Improved access to data is one of a handful of factors "driving expanded interest" in geothermal energy. A new report from Pike Research, says geothermal power could increase total geothermal capacity "134% increase between 2010 and 2020, from 10.7 gigawatts (GW) to 25.1 GW, under a high-growth forecast scenario. Under a more conservative business-as-usual forecast scenario, the cleantech market intelligence firm estimates that geothermal power capacity would increase 34% to 14.3 GW by 2020."
The proprietary report describes geothermal as an underutilized resource. "Improved access to resource data, more efficient drilling processes, increased understanding about the industry’s potential, and improving access to financing are driving expanding interest in the sector.”
AZGS is playing a lead role in designing, building, implementing, deploying, and populating the DOE-funded National Geothermal Data System.