A lab buried deep beneath South Dakota could help unlock a clean energy source so reliable it could power over 65 million homes and businesses, reported Renewable Energy Magazine. And thanks to a breakthrough U.S. Department of Energy project, this kind of energy might be closer than you think.

The Center for Understanding Subsurface Signals and Permeability, located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, is a multi-institutional collaboration led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Its mission is to make enhanced geothermal systems viable nearly anywhere on Earth.

Here's how it works: An enhanced geothermal system, or EGS, injects water deep underground to be heated by the natural geothermal heat of the Earth. Then, it returns to the surface as hot water or steam to power turbines that generate electricity. It's a genius way to tap into the Earth's natural heat to create clean, nearly limitless energy.

But there's a catch. These engineered underground reservoirs can clog over time as minerals accumulate, similar to how old household pipes get blocked up.

"The big unknown is how long these reservoirs will last," said Kevin Rosso, director of CUSSP. "We are seeing successful EGS pilot projects all around the world right now that prove this technology works. But we don't know if these underground reservoirs will continue to produce heat effectively at the same rates for decades."

That's where CUSSP comes in. Researchers are studying how underground systems behave in real time, using advanced sensors to track water chemistry, pressure, temperature, and more at SURF's geothermal test bed.

"That's one of the exciting things about this location. Here we have control over water temperature, water chemistry, and we know the rock types, and that's something that's never been done before," Rosso said. That precision lets scientists better understand problems and build better models for geothermal plants.

Geothermal energy could be a key part of a cleaner, healthier future for all by stabilizing grids and slashing the pollution overheating our planet. Not only will it make energy more reliable and affordable, but reduced air pollution is a move toward safeguarding public health.

The use of EGS has already caught the attention of tech giants such as Google, which recently partnered with Project Innerspace and SLB to advance the adoption of geothermal energy. But CUSSP is taking it further by solving long-term challenges, making sure EGS can stay efficient, affordable, and scalable.

Beyond science, this work supports a clean energy workforce. With over 40 researchers and students involved, CUSSP is joining geochemists, engineers, and data scientists to help lead the transition away from dirty energy.

"It's really exciting to see multiple disciplines coming together, rallying around a really focused problem," said Rosso.

One way homeowners can take advantage of the clean energy shift is to install solar panels, which can bring energy bills down to $0. EnergySage makes it easy to compare quotes from local installers, and you can save up to $10,000 on installation.

For anyone who can't install panels, growing community solar options allow you to get in on the savings.

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US firms join forces to test device that can generate mind-boggling amount of power: 'This provides an engineering foundation'

Two U.S. firms have teamed up to test a first-of-its-kind pulser module — a system designed to store electrical energy needed for nuclear fusion — that is capable of producing a whopping 2 terawatts of power.

As Interesting Engineering reported, Pacific Fusion Corporation and General Atomics plan to test the module, which will deliver four times more power than the average of the entire U.S. electrical grid from a device that can fit inside a shipping container.

If distributed on a commercial scale, the device has the potential to transform society and could lead to significantly lower energy bills and greater efficiency.

Nuclear fusion is the process that powers stars, and scientists believe we're closer than ever to harnessing this immense power to meet the world's demand. Widespread fusion power generation would unlock virtually limitless clean energy to power our needs without the harmful pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels.

Fusion will likely play a major role in helping combat the climate crisis, as it generates nearly 4 million times more energy than dirty fuels, per the International Energy Forum.

In 2024, a Pacific Fusion team proved that the components of each module were capable of generating the intense energy needed to power fusion reactions. They conducted 100 consecutive tests in a single day to demonstrate the system's performance and plan to use 150 modules for the next demonstration.

"We're delivering the most power-dense, line replaceable unit in fusion history using modular components that can be mass-manufactured at low cost," Keith LeChien, Pacific Fusion's co-founder and chief technology officer, said in a press release.

"This provides an engineering foundation for fusion energy systems that deliver reliable, firm, and affordable power and heat," LeChien added.

According to General Atomics, Pacific Fusion raised over $900 million in funding in 2024 to develop technology for "net facility gain," where the energy output exceeds the stored input. The collaboration marks a huge step forward in the endeavor to produce fusion energy at a society-wide scale, with current efforts focused on "full-scale fusion power plant components, such as system operations, cryogenics, manufacturing at production scale, and target fabrication."

Fusion energy is essential to our clean energy mix, as reactors can operate continuously and provide a stable power source to complement intermittent renewables, such as wind and solar. While you can't have a fusion power plant at home, solar panels are a great way to save money on energy bills while reducing your home's pollution output. If you're interested in checking out quotes from vetted local installers, EnergySage provides free tools that make it easy to go solar, and you can save up to $10,000 on installations with its service.