{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/64558952edc160001121ec0b/6a3dfe5a0ad3211686cc3c1f?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"E141: How Utah Might Crack Next-Generation Geothermal","description":"<p>Utah Clean Energy climate scientist and energy analyst Logan Mitchell joins Molly Wood to explain how a deeply conservative state can still become a proving ground for clean energy—by focusing on affordability, reliability, and coalition-building. They dig into the rapid rise of next‑generation geothermal in Utah (including the DOE’s FORGE project and private-sector follow‑on development), why geothermal could deliver clean <em>firm</em> power faster than new gas turbines or nuclear, and why this is one of the rare climate technologies with real bipartisan momentum.</p><p><br></p><h3><strong>In this episode, we cover:</strong></h3><ul><li>Why Utah has become a surprising clean-energy leader (and why “business-friendly” permitting can accelerate deployment)</li><li>How Utah Clean Energy works in practice: intervening in utility regulatory dockets, stress-testing long-term resource plans, and advocating for an <strong>affordable, reliable, clean</strong> power mix</li><li>The grid value proposition: geothermal as <strong>clean firm power</strong> that complements wind/solar—especially during “quiet, cold” post-storm stretches when both wind and solar can underperform</li><li>A plain-English breakdown of key grid terms:</li><li><strong>Baseload</strong>: power that runs steadily</li><li><strong>Dispatchable</strong>: power you can ramp up/down when needed</li><li>Why geothermal may become <em>more dispatchable</em> (turn pumps off midday, produce more during high-price evening hours)</li><li>Why Utah is the current hotspot:</li><li>Public-private knowledge transfer from DOE’s <strong>FORGE</strong> research site to nearby commercial projects</li><li>Streamlined, iterative permitting that reduces uncertainty for first-of-a-kind projects</li><li>Strong geothermal resources across Utah and the broader West</li><li>The scale and speed: a first ~100 MW phase expected to come online quickly, with expansion potential that rivals the footprint of major fossil plants—plus transmission constraints as the near-term limiter</li><li>The politics: geothermal’s appeal across the aisle—<strong>jobs, energy security, reliability, and domestic know-how</strong>—and why keeping it “above the partisan fray” matters</li><li>The workforce bridge: geothermal as a near <strong>1:1 skills match</strong> with oil &amp; gas subsurface expertise—extracting heat instead of hydrocarbons</li></ul><p><br></p><h3><strong>Why this matters (big picture):</strong></h3><p>Next‑gen geothermal offers a credible path to fast, scalable, cost-competitive clean firm power—potentially filling the reliability gap that makes high-renewables grids harder to manage, while staying politically durable in places where climate language alone doesn’t land.</p><p><br></p><h3>Links:</h3><ul><li>Utah Clean Energy: <a href=\"https://utahcleanenergy.org/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://utahcleanenergy.org/</a></li><li>Everybody in the Pool: <a href=\"https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/</a></li><li>Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: <a href=\"https://www.mollywood.co/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.mollywood.co/</a></li><li>Become a member for the ad-free version of the show: <a href=\"https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/</a></li><li>Join our Discord: <a href=\"https://discord.gg/2EsDhwQC2z\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://discord.gg/2EsDhwQC2z</a></li></ul>","author_name":"Molly Wood"}