---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17192"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17192"
heading: "Hydrothermal research and development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17192"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter V — Accelerated Research and Development"
  - "Part B — Geothermal Energy"
---

# §17192. Hydrothermal research and development

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall carry out a [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for [geothermal](/usc/42/17191.md?p=6) energy production from [hydrothermal](/usc/42/17191.md?p=7) systems.
- (b) **Programs—** The [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) authorized in [subsection (a)](#a) shall include the following:
  - (1) **Advanced hydrothermal resource tools—** The research and development of advanced geologic tools to assist in locating [hydrothermal](/usc/42/17191.md?p=7) resources, and to increase the reliability of site characterization, including the development of new imaging and sensing technologies and techniques to assist in prioritization of targets for characterization;
  - (2) **Exploratory drilling for geothermal resources—** The demonstration of advanced technologies and techniques of siting and exploratory drilling for undiscovered resources in a variety of geologic settings, carried out in collaboration with industry partners that will assist in the acquisition of high quality data sets relevant for [hydrothermal](/usc/42/17191.md?p=7) subsurface characterization activities.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title VI, § 613, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1679; Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, § 3002(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2487.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–260 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to hydrothermal research and development.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.