SMUâs David Blackwell touts nationwide geothermal energy potential at Capitol Hill science briefing
SMU Geothermal energy expert David Blackwell gave a Capitol Hill briefing recently on the growing opportunities for geothermal energy production in the United States, calling “unconventional" geothermal techniques a potential game changer for US energy policy. Blackwell’s presentation outlined the variety of techniques available for geothermal production of electricity, the accessibility of unconventional geothermal resources across vast portions of the United States and the opportunities for synergy with the oil and gas industry. SMU’s geothermal energy research is at the forefront of the movement to expand geothermal energy production in the United States. Blackwell and Maria Richards, the SMU Geothermal Lab coordinator, released research in October that documents significant geothermal resources across the United States capable of producing more than three million megawatts of green power -- 10 times the installed capacity of coal power plants today. Sophisticated mapping produced from the research, viewable via Google Earth, demonstrates that vast reserves of this green, renewable source of power generated from the Earth’s heat are realistically accessible using current technology.