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Unlocking Impermeable Geothermal Reservoirs: Hydraulic Stimulation, Menengai and Olkaria

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Unlocking the Impermeable Reservoir: Lessons from a 30-Year Reservoir Engineer An Alphaxioms interview with Richard Joseph Holt, Principal Consultant in Reservoir Engineering at RESPEC . Context: Menengai East and Olkaria Central. Every geothermal developer knows the moment.  The rig is gone and the money is spent. The well is drilled to depth, the temperature is there, and then the well will not flow. The heat is real, but the connection between the well and the reservoir is not. Wells like this sit at the centre of one of the most important questions in geothermal development: what do you do with a tight reservoir? Walk away and drill again, or find a way to unlock what is already there? To explore the question, Alphaxioms spoke with Richard Joseph Holt, Principal Consultant in Reservoir Engineering at RESPEC . Richard brings 30 years of global experience in geothermal energy.  We framed our questions around two settings, Menengai East and Olkaria Central, and asked him how ...
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Global Geothermal Investment 2026: 15 High-Growth Markets

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Global Geothermal Investment 2026: 15 Markets Where Developers Should Look Next Geothermal energy is entering its most investable decade yet, with developers, drilling contractors, turbine suppliers and private capital providers scanning a widening map of opportunities beyond the traditional “big five” producers.  This article profiles 15 markets where project pipelines, policy signals, resource quality and technology readiness converge to create compelling entry points in 2026 and beyond.  Why 2026 Is a Turning Point for Geothermal Capital Global geothermal investment is accelerating as governments seek firm, low‑carbon baseload to back up variable wind and solar, while advanced drilling and subsurface engineering lower costs and expand the resource base. Market analysts project the geothermal energy market to reach roughly USD 13.56 billion by 2030, up from about USD 9.81 billion in 2025, implying sustained double‑digit growth in development spend. Capital is flowing not onl...
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Fervo Energy’s Cape Station Reaches Commercial Operation: A Milestone for Enhanced Geothermal

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Fervo Energy’s Cape Station Reaches Commercial Operation: What the Milestone Means for Next‑Generation Geothermal On October 1, 2026, Fervo Energy announced that its first GeoBlock at Cape Station in Beaver County, Utah, reached contractual commercial operation , achieving 33 MW net and beginning revenue under a power purchase agreement (PPA). The declaration , reached one day ahead of the contractual commercial operation date after grid synchronization on September 24 , marks an important moment for enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) : a greenfield, first‑of‑a‑kind development moving from construction into contracted revenue. This article explains the technical approach Fervo used, evaluates performance and schedule claims, examines cost and scalability implications, places the project in the competitive market context, and summarizes key risks investors and industry watchers should track. What Fervo built: GeoBlocks and the Cape Station design Fervo’s project architecture centers on ...
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El Salvador Opens Tender for Integrated Drilling Services for Eight Chinameca Geothermal Wells

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
El Salvador Advances Tender for Integrated Drilling Services for Eight Geothermal Wells in Chinameca El Salvador is preparing a major geothermal drilling campaign at the Chinameca geothermal field, where state-owned developer LaGeo plans to procure integrated drilling services for up to eight deep geothermal wells. The tender forms part of a wider programme designed to confirm the field’s underground resource, secure steam for a new power plant and expand the country’s renewable electricity generation capacity. The planned contract is expected to cover drilling services, materials, accessories, casing and pipes, together with complementary services required to complete the wells. LaGeo has already initiated early market engagement to obtain feedback from potential contractors before launching the formal procurement process.  The Chinameca campaign is supported through the World Bank-financed El Salvador Geothermal Energy for Sustainable and Inclusive Development Project. The broade...
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Latest Advances in Global Geothermal Electricity Generation and Impacts

