FORGE — Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy
Provides access to geothermal testbeds for field research and experimental resource studies.
FORGE, the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, is DOE's dedicated field research site for enhanced geothermal systems. It is hosted in Milford, Utah, in the Beaver County Renewable Energy Corridor, and operated by the University of Utah Energy and Geoscience Institute. The program uses competitive FOA-style solicitations for universities, national laboratories, and industry partners. Two documented rounds matter here: 2020-1, which offered up to $46 million and selected 17 projects, and 2022-2, which offered up to $44 million and selected 13 projects. The work centers on drilling innovation, reservoir stimulation, multi-zone well completion, and subsurface monitoring through fiber optic tools. FORGE is now in Phase 3, with full-scale well drilling spanning about 15 square miles near Milford. The program's purpose is to show how commercially viable geothermal reservoirs can be created from basement rock, using the field site to compress technical risk before wider deployment. No open solicitation was identified in the May 2026 sources, so the practical value of the program is as a test bed and demonstration site rather than a live application window.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Biennial.