Investment outlook for GT strengthens

In Massachusetts, research firm Emerging Energy Research says that 2010 may be the breakout year for geothermal energy. Investments in grew more than in any other energy source in 2009, rising some 149% over 2007 levels to $2.2 billion. Plus, the Obama administration has asked for a 25% increase in funding for geothermal technology in the 2011 budget. The company adds that another marker of growth is that smaller companies are merging in order to access the capital needed to take projects to scale.