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Latest advances in global geothermal electricity generation and impacts | Alphaxioms ALPHAXIOMS GEOTHERMAL INTELLIGENCE Latest advances in global geothermal electricity generation and impacts Status as of 1 October 2026 THE GLOBAL PICTURE ~16 GW installed worldwide, end of 2025 ~14 GW prospective pipeline >90% typical capacity factor, 24/7 800 GW IEA next-gen potential by 2050 TOP 10 BY OPERATING CAPACITY (MW) LATEST ADVANCES EGS reaches the grid Fervo's Cape Station (Utah) delivered first power on 24 Sept 2026, the first utility-scale enhanced geothermal plant to do so. Phase I is ~100 MW in three 33 MW blocks. Faster, cheaper drilling Oil and gas techniques cut drilling times 70% year over year between Project Red and Cape Station...
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Geothermal Drilling Operations Have Begun in Akharim, Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal Drilling Operations Have Begun in Akharim, Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye Geothermal drilling operations have officially commenced in Akharim, a town in the Sandıklı district of Afyonkarahisar province in western Türkiye, marking a significant step toward unlocking the region’s thermal resource potential for tourism, agriculture, and local economic development. The project, initiated by the Akharim municipality through a public tender, aims to reach viable hot-water aquifers that can underpin new investments in thermal tourism, greenhouse farming, and potentially district heating or small-scale power applications in the years ahead. This development fits into a broader pattern of geothermal expansion across Afyonkarahisar, one of Türkiye’s most active geothermal provinces, where existing projects already support large greenhouse complexes, spa and hotel infrastructure, and growing interest in further resource characterization and wellfield development. Against the backdrop of Türki...
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GDC Opens Restricted Tender for Menengai Wellbore Scale Services

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
GDC Opens Restricted Tender for Menengai Wellbore Scale Services Kenya’s Geothermal Development Company Limited (GDC) has announced a new restricted tender targeting one of the most technically important challenges in geothermal field operations: scale formation and its removal from geothermal wells and formations . The procurement notice, posted by GDC on 29 September 2026 , seeks qualified firms to provide specialized downhole wellbore and formation-scale removal and scaling mitigation services for geothermal wells and reservoirs at the Menengai Geothermal Field . The planned service period is three years , creating an opportunity for specialized geothermal service companies with experience in downhole intervention, scale management, wellbore remediation and formation-scale mitigation. According to the notice, interested and qualified firms must submit their full company details and contacts together with their Electronic Government Procurement System (eGP) registration number t...
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Maren Maras plans 99-MW geothermal power development in Aydin, Türkiye

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Maren Maras plans 99-MW geothermal power development in Aydin, Türkiye Maren Maras is planning a 99-MW geothermal development in Aydın’s Germencik district, consisting of three 33-MW plants with binary-cycle technology, based on regulatory filings and the Final EIA report. The project is expected to generate about 730 GWh annually and requires an estimated TRY 1.82 billion investment. Maren Maras Plans 99-MW Geothermal Power Development in Aydın, Türkiye Maren Maras Elektrik Ãœretim Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Åž., part of KipaÅŸ Holding, has advanced plans for a major geothermal expansion in Türkiye’s Aydın province. According to regulatory documents and reporting on the company’s environmental filings, the project will add 99 MW of installed geothermal capacity in the Germencik district through three separate 33-MW power plants.  The project adds another large-scale development to one of Türkiye’s most active geothermal regions. Aydın has long been a core province for geothermal power in th...
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Global Geothermal Policy Outlook for 2027 Across Key Markets

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Global Geothermal and Energy Policies for 2027: A Future Outlook Introduction The next phase of global geothermal development will be shaped not only by geology and technology, but increasingly by national energy policy . Governments are now treating geothermal as more than a niche source of heat or power . They are beginning to see it as a practical option for firm low-carbon electricity, district heating, industrial heat, and energy security. That shift matters because geothermal projects are unusually sensitive to policy design. Exploration is capital intensive, drilling is expensive, subsurface risk is real, and project timelines can stretch over years before revenue begins. In other words, geothermal is not just an engineering challenge. It is also a finance, regulation, and infrastructure challenge. Looking toward 2027, five countries offer a useful benchmark for where geothermal policy may be heading: the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and France. Each countr...
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North Rhine-Westphalia Deep Geothermal Energy District Heating Expansion

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
North Rhine-Westphalia Pushes Geothermal Into Mainstream Heat Supply With New Deep Drilling Projects North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is accelerating its push to make geothermal energy a major component of the region’s future heat supply, with the state backing exploration, drilling, feasibility studies and financial mechanisms designed to reduce the risks associated with developing underground heat resources. The latest developments were presented at the 21st Geothermal Conference in Bochum, hosted by NRW.Energy4Climate and the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG (Fraunhofer IEG). The conference highlighted a growing transition in NRW geothermal development: geothermal energy is moving beyond research and individual demonstration projects toward practical deployment in municipal heating, district heating networks, residential developments and industrial applications. The state has already financed measurements and drilling activities across s...
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Quaise Energy Secures DOE Funding for Superhot Geothermal Plant

