Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, congratulated West Virginia University after the Department of Energy announced that it was selected to receive up to $15 million via the Geothermal Technologies Office’s (GTO) Hydrothermal and Low Temperature Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity. This funding will support the research and development (R&D) of innovative subsurface geothermal technologies. Chairman Manchin also praised the continuation of a $2.1 million National Energy Technology Laboratory contract to establish a nationwide rare earth elements supply chain from coal, based on acid mine drainage treatment.

“West Virginia University continues to be a leader in developing innovative solutions that are critical to addressing the climate challenges facing us today, charting a path to a cleaner energy future, and establishing a reliable U.S. based rare earth elements supply chain. West Virginia coal has been the backbone of the American economy for decades, and with these funding announcements we can continue to utilize the full potential value of our state’s vast natural resources. This funding will build off the great work already being done in West Virginia to demonstrate advanced geothermal technologies and develop technologies capable of extracting rare earth elements. I’m thrilled to see the Department of Energy continue to invest at WVU and I will continue to push for funding that supports research projects in the Mountain State.”

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