13 states in the US announce collaboration program for geothermal power development
The McGinness Hills geothermal complex in Nevada, an Ormat Technology project that uses ABB generators. (source: ABB)
Carlo Cariaga
9 Jan 2026
Under the US DOE and NASEO, 13 states in the United States will be collaborating to advance policies and programs to advance geothermal power development.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) has launched the Geothermal Power Accelerator, a new collaboration program between 13 states with the aim of rapidly expanding geothermal power development. The program is led by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), with co-funding from both the DOE and the NASEO.
State Energy Offices from Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, and West Virginia will collaborate with federal partners and industry leaders to identify solutions that drive geothermal investment and deployment. Participating states will work to establish statewide geothermal power goals and to advance policies and programs that reduce project costs, address regulatory barriers, and speed the deployment of reliable, firm, flexible power to the grid.
Through the Accelerator, states will collaborate with federal agencies and geothermal developers to identify practical solutions for catalyzing geothermal investment and deployment. The initiative will begin with a series of strategy sessions and “state of the industry and policy” discussions with federal leaders and private-sector experts to inform specific state actions in 2026. Cross-government coordination, strategic partnerships, and consistent information exchange will be central to enabling market growth across multiple regions.
As part of the announcement, NASEO also released a report that aims to support state officials to evaluate opportunities for geothermal power development. The Accelerator initiative and accompanying report build upon ongoing state and NASEO efforts to support the development of geothermal power projects nationwide.
“Colorado is proud to be leading the way in advancing geothermal energy, utilizing the heat beneath our feet to power our communities. Clean energy is the future, and by streamlining processes and breaking through the bureaucracy we are delivering more cost saving energy to Coloradans and saving people money on energy bills,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
“As we confront the climate crisis and growing demand on our grid, geothermal offers firm, clean power available around the clock. In California’s Lithium Valley, geothermal has the opportunity to deliver clean energy and extract lithium from one of the largest deposits in the world—fast-tracking the world’s clean energy future. California is proud to co-lead this multistate effort to strengthen America’s energy independence,” added California Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Interstate collaboration through the Geothermal Power Accelerator will break down silos, foster best practices and ensure states have the infrastructure necessary to support geothermal development. Utah is bringing creative solutions to the deployment and commercialization of geothermal power. We’re home to FORGE and Fervo, a public-private partnership that is leading the nation in research and commercial development; we’re ready to work with our partners in developing strong pathways for deployment and commercialization,” further added Emy Lesofski, Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development.
Source: US Department of Energy and NASEO
