Helping Communities Explore Clean Energy Compiled by Sophia Henline, Editorial Assistant, WorldWide Drilling Resource® Widespread deployment of geothermal energy can provide more resilient and reliable electrical infrastructure for all Americans and ultimately drive down overall energy costs. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Geothermal Technologies Office’s (GTO) Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC) provides students the opportunity to solve real-world problems and teaches them how to interact directly with communities. The 2023 competition featured two tracks: the technical track, in which teams designed a geothermal heating and cooling system from the ground up for a proposed community of their choosing; and the new policy track, in which teams conducted an analysis of the regulatory environment and economic feasibility for a proposed geothermal system. The policy track winners from Columbia and Princeton Universities, will travel more than 3500 miles to visit their partner community in Elim, Alaska, where they will explore geothermal options for the 330-person town. The team’s economic analysis of their proposed ocean-based closed-loop geothermal heating and cooling system found system costs could be recouped in as little as 14 years, advancing clean energy in a manner consistent with the Iñupiat (an Alaska native group of people) way of living from the land. It should save residents more than 2.3 million gallons of fuel oil and 70 million pounds of wood over 30 years. The partnership also motivated the Elim community to seek additional technical assistance from DOE programs to find renewable energy solutions appropriate for their town. A team from the University of Oklahoma (OU) took first place in the 2023 technical track project. They designed a system of geothermal wells to heat and cool the Osage Nation’s 40,000-square-foot greenhouse, supporting efforts for native food sovereignty in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, after there was a breakdown in the Tribe’s food system. The proposed geothermal system design would help alleviate the challenge of maintaining a constant year-round growing temperature. Students worked closely with the Osage Nation on this project. “They’re looking for solutions we can actually use,” said Cody Vavra, an agroecologist (one who studies ecological processes) and sustainable systems specialist with the Osage Nation. Vavra helped the OU team with logistics in the Osage Nation and guided them through rules and regulations related to the geothermal wells. Vavra said if the students continue to connect with the right resources and secure funding, the geothermal solutions would be beneficial to the Osage population. The GCC is a prime example of a growing workforce’s meaningful community partnerships shaping tomorrow. GCC students gain real-world knowledge and experience in geothermal while communities come to understand which geothermal solutions make sense for them, which is a winning combination for the nation’s clean energy future. Photo courtesy of OU. Students host a stakeholder engagement event in Elim, Alaska, to discuss their 2023 GCC project. Photo by Joe DelNero, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. GEO For more information call: (270) 786-3010 or visit us online: www.geothermalsupply.com All New! Atlantis-Pro Vault • Traffic-Rated Capable • Simple installation • Trouble-free operation 15 DECEMBER 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Photo Courtesy of OU.
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