The recently passed Arizona budget includes $1.5 million for the Arizona Geological Survey to research potential geothermal energy sites.
Geothermal has not been used by the state utilities.
But Gov. Katie Hobbs and other state officials have said new technology advancements could change that and allow the energy source to supply power to the grid.
That will require research to first figure out which parts of the state would make the most sense for geothermal drilling.
Maren Mahoney with the Governor’s Office of Resiliency says that’s where this new funding comes in.
“That will identify and then map untapped geothermal resources and characterizations throughout the state. That's going to help de-risk projects," Mahoney said.
The Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission recently approved new geothermal wells for copper extraction at Freeport McMoran’s Morenci mine in Greenlee County.
Mahoney says that will work as a testbed for power generation.
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