• Dempf@lemmy.zip
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    9 months ago

    The problem with geothermal right now is long delays from NEPA reviews. I’m not trying to bash all of NEPA, but oil and gas has a categorical exclusion, while geothermal has to endure a long review process (we have heard up to 7 years from a local geothermal startup) just for drilling the exact same hole in the ground.

    It’s been a big reason that Citizens’ Climate Lobby has been focusing on permitting reform. We’re at the point where if all permitting laws were removed, emissions would go down. Now that probably wouldn’t be the best idea in practice, but we’re in an era where we need to build build build clean energy.