Geothermal Rising Names New Executive Director to Advance the Non-Profit's Next Chapter

Geothermal Rising Logo
Geothermal Rising Logo

HOUSTON, February 14, 2023 (Newswire.com) - GR, Geothermal Rising, announces next Executive Director. Coming from a professional background that includes academia, government, civil society, and business, Bryant Jones brings years of experience and leadership to help the geothermal industry welcome and advance its next chapter.

GR is a community that advocates for the growth and deployment of geothermal energy. The non-profit is a renewable energy think tank designed to educate and inform audiences about the value and benefits of geothermal energy for heating and cooling as well as electricity generation. Founded in 1972, GR now supports a community of 7,000 people and dozens of member companies operating in the geothermal industry.

GR champions all geothermal energy technologies and applications such as thermal energy networks, hydrothermal systems, geothermal heat pumps, supercritical systems, engineered geothermal systems, closed-loop systems, and many more. Geothermal technologies are clean, renewable, transition the existing oil and gas workforce into the clean energy economy, and can decarbonize economic sectors such as agriculture, commercial and residential buildings, the electrical grid, manufacturing, and industrial heat with zero-carbon heating, cooling, and electricity generation.

"Geothermal energy applications, of all types, are gaining more and more traction here in the United States. Bringing Bryant Jones on as Executive Director at such an exciting time in the industry will be integral to guide and grow Geothermal Rising in every way. His passion and experience sets him up to hit the ground running today, and more importantly, where Geothermal Rising is heading in the future," said Kelly Blake, President of the GR Board of Directors.

"I am extremely pleased to welcome Bryant Jones as the incoming Executive Director of Geothermal Rising. Bryant has the vision, experience, and capabilities to take this organization to new heights as we re-imagine geothermal advocacy in the United States and position geothermal as a major player in the quest to decarbonize heating, cooling and electricity sectors. His background in policy and the private equity space, combined with his open mind, and inclusive attitude, make him the ideal candidate to lead our organization into the future," said Jeanine Vany, Energy Advocate Director on the GR Board of Directors and Executive Vice President at Eavor Technologies.

"The selection of Bryant to lead Geothermal Rising in this period of fast change and transition in the geothermal industry speaks to his vision for the role of geothermal in our energy mix in the coming decades. It's time to go big or go home for geothermal, and cohesive partnerships across industry are critical for geothermal to scale. I look forward to working with Bryant in the coming months to build on and realize the vision of geothermal anywhere," said Jamie Beard, Executive Director of Project InnerSpace.

Bryant Jones is a policy and energy scholar who researches at the nexus of policy studies, science and technology studies, and energy transition studies. His research at Boise State University explores how energy advocacy coalitions frame narratives and establish field rules and boundaries as they seek to gain attention and be placed on policy agendas.

"I am excited to be part of a community that has the solutions we need to avert and drawdown the climate crisis while simultaneously transitioning the hydrocarbon workforce, skills and knowledge into the clean energy economy," said Bryant Jones.

"Geothermal can decarbonize industry, manufacturing, commercial and residential buildings, agriculture, and the electric grid. It is the solution policymakers, investors, and the public are searching for to solve the climate crisis. I look forward to building on the successes of this proven technology and growing the geothermal community as we use the Earth to save the Earth," said Bryant Jones.

For more information visit geothermal.org.