To stimulate development in the direct heat area, the Department of Energy, Division of Geothermal Energy, issued two Program Opportunity Notices (PON's). These solicitaitons are part of DOE's national geothermal energy program plan, which has as its goal the near-term commercialization by the private sector of hydrothermal resources. Encouragement is being given to the private sector by DOE cost~sharing a portion of the front-end financial risk in a limited number of demonstration projects