CanaryMedia: "Boise plans to tap its geothermal network to heat 300 affordable homes," by Alison F. Takemura.
Boise, Idaho operates the country’s largest geothermal heating system, which pipes naturally warmed, 177ºF water from underground to about 100 buildings—including the Idaho State Capitol. "Last week, semiconductor multinational Micron Technology [headquartered in the city] gave Boise $2.5million to build on that expertise."
"The cash fills a funding gap to extend the geothermal system to a planned affordable housing development with more than 300 units." In total, the project price tag is about $140 million, according to the city.
“Boise has been Micron’s headquarters for 48 years, and investing in this community means investing in the people who call it home,” said April Arnzen, executive vice president + chief people officer at Micron + president of its philanthropic arm, the Micron Foundation.
"February, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge awarded Boise $ 1million to upgrade its geothermal system for affordable housing, as well as to explore a new use for the network: Some early-stage technologies exist that could potentially harness the hot water from Boise’s system to provide cooling, according to Maria Ortega, the city’s communications senior manager."
"The clean-heat expansion will help Boise get closer to its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050." Already, the city’s geothermal network cuts thousands of tons of carbon emissions every year, the equivalent of taking more than 2,000 gas-powered cars off the road.
I should also add that we also need to keep expanding the EV charging network + encourage as many of those drivers as possible into electric vehicles as swiftly as feasible. Get 'er done.