Geothermal Grant and Loan Program

The Geothermal Grant and Loan Program sits under the California Energy Commission and supports geothermal resource development in California, including mineral recovery from geothermal brines. The program is funded through the Geothermal Resources Development Account, which receives federal royalties and lease payments from geothermal developers on federal lands in California, with the Commission receiving 30 percent of that account. It combines grants and loans for technology R&D demonstrations, resource assessment and exploration, local and regional planning, impact mitigation, and mineral recovery. Eligible applicants include private entities, local jurisdictions, and California Native American tribes, and the Commission has pointed to a planned 2026 cost-share opportunity for federal geothermal funding. Applicants fit best when they can tie the work to a specific California resource area, a clear development milestone, or a mitigation need. Because the program spans both project finance and research support, strong proposals usually pair technical merit with a practical development path and a clean explanation of how the GRDA-backed funding will be used.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.