It’s no mystery why Colorado is slowly shaping into the red-hot center of the rising U.S. geothermal industry.
A map produced by the U.S. Department of Energy shows which states could tap underground heat to warm buildings and generate power. The colors indicate the best places to access geothermal energy. The swaths of red and orange show that Colorado holds ample zero-carbon energy hidden below the surface.
Another bonus: Unlike other hotbeds, Colorado’s heat zones sit beneath or near major population centers, meaning many communities are well-positioned to take advantage of an energy source that’s at once ancient and novel.
Despite Colorado’s geological good fortune, the state has experienced minimal geothermal development. Gov. Jared Polis is now working to attract investments in new power plants and heating projects. In 2023, he tied his political brand to the effort by launching the “Heat Beneath Our Feet” initiative through his past role as the chair of the Western Governors' Association. Polis has also signed laws establishing new incentives and streamlined regulations to encourage the young industry. On the federal level, investors are hoping to leverage federal grants and tax credits to jump-start projects.
And it looks like the policies might be working. Several outfits are now proposing to build new geothermal power plants and heating networks across the state.
One company, for example, has proposed building the state’s first geothermal power plant in Chaffee County below Mt. Princeton. Denver is now considering replacing a historic steam system built to heat its downtown with a geothermal alternative. A pair of geothermal projects could reshape the future of Pierce, a small town in the heart of Colorado’s oil and gas country. On a smaller scale, individual homeowners are digging up their backyards to harness thermal energy to help heat and cool their homes.
In a new series, Hotspots, CPR’s Climate Solutions Team went to specific places at the forefront of Colorado’s potential geothermal energy boom. By talking to investors, experts, policymakers and residents, we've produced four stories to assess what's happening as a new energy industry literally digs in across the state.
Our reporting confirms that geothermal could help the state’s efforts to fight climate change. At the same time, the bipartisan enthusiasm for the industry doesn't always capture local concerns about a new type of drilling bonanza — one set to use techniques developed by the oil and gas industry to produce heat rather than fossil fuels.
We’re launching the series on Earth Day since it’s all about our home planet’s potential to double as an energy source. If you hope to see more of this kind of in-depth coverage (get it?), please consider supporting the Climate Solutions Team through a special fund drive running April 21-25.
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