May 18, 2026
The Honorable Mike Lee-Chairman; The Honorable Martin Heinrich-Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Lee and Ranking Member Heinrich,
Thank you for your continued attention to the state of the nation’s power system. As electricity demand continues to grow rapidly, we encourage the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to prioritize geothermal energy as part of its upcoming work.
Geothermal energy can play a critical role in meeting this historic surge in electricity demand. Advances in drilling and subsurface engineering—many adapted from the oil and gas industry—have enabled the development of next-generation technologies, transforming geothermal into a scalable, reliable, and firm clean energy resource. These technologies can help address the dual challenge of rising electricity demand and maintaining affordability. Given the small environmental footprint, with responsible leasing and permitting, geothermal can be deployed relatively quickly, and provide continuous, cost-competitive power for utilities, manufacturers, and communities. However, achieving the 100+ GW potential identified by the Department of Energy (DOE) will require targeted legislative action to address key barriers to scaling, an area where the Committee is uniquely positioned to lead.
First, DOE has identified the need for increased research, development, and commercialization funding to scale the next-generation geothermal industry by 2030. These investments are important to reduce technical and environmental risks, attract lower-cost private capital, and advance earlier-stage technologies like superhot resources. Without early federal support for first-of-a-kind deployments, the industry risks slower progress and reduced investment momentum, which could impact U.S. leadership in geothermal as other countries, including China, continue to invest in the sector. With jurisdiction over DOE research, development, and deployment programs, the Committee is well positioned to help advance these efforts.
Second, permitting timelines remain a key challenge, despite the presence of domestic supply chains and workforces. Given the Committee’s expertise and bipartisan interest in geothermal, there is an opportunity to modernize geothermal leasing and permitting processes and ensure agencies have the expertise needed to review projects in a timely manner. These steps would help enable responsible, science-based development while maintaining strong environmental and community protections.
As the 119th Congress continues to work, we stand ready to provide technical assistance and support to help advance these measures and strengthen U.S. leadership in next-generation geothermal. We encourage the Committee to continue advancing geothermal policies to ensure this technology is equipped to meet our nation’s most urgent energy and security challenges.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. We appreciate the Committee’s leadership on these issues and stand ready to assist however we can.
Sincerely,
400C Energy
ACORE
American Conservation Coalition Action
Baker Hughes
Bipartisan Policy Center Action
Blade Energy Partners, Ltd.
CEBA
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Clean Air Task Force
ClearPath Action
Climate Innovation Action
Devon Energy
Eavor
Federation of American Scientists
Fervo Energy
Geothermal Rising Action
GreenFire Energy
Inclusive Abundance Action
Institute for Progress
National Wildlife Federation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Ormat Technologies, Inc.
PowerPlanet
Quaise Energy
Sage Geosystems Inc.
Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)
Sierra Club
SLB
The Nature Conservancy
Third Way
World Resources Institute
XGS Energy
CC: Members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources