A Bipartisan Bill Built on a Policy Roadmap
On April 13, 2026, the Pennsylvania House Energy Committee voted HB 2076 out of committee with bipartisan support. Sponsored by Reps. Arvind Venkat (D-Allegheny) and Craig Williams (R-Chester), the bill establishes a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework for geothermal resource production in the Commonwealth, one that could supply millions of Pennsylvania homes and businesses with locally sourced, always-on energy.
Pennsylvania currently has no dedicated regulatory structure for geothermal development. That gap has been the single biggest barrier to private investment in the state. HB 2076 closes it.
The bill did not emerge from thin air. In February 2025, Project InnerSpace, in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University and ten contributors from four Pennsylvania institutions, published “The Future of Geothermal in Pennsylvania.” That report offered 23 targeted policy recommendations to accelerate geothermal adoption across the Commonwealth. The creation of a clear permitting framework was among the most critical. HB 2076 codifies that recommendation into law.
InnerSpace Action has been working with local partners and lobbyists in Pennsylvania since before that report was published, building the political foundation for exactly this moment. That coalition-building work contributed to securing a $13 million first-of-its-kind pilot project in the Marcellus Shale and helped advance the bipartisan legislative groundwork that made HB 2076 possible.
“Geothermal energy is a potentially limitless, always-on power source that could provide clean, locally-sourced electricity to millions of Pennsylvania residents and businesses.” — Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, Chair, House Energy Committee
The Federal Signal: $14 Million for the First Eastern U.S. EGS Project
The day after the committee vote, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office announced a $14 million award for an enhanced geothermal systems demonstration project in Pennsylvania, the first EGS demonstration site located in the eastern United States.
Led by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the project will leverage the thermal resources of the Appalachian Utica Shale to assess the efficacy and scalability of EGS beyond the western states where conventional geothermal has long operated. The project involves converting a horizontal shale gas well to geothermal use, a direct application of Pennsylvania’s existing oil and gas infrastructure and expertise. Project InnerSpace’s research and advocacy work in the state helped build the case for Pennsylvania as a priority site for federal investment of this kind.
If successful, the DOE notes, the project will offer a replicable model that could expand EGS across the country. Pennsylvania is not just a test site; it is a potential template.
“As the first enhanced geothermal systems demonstration site located in the eastern United States, this project offers an important opportunity to assess the ability of such systems to deliver reliable, affordable geothermal electricity to Americans nationwide.” — Kyle Haustveit, Assistant Secretary, DOE Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office
Why Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is the nation’s second-largest energy-producing state, with a deep bench of oil and gas workers, existing well infrastructure, and hard-won drilling expertise. The Marcellus and Utica Shale formations that made Pennsylvania a global energy story are the same geological assets that make it a compelling frontier for next-generation geothermal.
Project InnerSpace’s founding Executive Director Jamie Beard put it plainly in the PA report: “Pennsylvania led the charge historically with the first oil well and in the shale revolution. Now it can be at the forefront of the next drilling revolution, but this time for heat.”
That is how the two organizations work: Project InnerSpace builds the research and the case; InnerSpace Action turns it into legislative wins.
The Road Ahead
HB 2076 now moves to the full House for a vote. From there it will need Senate consideration and the Governor’s signature to become law. The momentum is real, but legislation requires sustained attention to cross the finish line.
Governor Shapiro, who welcomed the Project InnerSpace PA report at its release, has signaled strong support for geothermal as part of his Lightning Plan to build a more reliable, affordable energy grid. The bipartisan committee vote, the federal demonstration award, and the existing pilot project in the Marcellus all point in the same direction.
Pennsylvania has the geology, the workforce, and now the political will. What it needs next is a law on the books. InnerSpace Action will continue working with our partners in Harrisburg to make that happen.