AZGS receives additional $1.5 million for geothermal research
Regional map showing Arizona is geologically similar to its surrounding states which already have geothermal power development. Estimated temperature at 4km depth from Aljubran, M.J. and Horne, R.H., 2024, Thermal Earth model for the conterminous United States using an interpolative physics-informed graph neural network: Geothermal Energy, 12:25.
As part of Governor Hobbs’ Arizona First budget, the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) will receive $1.5 million to advance geothermal research statewide, delivering much needed resources to build the future of geothermal in Arizona. This funding builds on the $1 million commitment from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency announced earlier this year. Together, these investments will accelerate geothermal data collection and analysis, helping reduce exploration uncertainty and attract geothermal developers to invest and deploy in Arizona.
“The new investment will fund a major expansion of AZGS’s capacity to collect and analyze geologic and geophysical data for geothermal research”, said Brian Gootee, Director and State Geologist of AZGS. The funds will support a new field-based geophysicist research position and the purchase of passive seismic nodal array and magnetotelluric (MT) data acquisition systems. The tools will contribute to building detailed 3D models by imaging variations in rock properties, concealed structures, and potential fluid pathways.
The AZGS Geophysics Group will leverage this new equipment, together with the existing AZGS Seismic Network, to launch modern geophysical data-collection campaigns focused on evaluating geothermal resources. These efforts will substantially improve AZGS’s ability to identify and prioritize areas best suited for future geothermal exploration. Newly collected datasets will also expand the precompetitive datasets that will be publicly available through AZGS’s forthcoming Geothermal Data Catalog.
“Next-generation geothermal has enormous potential to provide firm, non-polluting power for our fast-growing energy needs here in Arizona and throughout the west. Through strategic, high yield investments, Governor Hobbs and the Office of Resiliency are ensuring that Arizona will play a leading role in building the energy economy of the future,” said Maren Mahoney, Director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency.
AZGS scientists will continue engaging with the public, Arizona utilities, industry partners, state and federal agencies, Tribal Nations, and local governments through these initiatives. AZGS remains committed to advancing responsible development of Arizona’s subsurface resources by reducing exploration risk, improving access to public geoscience data, and supporting informed decision-making.