Geothermal's Distributed Indigenous Nature

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On Tuesday, 8/19/08, Google.org announced a $10 million investment to develop funding for research on next-generation geothermal energy technology. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) includes resource mapping, EGS information tools, and a policy agenda for geothermal energy. The funding is distributed between two companies (AltaRock Energy, Inc and Potter Drilling, Inc), and a university (Southern Methodist University Geothermal Lab). 

 
Google Earth: Geothermal Resource

U.S. Geothermal Resource

Clicking on the image above leads to a series of eight videos discussing the potential of EGS (a EGS 101, electrical transportation, utilities companies, response by two senators, and media). it also has information about the three organization investments and ends with three G-rated SketchUp 3D models - a EGS system, a drilling and a power plant available to download.

Geothermal energy has been used by Indigenous people for cooking, heating, and bathing for thousands of years. It is also capable of providing enormous supplies of electricity for homes and businesses on reservations. According to an article this month in Energy Current, several tribes  "...the Northwest Alaska Native Association Regional Corporation of Alaska and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe have (geothermal) projects in development."

"Other tribes like the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs in Oregon, Fort Bidwell in California and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma are also exploring district heating and ground source heat pump possibilities."

Google.org, a philanthropic arm of Google, invests 1% of Google's equity and profits into projects that ".. use the power of information and technology to address the global challenges of our age: climate change, poverty and emerging disease."

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