While California and Nevada hog the spotlight, Oregon quietly sits on a clean energy goldmine that’s barely been touched. The state ranks third nationally for geothermal potential with a whopping 2,200 megawatts of electricity generating capacity. That’s serious power. Yet somehow, less than 1% of Oregon’s electricity comes from this renewable resource. Go figure.
Oregon’s geothermal goldmine remains untapped while neighboring states cash in. All that clean energy potential—just sitting there, waiting.
The Bureau of Land Management is finally doing something about it. On July 10, 2025, they’re putting two parcels totaling 5,235 acres up for lease via EnergyNet. For those interested in additional information, the BLM ePlanning website provides relevant documents about the upcoming sale. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s possible, but it’s a start. Similar auctions in Utah recently pulled in $5.6 million. Not chump change.
Oregon’s single utility-scale geothermal plant, built in 2012, produces a measly 18 MW. Meanwhile, projections show the state could develop 3.4 gigawatts by 2035 and 8.4 gigawatts by 2050. That’s enough to power millions of homes. The entire area east of the Cascades is prime real estate for geothermal development. The capacity factor of 96% makes geothermal a significantly more reliable energy source than intermittent renewables.
The state isn’t completely ignoring its underground treasure. Recent industry interest follows winning bids totaling $1 million from companies like Ormat Technologies in Nevada’s BLM auction. Over 2,200 thermal wells and springs already provide direct heat for businesses and communities. They’ve been doing it for over a century. About 500-600 billion Btus annually, in fact. But it’s like using a Ferrari to deliver newspapers.
Beyond hot rocks, Oregon’s also betting on the ocean. PacWave South will be America’s first full-scale, grid-connected wave energy testing facility. Developers will start splashing around in 2026.
If fully developed, geothermal could produce around 18.3 billion kWh annually for Oregon. That’s reliable, clean power 24/7, unlike some renewables we could mention. It creates jobs in rural communities and helps meet emission reduction goals.
The technology and economics remain challenging, especially for enhanced geothermal systems needed to tap deeper resources. But with this upcoming lease sale, Oregon might finally start digging into its underground fortune. Better late than never.
References
- https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=OR
- https://www.thinkgeoenergy.com/blm-to-hold-geothermal-lease-sale-for-oregon-on-10-july-2025/
- https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/36550.pdf
- https://www.rtoinsider.com/62194-blm-nevada-geothermal-auction-results/
- https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Documents/2024-BER-ERTRs.pdf
