IGS to play key role in search for renewable geothermal energy

The Indiana Geological Survey (IGS) is a member of a large, new U.S. Department of Energy project to assess the geothermal potential of most American states.

The Survey is participating in a comprehensive nationwide inventory of geothermal data to help identify and assess new geothermal resources for potential development. The IGS, along with 40 other state geological surveys, have formed a coalition to populate a new National Geothermal Data System with relevant, state-specific geothermal data. Over the three-year life of the project, the Geothermal Data Consortium will receive $17.79 million from the DOE with the IGS receiving $300,000.

"This project will help us understand the geothermal potential in Indiana to an extent never possible before," said Indiana State Geologist and IGS Director John Steinmetz. "It's exciting to be part of this national effort among so many other state geological surveys to address such a critical renewable energy need for the state and the country."

As a member of the Consortium, the IGS will be collecting data from across Indiana that will aid government, academia and industry in the identification and development of geothermal energy, and integrating them into the National Geothermal Data System.

"Once these data are compiled for the entire nation, they will be integrated into a searchable, Web-based data system that can then be used to drive renewed efforts to identify, assess, and exploit geothermal energy resources across America," said principal investigator and IGS Center for Geospatial Data Analysis Director Shawn Naylor.

Follow the Limestone

A new brochure featuring a self-guided walking tour of the Indiana University Bloomington campus is now available. "Follow the Limestone: A Walking Tour of Indiana University" was written by IGS senior scientist Brian Keith and produced by the Bloomington / Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The heart of the Indiana University Bloomington campus is meant for casual walking and exploration. The unique combination of green space and architecturally distinctive limestone buildings that span across three centuries continually provides me with interesting and enjoyable things to see, even after being here for many years,” said Keith.

The brochure celebrates and commemorates the area’s limestone heritage as evidenced by the prolific limestone architecture on the campus of Indiana University, and is full of interesting facts about the architectural styles of the buildings and the stone that was used to construct them.

Brochures are available at the Bloomington Visitors Center on North Walnut Street, the Indiana Geological Survey at the corner of 10th Street and Walnut Grove Avenue and at the IU Visitor Information Center on Indiana Avenue.