Project Innerspace publishes Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania report
"The Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania" by Project InnerSpace
Carlo Cariaga
26 Feb 2025
Project InnerSpace has published "The Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania," highlighting the Commonwealth's geothermal potential and pathway to development.
Project InnerSpace, in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University and contributors from four Pennsylvania institutions, has published the “The Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania” report. The report evaluates the potential scale of geothermal energy development in Pennsylvania and highlights opportunities for geothermal energy utilization for the state’s residential, commercial, agricultural, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors.
The report follows up on a landmark “Future of Geothermal in Texas” that Project InnerSpace published back in 2023.
Click here to access the full report.
A long history of energy innovation and development
Because of the robust oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania, subsurface temperatures in the Commonwealth have been recorded and modeled for years . This data shows that there is 1000-fold (or more) energy available in the form of heat underground than Pennsylvanians consume each year . There are also plenty of opportunities to use it, in some form, all across the Commonwealth’s 46,000-plus square miles.
If the Commonwealth were to drill geothermal wells at the same rate that it is now drilling for oil and gas wells, it could generate enough geothermal energy to meet all thermal demands for its commercial heating and low-temperature industrial processes. Geothermal could also help some of the region’s largest energy users—the industrial and agriculture sectors—reduce emissions while maintaining large numbers of jobs in the drilling sector .
Working with new and emerging technologies, geothermal could generate enough energy to meet 100 percent of Pennsylvania’s electricity, and heating, and low- to medium-temperature industrial process needs in as few as 10 years .
“Pennsylvania has a long and proud history of energy innovation, and my administration is working to cement the Commonwealth’s place as a national energy leader – working with the energy industry, including organizations like Project Innerspace, to build exciting new technology in Pennsylvania like geothermal, hydrogen, and more,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“My ‘Lightning Plan’ will spark new innovation and build a more reliable, affordable energy grid by incentivizing new projects, streamlining permitting approvals, and encouraging communities to lower utility bills and improve reliability through shared energy resources. By coming together around commonsense technologies like geothermal, we can support groundbreaking projects, lower costs for consumers, create more jobs, and position the Commonwealth to continue to be a national energy leader for decades to come.”
“Pennsylvania is an energy leader and an epicenter of oil and gas industry workforce, talent and know-how,” said Jamie Beard, Executive Director of Project InnerSpace, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding the use of geothermal energy. “Pennsylvania led the charge historically with the first oil well and in the shale revolution, now it can be at the forefront of the next drilling revolution, but this time around for heat.”
Policies to further push geothermal adoption
The Report offers 23 targeted policy recommendations to accelerate the adoption of geothermal energy across Pennsylvania, which could create economic savings for residents, generate long-term job opportunities, reduce emissions, and bolster energy security in the commonwealth.
The policy recommendations focus on six areas:
- Provide industry with regulatory certainty and eliminate red tape;
- Encourage the adoption of ground source heat pumps for building heating and cooling;
- Create and expand targeted incentives for direct-use geothermal applications for the industrial and agricultural sectors;
- Catalyze the creation of thermal energy networks to serve residential, commercial, academic, and public building;
- Advance comprehensive state and regional power market policies that promote clean, firm, flexible power;
- Educate stakeholders and create geothermal development strategies.
“Geothermal energy is a potentially limitless, always-on power source that could provide clean, locally-sourced electricity to millions of Pennsylvania residents and businesses,” said Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, a Democrat and chair of the House Energy Committee. “A thriving, growing, job-creating economy isn’t built on yesterday’s technologies. It’s built on innovation – on bold investments. Project InnerSpace’s report shows that Pennsylvania can lead the way in this next energy revolution.”
“Pennsylvania can help the United States dominate on energy by ensuring we have a reliable, secure and diverse supply of energy,” said U.S. Rep. Kristin Marcell, a Republican representing the 178th district in Bucks County. “Given geothermal’s potential to help advance key industries in Pennsylvania like advanced manufacturing and agriculture, I am excited to see this resource be added to Pennsylvania’s prolific energy portfolio.”
“Pennsylvania is a national leader in energy production, and geothermal systems can be the next step in the Commonwealth’s transition to a cleaner, more resilient grid,” said Acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jessica Shirley. “As electricity demands continue to grow, geothermal can play a crucial role in creating clean energy jobs and lowering utility bills.”
Source: Project Innerspace
