Geothermal Assistance and Funding for Rural Energy Projects

Join Illinois Extension, the Illinois State Geological Survey, and the Illinois Geothermal Coalition for an overview of the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) funding opportunity aimed at supporting clean energy projects. The grant serves communities of 10,000 people or fewer. We will spotlight the opportunity for communities interested in leveraging this funding for geothermal projects to attend the session to also learn about resources and expertise available with the Illinois Geothermal Coalition and the Illinois State Geological Survey. Any rural communities that are interested in such projects would attend and engage prospects for this work with our speakers and their institutional and industry partners.

About the speakers:

Linda Derhak provides outreach and communication on state and federal grant funding opportunities, the energy transition, and community resilience. She manages outreach for the Illinois Extension portion of the Great Lakes Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center through the Thriving Communities program.

Andrew Stumpf is a Principal Research Scientist at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) which is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I). Dr. Stumpf is a geologist, and an internationally recognized expert in geothermal energy and underground thermal energy storage that leads a growing research program at the U of I. He is co-founder of the Illinois Geothermal Coalition established in 2020 to support the wider adoption of geothermal energy in Illinois and the US Midwest. His research and education initiatives are helping Illinoisans meet their future energy needs at a reduced cost. Dr. Stumpf is leading the U of I team that is providing technical information about the subsurface conditions at the proposed community geothermal system in Chicago’s West Woodlawn neighborhood.

Mohammad Khadhrawi has 30+ years of experience in the Upstream oil and gas industry including geological storage of CO2 and strategic analysis and coordination or research portfolios. Those experiences ignite his passion for a sustainable future. This passion is energized by his years at Aramco as a Research Scientist and Focus Area Champion, and the Ministry of Energy as a Sustainability and Climate Change Advisor. Mohammad is an expert in process-based modeling, unconventional resources assessment, and carbon management, where he leverages cutting-edge geoscience knowledge and expertise to solve energy challenges. A champion of collaboration, Mohammad co-led the introduction of predictive physics-based geological modeling to Aramco, contributed to the development of the world's first CCS standard (ISO 27914) and actively contributes to environmental and GHG management efforts. His engagement in the AAPG's Sustainable Development Committee showcases his dedication to science communication and industry-academia bridges. Mohammad is a member of AAPG, SPE, GSA, EAGE, AGU, and IAEE. These wide-ranging memberships exemplify Mohammad diverse interests and broad perspectives and dedication to innovation to navigate the pathways towards a thriving, sustainable future with positive impact for all people.

Yu-Feng Forrest Lin is the Director of Illinois Water Resources Center, a Principal Research Hydrogeologist at the Prairie Research Institute, a Clinical Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a Research Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received Ph.D. in geological engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2002. Lin's current research interests include: (1) groundwater and geothermal resources, (2) groundwater and surface water interactions, and (3) fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS). Dr. Lin has devoted his efforts to serving professional and public communities. He is presently the Executive Editor for Groundwater, published by the National Ground Water Association. He became the Geological Society of America Fellow in 2018. He has been a Commissioner at the Great Lakes Commission appointed by the Governor of Illinois since 2020.