Pentagon Expands Geothermal Push to Strengthen Military Energy Security

Pentagon’s Power Play: DoD Expands Geothermal Push to Fortify U.S. Military Energy Security

By: Robert Buluma

In a move that blends cutting-edge clean energy technology with the uncompromising demands of national security, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is ramping up its geothermal initiatives to ensure mission assurance and round-the-clock power for military installations.

The stakes are high — with threats from wildfires, extreme weather, cyberattacks, and power shortages looming larger than ever, the Pentagon is betting on geothermal’s resilience to keep bases operational no matter the conditions.

A United Front for Energy Resilience

Through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the DoD is partnering with the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines to de-risk geothermal development and pave the way for full-scale power plant construction on military bases.

Six geothermal innovators have been tapped for the mission:

Eavor – Pioneers in closed-loop geothermal systems
Fervo Energy – Specialists in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)
GreenFire Energy – Experts in advanced subsurface modeling
Sage Geosystems – Developers of geopressured geothermal energy systems
Teverra – Leaders in exploration drilling campaigns
Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals – AI-driven geothermal resource assessment

The DIU is also working hand-in-hand with the DOE’s Geothermal Technologies Office, the Department of the Interior, utilities, and state energy offices to fast-track geothermal’s role in America’s energy mix.

On-the-Ground Progress

This multi-pronged initiative already spans 12+ military installations across six U.S. states, with notable updates including:

Fervo Energy – Completed EGS deployment plans at Naval Air Station Fallon, NV.
Green Fire Energy – Designing site-specific geothermal concepts at Naval Air Facility El Centro and evaluating potential at 29 Palms Marine Corps Base and Sierra Army Depot, CA.
Sage Geosystems – Developed reservoir models for Texas projects at Fort Bliss and NAS Corpus Christi.
Teverra – Preparing for an exploration drilling campaign at White Sands Missile Range, NM.
Zanskar – Leveraging AI-enhanced geophysical data for Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID.

Why Geothermal? Why Now?

Geothermal offers baseload power — steady, 24/7 electricity that’s immune to sunlight hours or wind speeds. For the DoD, that means uninterrupted operations, even when the grid falters.

“We’re optimistic that collectively we’ll overcome the hurdles to accelerate the speed and scale of deploying new geothermal energy technologies to support national security and baseload energy demand,”
— Michael Callahan, DIU Senior Energy Advisor.

Securing the Future

By investing in geothermal today, the DoD is not only safeguarding military operations but also sending a strong signal to the energy sector: clean power is not just an environmental choice — it’s a strategic one.

This is more than an infrastructure project; it’s a national defense imperative. And with innovators like Teverra, Eavor, and Fervo at the helm, the U.S. is drilling deep

Source: Defence innovation Unit

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