Geothermal

Advancing Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Deployment Through Strategic Partnerships, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Faculty and Student Engagement

Advancing Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Deployment Through Strategic Partnerships, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Faculty and Student Engagement

The Geothermal Initiative is a campus wide effort focused on research, engagement, facilitation, collaboration and convening to identify challenges and solutions related to developing geothermal as a resource for the clean energy future in the United States.

There are excellent conventional geothermal resources throughout Colorado, and the western United States, but new frontiers in enhanced geothermal systems is expanding the opportunity for geothermal development.  Many of the skills, technologies and scientific research that now support the oil and gas industry are highly relevant for geothermal. Colorado School of Mines, one of the premier energy universities in the world, is focused on using the university’s historic subsurface and engineering expertise to connect with government, industry and academic leadership to develop an initiative that will support Colorado and the world as we develop geothermal as an important resource in our clean energy future.

 

For more information about the Geothermal Initiative at the Payne Institute for Public Policy, please contact our Geothermal Program Manager Anna Littlefield, at annalittlefield@mines.edu, or our Deputy Director Gregory Clough, at gclough@mines.edu.

NEWS

Proposed Bill Would Stop Eminent Domain for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines in Illinois 5/19/2026

Proposed Bill Would Stop Eminent Domain for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines in Illinois

Payne Institute Geothermal and Low Carbon Technologies Program Manager Anna Littlefield contributed to this article about how following success halting multiple carbon dioxide pipeline projects, a local coalition in central Illinois wants to stop the use of eminent domain for these potentially dangerous pipelines.  May 19, 2026.

More than a one-size-fits-all solution 5/19/2026

More than a one-size-fits-all solution

Payne Institute Faculty Fellows Jennifer Miskimins and Jenifer Shafer contribute to this article about how as the U.S. pursues greater energy independence and abundance, Colorado School of Mines researchers are leading the way in delivering practical, scalable solutions in energy technologies.  May 19, 2026.

As data centers go off-grid, utilities face new cost and planning risks 3/17/2026

As data centers go off-grid, utilities face new cost and planning risks

Brandon Owens and Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian write about how industry disclosures suggest that by the end of the decade, a meaningful share of new data center capacity could be partially or fully self-supplied. Increasingly, many of those data centers are choosing not to rely on the electric grid at all.  March 17, 2026.

Waste Not: Reimagining Mine Liabilities as Energy Assets 1/14/2026

Waste Not: Reimagining Mine Liabilities as Energy Assets

Payne Institute Student Researcher Sravan Lavudya and Geothermal and Low Carbon Technologies Program Manager Anna Littlefield write about how as the US looks to minimize its reliance on foreign critical minerals, we must contend with the implications of increased domestic extraction and processing, neither of which are low impact. They explore how operators are reimagining the pieces of the process, turning mine tailings into assets and repurposing existing mine infrastructure.  January 14, 2026.

From Black Gold to White Gold? 1/10/2026

From Black Gold to White Gold?

Payne Institute Fellow William Nuttall write about a new low-carbon energy opportunity; one that, until recently, was widely believed not to exist. Today this new proposition is becoming known as “White Hydrogen”, or sometimes “Gold Hydrogen”. It is hydrogen from the Earth – geological hydrogen.  January 10, 2026.

Google just backed carbon capture tech for data center energy providers. Will other tech giants follow? 12/4/2025

Google just backed carbon capture tech for data center energy providers. Will other tech giants follow?

Payne Institute Low Carbon Technologies Program Manager Anna Littlefield, Accelerated Methane Reduction Director Simon Lomax, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how the fast-growing electricity demands of data centers could be a game-changer for carbon capture technology in the power sector.  December 4, 2025.

Mines researcher receives Schmidt Family Foundation funding to explore mine water treatment 11/21/2025

Mines researcher receives Schmidt Family Foundation funding to explore mine water treatment

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Amir Riahi was awarded $100,000 from the Schmidt Family Foundation for a six-month project investigating a new approach to treating the water that collects in mines. Riahi will use the Schmidt funding to study how gentle but powerful vibrations can help biochar capture metals and other contaminants from mine water more effectively.  November 21, 2025. 

Storing carbon underground? There’s less room than we thought, new study suggests 9/3/2025

Storing carbon underground? There’s less room than we thought, new study suggests

Payne Institute Geothermal and CCUS Program Manager Anna Littlefield contributed to this article about how a new estimate suggests carbon storage is a scarce resource to be used wisely.  A study, led by researchers in the U.K., Austria and the U.S., analyzed a wider range of risk factors than conventional assessments of carbon storage potential.   September 3, 2025.  

Five Colorado leaders appointed by Governor to serve on new enterprise for geologic carbon storage 8/27/2025

Five Colorado leaders appointed by Governor to serve on new enterprise for geologic carbon storage

Payne Institute Geothermal and CCUS Program Manager Anna Littlefield has been appointed to the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) Geologic Storage Stewardship Enterprise Board.  Geologic carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a set of technologies and processes designed to minimize or eliminate the release of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, particularly from industrial emission sources.  August 27, 2025.

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