...AND CHEAPER...:

"There have been enormous technological breakthroughs in geothermal," Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said in an interview with Stateline. "More geographic areas are now eligible and capable of producing inexpensive geothermal energy. You're seeing more and more states addressing geothermal opportunities with the urgency that Colorado is."

In the West, some states see geothermal power plants as a crucial source of "always-on" clean electricity - a resilient energy supply to bolster grids supplied by wind and solar.

At the same time, some lawmakers in Eastern states believe networks of underground heat could replace gas-powered furnaces for many neighborhoods, campuses, and commercial buildings.

In both cases, supporters believe the transition to geothermal could draw on the drilling and pipeline construction expertise of oil and gas workers.

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