Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-2304
Sponsor: Rep. McNerney, Jerry [D-CA-11]
Introduced: 2007-05-14 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Air pollution control
Alternative energy sources
Biomass energy
California
Carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Commercialization
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric power production
Energy development
Energy research
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Environmental technology
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to research
Geology
Geothermal resources
Higher education
Hydrogen
Hydrology
Lasers
Mines and mineral resources
Natural gas
Nevada
Oil shales
Oil well drilling
Prospecting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Research and development
Research and development facilities
Research centers
Reservoirs
Science, Technology, Communications
Technological innovations
Technology transfer
Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2007-05-14
text: 
Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007 - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs to expand geothermal energy production from hydrothermal systems.
 
Specifies programs to: (1) develop advanced geophysical, geochemical, and geologic tools to assist in locating hidden hydrothermal resources and increase the reliability of site characterization; (2) demonstrate technologies and techniques of exploratory drilling for undiscovered resources in a variety of geologic settings; (3) research, develop, demonstrate, and apply commercially components and systems capable of withstanding extreme geothermal environments and necessary to develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy; and (4) research, develop, demonstrate, and apply commercially enhanced geothermal systems.
 
Instructs the Secretary to award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish two Centers for Geothermal Technology Transfer.
 
Directs the Secretary to study and report to specified congressional committees on advanced uses of geothermal energy.

action_date: 2007-06-21
text: 
Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act of 2007 - (Sec. 4) Instructs the Secretary of Energy to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs to expand geothermal energy production from hydrothermal systems.
 
Specifies programs to: (1) develop advanced geophysical, geochemical, and geologic tools to assist in locating hidden hydrothermal resources and increase the reliability of site characterization; and (2) demonstrate technologies and techniques of exploratory drilling for undiscovered resources in a variety of geologic settings.
 
 (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of subsurface components and systems capable of withstanding extreme geothermal environments and necessary to develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy.
 
Directs the Secretary also to support such programs to: (1) create models of geothermal reservoir performance; and (2) mitigate or preclude potential adverse environmental impacts of geothermal energy development, production, or use.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to support research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs for: (1) enhanced geothermal systems; (2) enhanced geothermal systems reservoir stimulation technologies and techniques; and (3) geothermal energy production from oil and gas fields and production and recovery of energy from geopressured resources.
 

 
(Sec. 8) Sets forth federal cost share, organization, and administration requirements for projects under this Act. Requires the Secretary to allow a competitive bidding process to play a role in determining the final cost-share ratio.
 
(Sec. 9) Instructs the Secretary to award grants for five-year periods to institutions of higher education (or consortia of them) for establishment of two Centers for Geothermal Technology Transfer, including a Hydrothermal Center and an Enhanced Geothermal Systems Center, to serve as information clearinghouses.
 
(Sec. 10) Requires the Secretary to expand the Department of Energy's GeoPowering the West program, renamed &quot;GeoPowering America,&quot; to extend its geothermal technology transfer activities throughout the entire United States. Continues to base the program in the Department of Energy office in Golden, Colorado.
 
(Sec. 11) Directs the Secretary to study and report to specified congressional committees on: (1) advanced technologies to maximize geothermal resources; (2) progress of projects under this Act; and (3) legal and regulatory barriers to such projects.
 
(Sec. 13) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-05-06
text: Hearing Held by Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Prior to Introduction and Referral (May 17, 2007).
action_date: 2007-06-21
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 122.
action_date: 2007-06-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-203.
action_date: 2007-06-21
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-203.
action_date: 2007-06-13
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
action_date: 2007-06-13
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-06-06
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2007-06-06
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-05-31
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2007-05-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
action_date: 2007-05-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-05-14
text: Introduced in House