U.S. hosts sale of geothermal leases

RENO, Nev., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Geothermal leases for more than 105,000 acres of land in Nevada sold for $28.2 million.

The federal public lands were auctioned last week in Reno, the Bureau of Land Management announced. Thirty-five parcels were distributed.

According to the BLM, half of the profit from the lease goes to the state, 25 percent goes to the county and the last 25 percent is taken by the bureau.

The land held by the BLM reportedly holds the largest geothermal supply potential in the United States, according to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. By leasing more land for geothermal projects, Kempthorne said he hoped the BLM would encourage more projects.

Recent estimates suggest that geothermal power provides about 17 percent of all energy in the United States that is generated by renewable resources.