The 2023 Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC) was MicroThermal Energy’s, and many others, first year attending. This was the 51st year of the GRC, and the best attended yet with over 1500 attendees. The enthusiastic support emulated from near and far. The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, even made a virtual appearance to show her support for geothermal energy.
On the first day, I wore a hat for the Women in Geothermal (WING) ‘Tip Your Hat’ promotion that said “This actually is my first rodeo” which resonated with other people who were also attending for the first time. WING had several other events and celebrated 10 years since the organization was started. During the WING happy hour, the mission of WING was restated and emphasized that geothermal is an industry welcoming to everyone. If you would like to become a member of WING, you can sign up here: Join WING – Women In Geothermal
The content of GRC started strong. The first plenary session was on diversity, equity, and inclusion which was a warm welcome. The geothermal industry ranges in technologies, from shallow heat pumps for homes to large industrial drilling operations, and every one of these sectors needs not just diverse people, but diverse thinking to succeed. Each type of geothermal technology shares the common goal of revolutionizing the energy industry for a sustainable future, and we will only achieve this by working together.
One project that had multiple presentations at the GRC was the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) project. The FORGE project is of great interest to me because it is an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project that is proving the economic feasibility of creating a reservoir for fluids to be heated to generate electricity. FORGE, like many geothermal projects for electricity production, is in the western United States, but projects are now beginning to develop in other states, like Texas.
Geothermal Rising now has Regional Interest Groups (RIGs) for various states and regions around the United States. I had the pleasure of meeting other members of the Texas, Louisiana, & Oklahoma RIG at GRC and I look forward to more GR events in my region. To become involved with a RIG in your area, sign up here: Regional Interest Groups (RIGs) | Geothermal Rising :: Using the Earth to Save the Earth
The GRC was a valuable event to attend, where leaders in the geothermal industry shared knowledge and connected with each other. If you are interested in becoming a member of GR, you can sign up here: Membership | Geothermal Rising :: Using the Earth to Save the Earth