Geothermal Energy Act

For the Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1974, please see Geothermal Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act.

The Geothermal Energy Act of 1980 (GEA) is an act authorized by the 96th U.S. Congress to address the issues of U.S. geothermal energy and its capabilities. It is one of six acts enacted by the Energy Security Act of 1980.

It addresses geothermal energy legislation by means of the following:


 * Domestic geothermal reserves could be developed into regionally significant energy sources promoting the economic health as well as the national security of the United States.
 * However, there were institutional and economic barriers to the commercialization of geothermal technology; and
 * Federal agencies should consider the use of geothermal energy for government buildings.

Finance and insurance issues
The majority of the subsections of the GEA address the financial and insurance issues of geothermal energy production by means of the following:


 * Loans for geothermal reservoir confirmation,
 * The study, establishment, and implementation of an insurance program, and
 * The establishment of assistance programs.

Prior to this legislation was the Federal Geothermal Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974.