Up to 10 teams will be selected to participate based on a competitive review of the proposals, which are due Nov. 12, 2010.

The U.S. Department of Energy, through its Geothermal Technologies Program, launched its inaugural National Geothermal Student Competition, which will provide up to $100,000 to fund as many as 10 collegiate teams to participate in the competition. Student teams will be required to conduct extensive research on the geothermal energy potential of the Rio Grande Rift geologic province, located in southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. Each team will produce sets of data that assess a suite of geologic, engineering, environmental, land use, policy and cultural issues that are crucial to future geothermal development in the United States.

The Rio Grande Rift is a high potential, but relatively undeveloped, geothermal region that is representative of the geothermal potential in other areas in the United States.

The National Geothermal Student Competition is open to all colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions in the United States. To participate in the competition, teams should submit proposals through DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (www.nrel.gov) Request for Proposals link on its Business Opportunities Web page. Up to 10 teams will be selected to participate based on a competitive review of the proposals. Proposals are due Nov. 12, 2010.