Staff Report
Published Nov. 19, 2009

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources will be collecting data from across the state to aid in the identification and development of geothermal energy as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s nationwide search.

On Thursday, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu awarded $338 million for geothermal energy projects across the country. The funding will also include the population of a comprehensive nationwide geothermal resource data system by the nation’s State Geological Surveys to help identify and assess new fields.  

The Association of American State Geologists organized a coalition of 40 state geological surveys to populate a new National Geothermal Data System with relevant state-specific geothermal data. The project will receive $17.79 million from the Department of Energy over three years.

South Carolina is a member of this coalition.

“This project will help us understand the geothermal potential in South Carolina to an extent never possible before. It’s exciting to be part of this national effort among all the state geological surveys to address such a critical energy need for the state and the country,” said Bill Clendenin, a state geologist.

Compiling state-specific geothermal data in an integrated distributed and searchable data system should drive renewed efforts to identify, assess and exploit geothermal energy resources across America.