Wyoming Sits Atop Hidden Geothermal Goldmine That Could Fuel 10% Of America

While Wyoming sits on enough geothermal energy to heat buildings and maybe generate some power, the state’s underground heat isn’t exactly setting the energy world on fire. The Wyoming State Geological Survey put together this fancy interactive map showing all the thermal springs and hot spots buried beneath the Cowboy State. They pulled data from everywhere – the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, SMU’s geothermal database, old well records.

Here’s the thing: Wyoming’s geothermal resources are kind of mediocre. Sure, there’s heat down there. The WSGS documented thermal springs, measured borehole temperatures, and found some anomalous geothermal gradients in certain areas. But when it comes to making serious electricity? Not happening anytime soon.

The state hired Petrolern LLC in 2022 to dig deeper into the possibilities. The Wyoming Energy Authority launched this state-wide assessment to explore power generation, heat pump applications, and direct use opportunities. Their verdict was predictable. Small-scale stuff works fine – geothermal heat pumps for buildings, some direct heating applications, maybe helping out at oil and gas sites. The high financial risk associated with drilling deep wells that might not yield productive resources makes large-scale development particularly challenging. There’s this binary-cycle project at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center that could grow a bit. That’s about it.

The interactive map tells the whole story. Red dots for thermal springs. Blue markers for well temperatures. Yellow zones showing where the gradients get interesting. It’s all there, updated regularly as new data rolls in. Anyone can click around and dream about what could be.

But let’s be real. The economics stink. Wyoming’s geothermal resources can’t compete with cheap natural gas or even wind power. The temperatures aren’t high enough for efficient power generation. The best locations are often far from where people actually need electricity.

Binary-cycle technology might help squeeze some juice out of lower-temperature resources. Heat pumps make sense for new buildings or retrofits. Direct-use heating could work in the right spots. These aren’t game-changers though.

Wyoming’s geothermal future looks a lot like its present – modest potential waiting for better technology or higher energy prices. The heat’s there, documented and mapped. It’s just not hot enough or cheap enough to matter much. For now, that “hidden goldmine” stays mostly hidden, and mostly theoretical.