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US DOE selects semi-finalists for Geothermal Student Competition

US DOE selects semi-finalists for Geothermal Student Competition Students from the 2011 National Geothermal Academy at the Ormat Steamboat Springs property (source: Wendy Calvin)
Alexander Richter 13 May 2013

The U.S. Department of Energy announces four semi-finalists in final round of U.S. National Geothermal Student Competition, with a potential award of $5,500 for business plans addressing barriers to geothermal development and sound technical solutions.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of four semi-finalists to advance to the final round in the National Geothermal Student Competition, an inter-collegiate contest that positions geothermal energy as a contender in the global race for clean energy. Now in its third year, this cutting-edge effort at America’s leading research universities harnesses the excitement of geology and geoscience to explore solutions and technologies that could reduce the cost and risks of deploying geothermal energy.

Emphasizing a White House pledge to accelerate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, the nationwide student competition selected four student teams based on project concepts that could lead to breakthroughs in their home states. Based on the quality of their work plan and research, semi-finalists selected to advance into the final round of the competition are:

  • University of Rochester
  • Oregon Institute of Technology
  • University of South Dakota – LTEC
  • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Student teams will receive an award of $5,500 to complete their business plans, addressing barriers to geothermal development and sound technical solutions. Winners will be announced in June, when they will present their findings before a gathering of geothermal industry leaders.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) coordinates the annual competition through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Learn more about the competition on the ORISE website. GTO accelerates the development and deployment of clean, domestic geothermal energy by investing in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Source: DOE