The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has said that tapping a mere 5% of the geothermal energy beneath the U.S. could reduce our dependence on coal-fired power by one-third. Furthermore, researchers say this is achievable by 2050.
So how is progress on this renewable energy front? Slow.
A lack of research and development funding, as well as high financial risk involved with drilling deep-earth wells has kept geothermal a relatively small player in the renewable energy sector.
"The Great Forgotten Clean-Energy Source: Geothermal" discusses the barriers geothermal companies must overcome to bring this abundant energy supply online for American consumers.
