Skip to main content

Posts

Just In

OMV Halts Graz Geothermal Project: Lessons for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Heating

OMV Halts Graz Geothermal Project: What It Means for Renewable Energy By:  Robert Buluma OMV cancels its deep geothermal project for Graz district heating, highlighting the risks and lessons for renewable energy projects. Discover what this means for future geothermal initiatives. OMV’s OMV’s Surprising Stop on Graz Geothermal Project Austria’s ambitious geothermal project aimed at supplying half of Graz’s district heating has been abruptly canceled. Initially envisioned as a major step in decarbonizing the city’s heating network, the project faced delays and contractual disagreements that ultimately led OMV to halt the initiative. The decision has sent ripples through the Austrian energy sector, raising questions about governance, risk, and renewable energy planning. The Significance of the Project The canceled geothermal initiative was valued at nearly €0.5 billion and had the potential to transform Graz’s energy landscape. Currently, the city relies on a small fraction ...
Recent posts

Geothermal Exploration Planned in Ayvacık, Türkiye – Doğal Hayat Project

Doğal Hayat Geothermal plans to drill an exploration well in Yeşilyurt, Ayvacık, Türkiye, to assess local geothermal potential for sustainable agriculture and tourism. By: Robert Buluma The project’s main goal is to evaluate the local geothermal potential and explore sustainable uses for agriculture and tourism. The plan includes drilling an exploration well (YO‑01) on parcel 160, block 7, within the company’s geothermal licence area (access number 3248844). The site spans roughly 9,000 m² of privately owned land, strategically chosen for its geothermal potential. Because the land is classified as an olive grove, all operations will comply with Turkey’s Olive Tree Law (No. 3573) and Soil Protection and Land Use Law (No. 5403). The regulatory authority has determined that a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA/ÇED) is not required at this stage. If geothermal resources are confirmed, Doğal Hayat Geothermal plans to develop tourism and agricultural applications, including thermal to...

Earth Sciences NZ Secures $2.6M Marsden Fund to Drive Green Energy, Geothermal Innovation, and Volcano Research

Earth Sciences NZ wins $2.6M Marsden Fund to develop green ammonia, geothermal energy solutions, and volcanic monitoring for a sustainable NZ future. By:  Robert Buluma New Zealand is set to make major strides in energy innovation, sustainability, and volcanic risk management after Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) secured $2.6 million in funding from the prestigious Marsden Fund . Four groundbreaking research projects will explore everything from green fuels to untapped geothermal energy and the hidden workings of  New Zealand’s volcanoes. Cracking the Seismic Code Beneath Volcanoes Volcanoes in New Zealand, from Ruapehu to Whakaari/White Island, pose persistent risks to communities and industries. Despite decades of monitoring, predicting eruptions remains challenging due to the complex signals of seismic activity, ground deformation, and gas emissions. Dr. Pasan Herath is leading a pioneering project using distant earthquakes to map underground volcanic plumbing systems ....

Deutsche Erdwärme Launches Long-Term Geothermal Productivity Test in Graben-Neudorf

Deutsche Erdwärme Starts Long-Term Geothermal Test in Graben-Neudorf By:  Robert Buluma After months of inactivity, the geothermal project in Graben-Neudorf (Karlsruhe district) is springing back to life. Deutsche Erdwärme has initiated a long-term test to evaluate the productivity of its 3,600-meter-deep borehole. The test, expected to run for two to three weeks, is seen as a critical step in determining the feasibility of large-scale geothermal energy production at the site. The central question: Is the geothermal well as productive as Deutsche Erdwärme anticipates? According to reports by SWR, water will be pumped into the underground reservoir, followed by seismological measurements and pressure tests. These activities aim to determine the operational conditions required for safely running a future geothermal plant. Herbert Pohl, CEO of Deutsche Erdwärme, noted that such a long-term test is unprecedented in Germany and in the Upper Rhine Valley. While geothermal exploration...

How Kenya’s Rift Valley Could Power the World’s Electric Vehicle Revolution

Discover how Kenya’s Rift Valley geothermal resources could become a game-changer for the global electric vehicle industry. Explore opportunities, innovations, and insights from Alphaxioms’ expert consultancy in renewable energy. By Alphaxioms | Renewable Energy Insights Kenya’s Rift Valley is more than a scenic wonder — it’s emerging as a global powerhouse in renewable energy, with the potential to fuel the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs). Hidden beneath its volcanic landscapes lies vast geothermal energy, a clean and reliable resource that could revolutionize the EV battery supply chain worldwide. For innovators and investors in clean technology, this is a game-changer. By harnessing geothermal heat, Kenya can support sustainable lithium extraction and other critical minerals, powering not just homes and industries, but also the rapidly expanding EV market. Alphaxioms, a leading renewable energy consultancy, has been at the forefront of exploring these opportunities, comb...

Quaise Energy Unveils Revolutionary Pure-Energy Drilling — The Future of Geothermal is Here

⚡ Quaise Energy’s Groundbreaking Demo: Drilling with Pure Energy — A Revolution Rooted in MIT Posted by  Robert Buluma — November 2025 In the heart of Marble Falls, Texas, the earth trembled not from an explosion, but from innovation. Quaise Energy — a bold spinout from the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI ) — has just proven the impossible : drilling through granite using pure energy , not physical bits. This September, the company hosted the first of several live public demonstrations of its millimeter-wave drilling system — a technological leap that could redefine the future of geothermal energy. 🔥 The Birth of a Drilling Revolution Quaise’s CEO Carlos Araque calls it “the first drilling innovation in 100 years.” He believes this breakthrough can unlock clean, renewable geothermal power on a scale rivaling fossil fuels . And that’s not hyperbole. With early funding and research support from MITEI , Quaise is turning decades of plasma and fusion science into the key tha...

Zenith Volts Unveils 1.24GW Off-Grid Data Center in Roswell, Powered by Geothermal Cooling

⚡ Zenith Volts Breaks Ground on 1.24GW Off-Grid Data Center Campus in Roswell, NM By:  Robert Buluma In a bold step toward sustainable, off-grid computing, Zenith Volts has secured planning approval for a massive 8,500-acre data center project in Roswell, New Mexico. The 1.24GW campus, set to be fully operational by November 2027, is designed to power AI, cloud, and high-performance workloads while integrating some of the most advanced energy and cooling solutions in the industry. Powering the Future: Diverse Energy Solutions The Roswell campus is planned as a fully diversified energy ecosystem. On-site solar arrays will provide primary power, while natural gas generators act as backup for reliability. Adding to this is a 250-acre battery energy storage system and modular solar-thermal hybrid setups—designed to balance peak load demands efficiently. But the real game-changer? Geothermal cooling. By tapping into the stable underground temperatures of New Mexico, Zenith aims to dras...