Geothermal Energy and Agriculture in Pennsylvania

The Center for Energy Law and Policy recently collaborated with several universities and other entities on "The Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania." The report looked at the potential for using the Earth's natural heat, called geothermal energy, in Pennsylvania. The report concluded that Pennsylvania, which has a long history of energy production, could also be a leader in geothermal energy. 

Deep underground in Pennsylvania, there's a considerable amount of heat, thousands of times more energy than the state uses yearly. The main challenge is figuring out the best and most affordable ways to get it out and use it. The report found that Pennsylvania's geothermal energy can be used in two different ways.

The first and most widely known use of geothermal is direct. Direct use means using the heat directly for things like heating buildings, helping with farming processes, or in factories. Right now, many industries in Pennsylvania burn fuels like natural gas to get the heat they need. The report points out certain counties, like Wyoming, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, and York, where there's already a lot of factory heating, suggesting they could be good places for geothermal projects.

The agriculture sector's lower temperature heating applications make geothermal ideal for ground-source heat pumps and direct use. According to the report, thermal demand for agriculture in Pennsylvania is concentrated mainly in Lancaster and surrounding counties. These are also the biggest counties for agricultural demand in the Northeastern region of the United States.

Due to rising demand, electricity generation is the second and potentially more consequential use. The report estimates that Pennsylvania has enough underground heat to generate massive amounts of electricity, potentially enough to power the state more than three times over. However, the rocks deep underground in Pennsylvania don't easily let water or other fluids flow through them due to low porosity and permeability. To get the heat out to make electricity, engineers might use methods to create pathways for fluids, like hydraulic fracturing, or use closed-loop systems that circulate fluid in underground pipes without flowing through the rock.

Landowners, many of whom could be agricultural producers, could also benefit beyond using the energy produced. Lease agreements, right-of-way agreements, and royalties could all become part of this industry. This is not new to Pennsylvania landowners, especially in areas with natural gas wells or large-scale solar leases. The extra income could be an opportunity to help agricultural producers subsidize their income to keep farms in operation.

State policies and rules must be updated to make geothermal happen. Pennsylvania has energy policies, but doesn't focus much on geothermal energy. The report suggests many ideas, like making getting permits for geothermal projects easier and faster, clearly defining "geothermal resources" in state law, and maybe even offering financial help or tax breaks for people and businesses wanting geothermal. They also suggest creating a plan for geothermal energy and using existing programs to help industries like agriculture switch to geothermal heat.