[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8665 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8665

  To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct 
   research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
   activities in support of supercritical geothermal and closed-loop 
 geothermal systems in supercritical various conditions, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 7, 2024

Mr. Lucas (for himself and Ms. Salinas) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct 
   research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
   activities in support of supercritical geothermal and closed-loop 
 geothermal systems in supercritical various conditions, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supercritical Geothermal Research 
and Development Act''.

SEC. 2. GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.

    (a) In General.--The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 
is amended--
            (1) in section 612 (42 U.S.C. 17191; relating to 
        definitions)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (8) as paragraph 
                (9); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(8) Supercritical geothermal.--The term `supercritical 
        geothermal' means energy derived from a subsurface rock 
        resource in-situ existing at or above the supercritical 
        conditions of the primary fluid present.'';
            (2) in section 613 (42 U.S.C. 17192; relating to 
        hydrothermal research and development), by striking ``advanced 
        geologic tools to assist'' and inserting ``advanced tools, 
        including machine learning algorithms, to assist'';
            (3) in section 614 (42 U.S.C. 17193; relating to general 
        geothermal systems research and development)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1) of subsection (d), by striking 
                ``among the Office of Fossil Energy, the Office of 
                Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,'' and inserting 
                ``across the Department''; and
                    (B) in subsection (h)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and 
                        publicly available subsurface data, including 
                        data reported as part of fossil fuel and mining 
                        operations,'' after ``geothermal drilling 
                        information''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end 
                        the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(C) Updates.--The repository established under 
                paragraph (1) shall be periodically updated in order to 
                carry out the following:
                            ``(i) Standardize data in a uniform manner 
                        to the maximum extent practicable and enable 
                        analysis across different projects.
                            ``(ii) Enhance the accessibility and 
                        usability of data to increase analysis of 
                        geothermal energy, including enhanced, closed-
                        loop, and supercritical geothermal, on 
                        regional, local, and site-specific scales.
                            ``(iii) Increase uses of data, including 
                        data viewable by map and organization by common 
                        attributes such as region.
                            ``(iv) Make other improvements in 
                        functionality and usability, as determined by 
                        the Secretary.
                    ``(D) Memorandum of understanding.--The Secretary 
                shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 
                Secretary of the Interior, along with the heads of 
                other relevant Federal departments, for notifying, 
                sharing, and providing opportunities for additional 
                data collection regarding shared geothermal development 
                data from projects funded by each such department, 
                including data from mining, critical minerals, and 
                energy projects, such as subsurface heat data, seismic 
                data, lithology data, boundaries of State and federally 
                protected areas, and existing transmission capacity. To 
                the maximum extent practicable, activities conducted 
                under such a memorandum of understanding shall 
                prioritize heat, lithology, and strain profiles through 
                deep exploration boreholes and control points for deep 
                heat mapping and geothermal development.
                    ``(E) Regional deep data probes.--The Secretary 
                shall work with the Secretary of the Interior, who 
                shall be responsible for commissioning the drilling of 
                deep exploration boreholes deeper than eight kilometers 
                in depth in representative geological provinces in the 
                United States to provide control points for deep heat 
                mapping and geothermal development. The resulting data 
                shall include an exploration of heat, lithology, and 
                strain profiles, and shall be shared publicly on the 
                drilling data repository.'';
            (4) in section 615 (42 U.S.C. 17194; relating to enhanced 
        geothermal systems research and development)--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (11), by striking ``and'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in paragraph (12), by striking the 
                        period and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new paragraph:
            ``(13) the research topics specified in subparagraphs (1) 
        through (12) in supercritical conditions.'';
                    (B) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
                following new paragraph:
            ``(8) Supercritical next generation geothermal testing.--
        Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
        paragraph, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be 
        necessary to ensure that at least one FORGE site has the 
        capabilities to include supercritical geothermal testing and, 
        if practicable and technically feasible, closed-loop geothermal 
        systems in supercritical conditions.''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(e) Supercritical Geothermal Research and Development Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--Within the Geothermal Technologies 
        Office of the Department, the Secretary shall support a program 
        of supercritical geothermal research, development, 
        demonstration, and commercial application activities and, if 
        practicable and technically feasible, closed-loop geothermal 
        systems in supercritical conditions.
            ``(2) Focus areas.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The program described in 
                paragraph (1) shall focus on the following topics:
                            ``(i) Well completion.
                            ``(ii) Permeability creation and 
                        management, including proppants and packers.
                            ``(iii) Materials development and equipment 
