New Mexico Regional Interest Group (RIG)

Good morning! Here is the July 2024 newsletter for members of the New Mexico Geothermal Regional Interest Group (RIG). Here are some of the things happening in New Mexico and in the geothermal community at large.

NM RIG First Meeting

We are planning to have our first meeting in late August or early September. We want to have as many people as possible attend. To this end, we would appreciate your input. This newsletter was accompanied by a brief questionnaire regarding upcoming meetings. Please let us know your preferences in terms of days of the week, time of day, topics, venue, and your preference for attending in person or virtually. The plan is to host subsequent meetings in different parts of the state, so people from across New Mexico will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face for at least some of them.

Project InnerSpace and GeoMap TM

Project InnerSpace is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing geothermal energy into the mainstream. One of their initiatives is GeoMap.   

GeoMap TM is a combined effort of Project InnerSpace and Google “…to provide essential data and analytics for assessing the development potential for next-generation geothermal systems worldwide.” It does this by combining 150+ layers of surface and subsurface data, some of which have not previously been used in geothermal exploration. These can be viewed in various combinations to identify and focus on prospective areas for geothermal exploration. For more information, go to:  The North American module of GeoMap TM.  It was released in June of 2024.

For more information on Project InnerSpace and its other initiatives, go to: PROJECT INNERSPACE/   As you cruise through this website, you’ll note that they mention a report entitled “The Future of Geothermal in Texas: The Coming Century of Growth and Prosperity in the Lone Star State.” I never thought of Texas as geothermal country, but this report is changing my mind. You can download it at: Geothermal in Texas   However, at 148 MB, prepare to have some patience, as your electrons are going to be doing some heavy lifting to get this report to you. At more than 300 pages, which goes double for your printer if you want a hard copy. 

In Closing

We would love to hear from you. If you have news related to geothermal in New Mexico, or geothermal in general, please share it with us. If you have any questions, please ask them. We’ll do our best to get you answers. 

Thanks,

The New Mexico RIG team

A workshop designed to accelerate geothermal development in New Mexico was held on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Fidel Center on the campus of New Mexico Tech. This workshop, which complemented one held in September 2023, focused on the next steps in advancing geothermal development in New Mexico.

Approximately 70 representatives from national laboratories, universities, state agencies, the geothermal and utility industries, and the New Mexico legislature attended in person. An additional 35 people, mainly from the national and international geothermal industry, attended remotely. The workshop included presentations describing the geothermal bills passed in New Mexico’s 2024 legislative session, ongoing research at national labs and universities, thermal energy storage assessments by the U.S. Geological Survey, thermal energy networks in Massachusetts, and possibilities for geothermal development on U.S. military bases. Representatives from Xcel Energy and El Paso Electric provided insightful discussions about the steps needed to incorporate geothermal into the electric transmission system. Sovereign Energy offered valuable guidance for engaging Tribes and Pueblos.

In addition to the presentations, three panels considered a range of topics, including geothermal regulations, access to geothermal data, the challenges of connecting to the grid, and the advantages of developing industry research consortiums. Highlights of the GEODE program and the new U.S. Department of Energy report “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Next-Generation Geothermal Power” were also discussed.

The workshop ended with discussions of the need for regional-scale geophysical studies similar to those underway in Nevada; the need to create an inclusive coordinating body to encourage communication and education among communities, state agencies, and the geothermal industry; and the need to develop a one-stop shop for geothermal data, permitting requirements, and other important information for developers. Workforce training was determined to be a key to success. A more complete report about these and other topics will be available by the end of May.

One of the conference attendees, Dr. Ken Wisian, from the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources’ sister agency, was the keynote speaker at the New Mexico Geological Society annual spring meeting, which was held on Friday, April 19. The focus of this meeting—the energy transition in New Mexico—provided a good complement to the geothermal workshop. In addition, students and Bureau of Geology staff made presentations on a range of geological topics. Talk abstracts are available for interested readers.

Image