energy resilience at Fort Bliss.”

Andy Sabin, a Navy geothermal Subject Matter Expert, indicated that “past geothermal exploration efforts suggest that NAS Fallon is ideally suited for enhanced geothermal systems to be deployed onsite.  Additionally, the geology at NAF El Centro looks promising for leveraging advanced geothermal systems to support energy resiliency for the Navy.”

For the Naval Air Facility El Centro in California, GreenFire will be evaluating the deployment of their GreenLoop® technology to generate electricity independent from the grid during external power disruptions. The versatility of GreenLoop technology enables the creation of tailored solutions for energy-intensive organizations seeking energy assurance.

“GreenFire Energy is honored to be selected. By integrating advanced geothermal technology within its energy portfolio, the Naval Air Facility El Centro is not only poised to achieve unparalleled energy security but also to set a benchmark for sustainable military practices worldwide,” said Steven Brown, President, GreenFire Energy Inc.

Through the deployment of geothermal technologies, the DoD aims to provide local and carbon-free energy supply to these facilities that will not be compromised by external disruptions. The initiative is also in line with 10 USC 2920 and Executive Order 14057 that requires all critical missions at DoD installations to achieve 99.9% energy resilience by 2030 and Federal agencies to achieve 50% 24/7 carbon-free energy.

Source: Defense Innovation Unit, Sage Geosystems via BusinessWire, and GreenFire Energy