一篇由进步研究所基础设施研究员艾丹·麦肯齐撰写的优秀文章，探讨了美国地热能和石油天然气在许可要求方面的差异，尽管这两个行业的流程几乎相同。此外，该文章认为，地热项目冗长且多步骤的许可过程使其容易受到可再生能源反对者和NIMBY组织的反对。

可以通过进步研究所的链接阅读完整文章。

适用于石油和天然气的分类排除石油和天然气行业享有对于需要少于5英亩地表干扰或在过去五年内获得国家环境政策法（NEPA）批准的位置进行钻探的活动的分类排除（CEs）。这些CEs作为2005年能源政策法案第390条的一部分得以延续。

凭借这些排除，石油和天然气开发商受益于简化的批准流程。

冗长的NEPA过程增加了地热项目的风险尽管地热行业与石油和天然气具有类似的发展阶段，但地热行业并未获得从NEPA审查过程中的排除。相反，地热项目需要经历多个NEPA审查阶段。这使得在地热项目上投资变得更加困难，因为发展的各个阶段的确定性取决于许可决策。

这种繁琐的批准过程也适用于将地热发电设施与市场连接所需的输电线路。输电线路需要获得数十个地方和州的批准，并需要花费10至15年的时间完成。这与天然气管道形成对比，后者仅受联邦能源监管委员会（FERC）的管辖。

公平竞争环境

为了使地热能够真正蓬勃发展，它需要与石油和天然气处于公平竞争的环境中。这意味着延长石油和天然气行业已经受益数十年的CEs。建议对勘探钻探和井田开发进行简化的CEs，并将更严格的环境要求应用于发电厂和输电线路建设。

国会还应限制已经阻碍了许多美国地热项目的无理诉讼，并对项目被法院拖延的时间设定限制。

来源：进步研究所

Anexcellent piece written by Aidan Mackenzie, Infrastructure Fellow at Institute for Progress, looks at the disparity of permitting requirements between geothermal and oil and gas in the context of the U.S., even though the two industries have processes that are virtually the same. Moreover, the piece argues that the length and multi-step permitting process of geothermal projects leave them open to counter-action by opponents of renewable energy and NIMBY groups.

Thefull piece can be accessed at the Institute for Progressvia this link.

Categoricalexclusions that apply to oil and gasTheoil and gas industry enjoys categorical exclusions (CEs) for activities that require fewer than 5 acres of surface disturbance or drilling on locations that have received National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approvals within the last five years. These CEs have been perpetuated as part of Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Withthese exclusions, oil and gas developers have benefited from a streamlined approval process.

LengthyNEPA process increases risk in geothermal projectsDespitehaving similar stages of development as oil and gas, the geothermal industry has not been granted exclusions from the NEPA review process. Instead, geothermal projects go through several NEPA review stages. This makes it harder to invest on geothermal projects, as the certainty of the individual stages of development become subject to permitting decisions.

Thedifficult approval process also applies to transmission lines that are needed to connect geothermal power generation facilities to markets. Transmission lines require dozens of local and state approvals and a process that takes between 10 to 15 years to complete. This is in contrast to the pipelines used for natural gas, which are under the authority only of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Alevel playing field

Forgeothermal to truly thrive, it needs to be at a level playing field as oil and gas. This means extending the CEs that the oil and gas industry has already benefited from for decades. Streamlined CEs are recommended for exploration drilling and well field development, with the more stringent environmental requirements will then be applied to power plant and transmission line construction.

Congressshould also restrict frivolous lawsuits that have already hamperedmany geothermal projectsin the U.S. and impose a limit on the amount of time that projects can be held up by the courts.

Source:Institute for Progress