                        design, including power production, specific to 
                        supercritical geothermal systems.
                            ``(iv) Sensor development.
                            ``(v) Water-rock geochemistry.
                            ``(vi) Rock properties.
                            ``(vii) Hard rock and deep drilling.
                            ``(viii) Any other topics the Secretary 
                        determines necessary.
                    ``(B) Administration.--The Secretary may administer 
                grants to universities and private sector entities to 
                carry out activities on the topics specified in 
                subparagraph (A) and, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, share data, results, and information 
                publicly.
            ``(3) Report on water use.--Not later than five years after 
        the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources and the 
        Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
        Resources of the Senate a report on the following:
                    ``(A) Water use and estimated needs of enhanced 
                geothermal systems.
                    ``(B) Water use and estimated needs for closed-
                loop, and superhot geothermal energy production.
            ``(4) Next generation geothermal center of excellence.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--The Secretary shall award 
                grants through a competitive, merit-reviewed process, 
                to National Laboratories (as such term is defined in 
                section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
                15801)), multi-institutional collaborations, or 
                institutes of higher education (or consortia thereof) 
                for the following:
                            ``(i) The continuation and expansion of 
                        research, development, demonstration, testing, 
                        and commercial application activities 
                        applicable to FORGE sites.
                            ``(ii) The establishment of a next-
                        generation geothermal center of excellence.
                    ``(B) Location.--In selecting institutions of 
                higher education for a center referred to in 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider the 
                following criteria:
                            ``(i) Whether the institution hosts an 
                        existing geothermal energy research and 
                        development program.
                            ``(ii) Whether the institution has proven 
                        technical expertise to support geothermal 
                        energy research.
                            ``(iii) Whether the institution has access 
                        to geothermal resources.
                    ``(C) Purpose.--The center referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) shall coordinate among existing FORGE 
                sites, the Department, and national laboratories to 
                carry out the following:
                            ``(i) Advance research, development, 
                        demonstration, and commercial application of 
                        enhanced geothermal energy technologies, 
                        including supercritical geothermal 
                        technologies, in response to industry and 
                        commercial needs, including by partnering with 
                        other academic or research institutions, 
                        industry, non-governmental organizations, and 
                        State, local, or Tribal governments.
                            ``(ii) Foster collaboration for education, 
                        research, and partnership initiatives in order 
                        to support the technology, deployment, and 
                        workforce needs of the United States geothermal 
                        energy industry, including a focus on enhanced, 
                        closed-loop, and supercritical geothermal 
                        systems.
                            ``(iii) Support workforce development 
                        across the enhanced geothermal energy 
                        development lifecycle.
                            ``(iv) Provide educational, technical, and 
                        analytical assistance on enhanced geothermal 
                        systems to Federal agencies, industry, and 
                        State, local, and Tribal governments.
                            ``(v) Collect and disseminate information 
                        on best practices in all areas relating to 
                        developing and managing geothermal energy 
                        resources and energy systems, including 
                        enhanced, closed-loop, and supercritical 
                        geothermal.
            ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $5,000,000 for 
        each fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out this 
        subsection.''; and
            (5) in section 617 (42 U.S.C. 17196; relating to 
        organization and administration of programs)--
                    (A) in subsection (e), by striking ``Committee on 
                Science and Technology'' and inserting ``Committee on 
                Science, Space, and Technology''; and
                    (B) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
    ``(f) Progress Reports.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this subsection and every two years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that contains the 
following:
            ``(1) A description of the maximum potential of geothermal 
        resources in the United States.
            ``(2) Information relating to the results of projects 
        undertaken under this section.
            ``(3) An assessment of the barriers to commercialization of 
        enhanced, closed-loop, and supercritical geothermal 
        technologies.
            ``(4) Such other information as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.''.
    (b) Update to Geothermal Resource Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--Section 2501 of the Energy Policy Act of 
        1992 (30 U.S.C. 1028) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
                        by inserting ``quadrennially'' before 
                        ``update''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (1)(D)(ii), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (iii) in paragraph (2), by striking the 
                        period and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following new 
                        paragraph:
            ``(3) assessing regions of the United States with 
        significant potential for supercritical geothermal.''; and
                    (B) by striking subsection (d).
            (2) First update.--The first quadrennial update to the 
        geothermal resource assessment carried out by the United States 
        Geological Survey under subsection (c) of section 2501 of the 
        Energy Policy Act of 1992, as amended by paragraph (1), shall 
        be completed by not later than 180 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
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