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Geothermal is the perfect purple form of energy, yet our permitting process cripples it

by Tobias Russell, opinion contributor - 11/05/26 12:30 PM ET

by Tobias Russell, opinion contributor - 11/05/26 12:30 PM ET

Nathan Cooper lowers a drill’s boom during the process of installing a geothermal heat pump Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Hamilton, Colo. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

What kind of American are you? Do you shudder at the thought of drilling for oil and gas — or do you cringe at the sight of solar panels and wind turbines?

In recent years, how we keep the lights on has become part of the culture war. For many on the right, loyalty to fossil fuels became a proud way to stick it to the libs. On the left, electric vehicles and rooftop solar became markers of status and moral virtue.

Lay down your culture-war guns. One energy source remains tribeless — and strikingly underappreciated.…