Bipartisan support for geothermal energy in House

(The Center Square) – While cuts in the federal budget resolution have dealt a blow to some renewable energy sources, the door is left open to develop others.

Among the clean options in the state’s “all of the above” energy plan still eligible for federal tax incentives is geothermal energy, a resource a bipartisan group of House legislators hopes to capitalize on with new legislation.

Reps. Arvind Venkat, D-Pittsburgh; Craig Daniels, R-Chadds Ford; and Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Philadelphia, hope to “establish regulatory clarity that will allow the development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Pennsylvania.”

“If we are serious about an affordable, clean, and reliable energy future, we need to create the right conditions for enhanced geothermal to thrive,” said Fiedler, who serves as Chair of the Pennsylvania House Energy Committee. “That means ensuring a stable regulatory environment that gives industry the confidence to invest in this game-changing technology.”

The conversation comes as Pennsylvanians raise concerns about energy demands posed by data centers and the environmental consequences of continued fossil fuel use. Meanwhile, nuclear energy, which has also found favor with federal policymakers, offers a mixed bag of promise and problems for the state. The conversation is largely steered by policy impacts on energy costs for everyday consumers.

“One of the biggest complaints I hear from constituents is the burden of energy costs on their families. I am constantly on the hunt for new, affordable energy generation to help them,” said Williams, R-Delaware/Chester. “I am encouraged by and most interested in localized geothermal, which might alleviate the use of expensive electricity for home heating and cooling. That would be a huge cost-savings victory for our people, if we can draw that technology to the Commonwealth.”

Geothermal energy draws on the earth’s internal heat to generate electricity. The bill’s sponsors say that the state’s expertise gained from drilling for oil and gas give Pennsylvania an edge in attracting geothermal startups.

The bill would assist in that process by creating a framework within which geothermal energy producers can operate. It would allow for the repurposing of the state’s problematic orphan wells in service of geothermal wells and create a permitting process within the Department of Environmental Protection.

“This legislation would enable us to make bold investments in this new innovation so that millions of Pennsylvanians have access to clean, locally sourced energy that is potentially limitless and always on power,” said Venkat. “We have been a national leader in energy production, and working with this new technology would allow Pennsylvania to continue leading the future of energy.”