Geothermal Grant and Loan Program

Geothermal Grant and Loan Program

Supports geothermal innovators with funding for exploration, testing, and resource development.

The California Energy Commission Geothermal Grant and Loan Program provides grants and loans to support geothermal resource development and mineral extraction from geothermal brines in California. The program is funded by the Geothermal Resources Development Account (GRDA), which receives 30% of the federal royalties and lease payments collected from geothermal developers operating on federal lands in California. Eligible project types span technology R&D demonstrations, resource assessment and exploration, local and regional planning, geothermal impact mitigation, and lithium and critical mineral recovery from geothermal brine — an area of growing strategic interest given California's Salton Sea geothermal zone. A cost-share solicitation for federal geothermal energy funding was planned for 2026 as of the CEC's published program page.

Eligible applicants include private entities, local jurisdictions, and California Native American tribes (with special terms applicable to tribal applicants). For-profit companies and nonprofits may apply; universities and standalone research institutions are not listed as eligible. Award sizes and specific match requirements are set per solicitation; the program uses both grant and loan instruments depending on project type and budget availability. Applicants should contact geothermal@energy.ca.gov to confirm current solicitation status and obtain any active GFO number before preparing a submission.

Organizations best positioned for this program combine technical expertise in subsurface geothermal resource characterization or brine mineral extraction with project sites in California's active geothermal regions, particularly the Imperial Valley and The Geysers. The addition of lithium and critical minerals as eligible focus areas aligns this program with state and federal supply-chain priorities, making it attractive to developers pursuing both energy and materials outcomes. Funding is released through competitive solicitations rather than rolling intake, so monitoring the CEC solicitations page and the geothermal@energy.ca.gov contact is essential for timing applications.