DOE Announces Winners of the 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition

The DOE has announced the winners of the 2022 Geothermal Collegiate Competition, an annual event that prepares students to lead the next generation of geothermal energy development. The Competition is designed to inspire students to consider new career opportunities, learn geothermal industry-relevant skills, and connect students to their communities. As part of the competition, students assumed the role of project developers, working with communities across the US to identify local energy challenges and explore geothermal energy solutions. In addition to technical research, teams conducted an economic feasibility analysis, crafted a strategy for local stakeholder engagement, and created geothermal education modules in partnership with local schools. The winner from the DOE EPSCoR jurisdictions is:

• University of NORTH DAKOTA, recipient of second place and $5,000 for their design of a combined heat and power geothermal system for the city of New Town, North Dakota, located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and home to the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation. The team used extensive, pre-existing geological information from oil and gas exploration in the area to design a system that could heat and power an entire district, including potential for greenhouses and aquaculture efforts.

The collegiate institutions of the first, second, and third-place teams will also receive a $10,000 University Support Cash Prize for their support of the team, specifically for planning and implementing local stakeholder engagement events scheduled to take place later this summer.

The 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition will take place during the spring semester, with team applications opening in fall 2022.