The Pacific Rim is one of the world's most promising prospective places for expanding geothermal power development, with advantages for both local energy security, emissions reduction, and U.S. geoeconomic position. Alaska can anchor this new geoeconomic energy vector. America's largest and westernmost state features strategically located ports, cities, and current (and likely future) military facilities that often sit atop or near areas of high geothermal potential.

Strategic energy technologies often start small but can scale quickly with judicious front-end policy support if they possess competitive thermodynamic and technological advantages. Since World War II, the U.S. Defense Department and other agencies have played key roles in helping nuclear power, grid-size batteries, and other new energy concepts achieve commercial scale. Geothermal energy development now presents the next such development opportunity. As the U.S. Energy Information Administration explains, "[t]he slow decay of radioactive particles in the Earth's core" creates hot rock and subsurface water that can be tapped for direct heat and to create steam energy that spins turbines and generates electricity.

Strategic energy technologies often start small but can scale quickly with judicious front-end policy support if they possess competitive thermodynamic and technological advantages. Since World War II, the U.S. Defense Department and other agencies have played key roles in helping nuclear power, grid-size batteries, and other new energy concepts achieve commercial scale. Geothermal energy development now presents the next such development opportunity. As the U.S. Energy Information Administration explains, "[t]he slow decay of radioactive particles in the Earth's core" creates hot rock and subsurface water that can be tapped for direct heat and to create steam energy that spins turbines and generates electricity.

The Pacific Rim is one of the world's most promising prospective places for…

Gabriel B. Collins

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