Snake River Plain
An ideal location for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and a candidate for the EERE FORGE Laboratory
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We love talking about geothermal energy and EGS; please let us know if you need a speaker for an upcoming event.
Virtual Snake River Plain
Researchers from the SRGC are creating a "Virtual Snake River Plain" to view, analyze, and share data in unique ways.
We're on a hot streak — the Snake River Plain
Pioneering enhanced geothermal systems to turn the heat beneath our feet into a source of clean, reliable power.
EGS Opportunity
Conventional geothermal systems require heat, permeable rocks, and geofluids to naturally co-exist within reasonable depths below the earth's surface. Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) are different; all that is required are hot rocks. With EGS, deep hot rocks are fractured so we can flow water through them and recover the heat. If successful, the energy potential is enormous. Learn more.
Snake River Plain
The eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) is a structural depression, or sunken landform, 100 km wide by 300 km long, formed as the North American Plate passed over the Yellowstone Hotspot. The upper layers of ESRP are generally composed of basalt rocks interlayered with sediments. At greater depths, welded rhyolite tuff and tuffaceous sediments dominate. The area is characterized by high heat flows, elevated subsurface temperatures, and abundant water. Learn more.
FORGE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is actively pursuing the development of a Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) — a dedicated field laboratory for the study of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The FORGE laboratory will be a dedicated site where scientists and engineers will be able to develop, test, and accelerate breakthroughs in EGS technologies. More info on FORGE.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is EGS?
- What is FORGE?
- Will my drinking water be ok?
- Can I get someone to come speak at my event?
What's Happening
August 25-26, 2016
Save the Date! The Second Annual Snake River Geothermal Meeting is coming up on August 25 & 26, 2016 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. This year's focus is "Reservoir Creation in Igneous Rocks Workshop: Bridgin...
March 17, 2016
Members of the Snake River Geothermal Consortium traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the U.S. & International Geothermal Showcase hosted by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The Showcase brought to...
The Director's Message
The Power of PerspectiveIt's helpful know people with experience who can tell you what you might expect to find...
How are you going to change the world?I think, as scientists and engineers, this is a question we should be asking ourselves every day...
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