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DOE Launches Geothermal Center of Excellence
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes · Last updated:
The U.S. Department of Energy launched the Geothermal Center of Excellence (CoE) on 3 September 2026 to coordinate laboratory work and industry partnerships around geothermal research and development. The CoE will unite expertise from DOE’s National Laboratories, with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) leading the consortium and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) providing support, to accelerate discovery and commercial development of gigawatt-scale geothermal energy. The Center is intended to act as industry’s main entry point to the National Laboratories. An invitation-only Industry Advisory Board will advise on industry-relevant research priorities. This launch was announced on 3 September 2026, as first reported by the Department of Energy.
Key takeaways
- The Department of Energy launched the Geothermal Center of Excellence on 3 September 2026.
- The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) will lead the consortium with support from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
- An invitation-only Industry Advisory Board will provide objective insight into industry-relevant geothermal research priorities.
- More information is available on the NLR and NETL Geothermal CoE websites or via geo.centerofexcellence@nlr.gov; estimated read time for the announcement is 2 min.
Table of contents
Center's mission and scope
The CoE will support collaboration and geothermal R&D across DOE’s laboratories, aiming to speed resource discovery and commercial deployment. The announcement says the Center will drive innovation and serve as industry’s main entry point to lab capabilities, identifying gigawatt-scale geothermal energy as a focus for discovery and development. The launch framed the CoE’s role as accelerating both research and the transfer of laboratory capability into commercial projects.
The announcement says the Center will support DOE’s goals by driving innovation and serving as industry's main entry point to the National Laboratories. An Industry Advisory Board, by invitation only, will provide objective insight and is intended to accelerate industry-lab partnerships and advise on Center priorities.
Consortium, partners and launch event
NLR will lead the consortium, supported by NETL. DOE held an in-person launch at the National Laboratory of the Rockies campus in Golden, Colorado, bringing together DOE leadership and staff, NLR and NETL leadership, laboratory staff, and industry.
The launch photo identifies attendees by name and employer: Josh Nordquist (Ormat Technologies), Jud Virden (NLR), John Lassek (DOE), Kyle Haustveit (DOE), Tim Latimer (Fervo Energy), Amanda Kolker (NLR), Angelos Kokkinos (NETL), and Lauren Boyd (DOE). Photo credit is listed as Joe Del Nero, NLR.
Industry engagement and next steps
The Center will convene an invitation-only Industry Advisory Board to provide objective insight into industry-relevant research needs and to accelerate industry-lab partnerships. For more information the launch directs readers to the NLR Geothermal CoE website and the NETL Geothermal CoE website or to contact geo.centerofexcellence@nlr.gov. The Geothermal Technologies Office is named as the sponsoring office.
Estimated Read Time 2 min.
What could move this either way
The case for
- A single, lab-led entry point could streamline industry access to National Laboratory capabilities and accelerate technology transfer into commercial projects.
- An Industry Advisory Board intended to advise on priorities may focus laboratory research on industry-relevant challenges and speed progress toward gigawatt-scale deployment.
The case against
- An invitation-only advisory board could limit representation of smaller developers or niche technology providers unless membership is broadened later.
- The announcement does not specify budget or timelines, which could slow the pace at which lab R&D is translated into field development.
What to be careful about
- The CoE announcement does not disclose funding amounts or a timeline for activities, leaving execution and scale uncertain.
- The advisory board is invitation-only, which risks uneven industry representation if membership is not rotated or widened.
The bottom line
The Geothermal Center of Excellence formalises a laboratory-led route for industry access to DOE capabilities and names NLR as the consortium lead with NETL support. By concentrating laboratory expertise and creating an invitation-only Industry Advisory Board, the Department of Energy intends to align lab research with commercial priorities and to speed pathways from discovery toward field development of gigawatt-scale geothermal resources. Stakeholders seeking to engage should use the listed NLR and NETL CoE web pages or the geo.centerofexcellence@nlr.gov contact. The launch took place at the NLR campus in Golden, Colorado.
What to watch
- Watch for the Industry Advisory Board’s first public meeting; no date has been set.
- Watch for new lab solicitations or partnership postings on the NLR Geothermal CoE website; no date has been set.
- Watch for updates to the NETL Geothermal CoE website announcing priorities or calls for collaboration; no date has been set.
Frequently asked questions
Who is leading the Geothermal Center of Excellence?
The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) will lead the consortium, with support from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL); the launch was announced by the Department of Energy on 3 September 2026.
How can industry engage with the CoE?
Industry engagement is routed through an invitation-only Industry Advisory Board and via the CoE web pages; the announcement lists the NLR and NETL Geothermal CoE websites and the email geo.centerofexcellence@nlr.gov for contact.
Where and when was the CoE launched?
The in-person launch took place at the National Laboratory of the Rockies campus in Golden, Colorado, and the Department of Energy announced the CoE on 3 September 2026.
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