The U.S. Department of Energy released a report looking forward to the prospects of geothermal power generation.

在休斯敦国际能源界高端会议“剑桥能源周”期间，美国能源部发布下一代地热发电“起飞”报告，称地热发电技术已显示出令人瞩目的进步，使其能够成为美国脱碳发电“关键贡献者”之一， It is also expected that geothermal power generation in the United States is "expected to achieve commercial take-off as early as 2030."

地热一直被视为公用事业的清洁电力来源，但其开发会受到地理位置的限制。美国能源部在这份最新报告中指出，下一代地热发电利用石油和天然气行业开发的技术，从无处不在的热岩中设计 "Artificial heat reservoir"，而不是在特定位置寻找自然形成的热储层，从而能极大地扩展可用地热发电资源及其商业应用。

The report said that although next-generation geothermal power is an emerging industry, it has multiple first-mover advantages, including leveraging transferable technology, supply chains and labor from the oil and gas industry to achieve rapid scale. In addition, geothermal power generation also has the advantages of cleanliness, stability, flexible dispatch, and less land occupation.

据报告介绍，试点项目显示，在钻井等技术上取得的新进展使地热发电的成本大幅降低。预计到2030年， Average costs in the U.S. geothermal power industry are expected to reach $60 to $70 per megawatt hour，并有望在2035年实现美国能源部制定的每兆瓦时45美元的目标。

报告还指出，在地热发电方面，仍有一系列“关键挑战”需要克服，Including high early development costs, long and unpredictable development cycles, 以及现有商业模式低估地热作为清洁能源的价值等。报告建议合并和简化地热开发批准流程，提高地热运营的灵活性，加强诱发地震活动监测等。

Since the Biden administration took office in 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy has occasionally issued a "Commercial Takeoff Path" report on the emerging clean energy industry, referred to as the "Takeoff" report, aiming to attract private investment and promote the commercialization of the clean energy industry. These reports are designed as "living documents" that are updated as the technology commercialization prospects of relevant industries progress.

This year's "Cambridge Energy Week" was held in Houston, USA from March 18 to 22, during which a number of thematic discussions and promotion activities were arranged around geothermal power generation.