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Quaise Energy Wins DOE Support for Project Obsidian as Superhot Geothermal Moves Toward Commercial Scale Quaise Energy’s selection for up to $25 million in U.S. Department of Energy support is a meaningful milestone for superhot geothermal power, especially because it is tied to Project Obsidian, the company’s flagship commercial-scale Enhanced Geothermal System in Central Oregon. The award strengthens the case that superhot geothermal is shifting from laboratory promise toward field-tested infrastructure, with the first well triplet designed to validate a path to more than 25 megawatts of gross electric power and future expansion potential much larger than that.  DOE backs superhot geothermal The U.S. Department of Energy selected Quaise under its Next-Generation Geothermal Field Tests and Geothermal Resource Characterization and Confirmation funding opportunity, part of a broader $99 million geothermal push announced this week .According to DOE, the selected projects are mean...
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Geothermal Funding, August ,September 2027 With Intelligence into 2028

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal Funding in August and September 2027: Investment Outlook and Intelligence Into 2028 Geothermal funding in August and September 2027 is likely to focus on projects that can demonstrate commercial resource potential, credible drilling plans, secure offtake, and a clear path to construction. The market will increasingly move beyond broad technology experimentation toward financeable geothermal assets supported by government grants, development-finance institutions, strategic investors, utilities, and corporate power buyers. The most significant investment themes will likely include enhanced geothermal systems , exploration drilling, closed-loop geothermal , data-center power supply, conventional geothermal expansion in East Africa, and blended finance for emerging markets. By 2028, investors are expected to distinguish more sharply between companies with proven technical performance and those still dependent on laboratory results or unconfirmed resource estimates. The 2027 Fun...
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Sonoma Clean Power secures $20M in state funding to advance California geothermal initiative

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Sonoma Clean Power Secures $20 Million in State Funding to Advance California Geothermal Initiative Sonoma Clean Power has secured $20 million in state support for its California geothermal initiative, a milestone that strengthens the case for next-generation geothermal development in the state. The funding is aimed at reducing early-stage exploration risk, with private-sector partners expected to match the public investment, bringing the total pool to $40 million.   A major step for GeoZone The announcement builds on Sonoma Clean Power’s GeoZone strategy, which targets 600 megawatts of next-generation geothermal energy across Sonoma and Mendocino counties over the next decade. The initiative is designed to secure affordable, reliable clean power for local customers while advancing California’s broader clean-energy goals.  The latest funding breakthrough gives the project more momentum at a critical stage. In geothermal development, exploratory drilling is often one of th...
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Belgrade Launches Phase 3 Geothermal Study Tender for District Heating

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
JKP Beogradske elektrane , has launched a new tender for the third phase of scientific studies into the geothermal potential of underground water resources at sites within its heating-plant and boiler-house network.  The procurement is for services, uses an open procedure, and carries reference number 160 ОУ/26. The submission deadline is 19 October 2026 at 10:30, and the tender status is listed as published.  This procurement is significant because it shows that the city’s geothermal program is moving beyond preliminary exploration and into a more detailed assessment phase. The tender documentation indicates that the work is intended to support the evaluation of geothermal resources for district heating use, which aligns with broader efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in urban heating systems.  What the Tender Covers The procurement title is “Phase 3 scientific study of the geothermal potential of underground water resources in the territory of heating plants and...
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Grenada Geothermal Project Advances With Slimhole Wells Procurement.

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Grenada’s Geothermal Slimhole Procurement Signals Project Momentum Grenada has moved another step forward in its geothermal drilling program with a new invitation to bid for civil infrastructure and water supply equipment for two geothermal slimhole wells, a procurement package that points to concrete field preparation rather than just planning on paper . The notice breaks the work into three lots and covers access roads, drill pad civil works, water supply infrastructure, and power equipment needed to support drilling operations . Project Context The procurement is being issued by Grenada’s Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy through its Project Management Unit, while the Ministry of Infrastructure serves as the executing agency . The works are tied to the Government of Grenada’s geothermal drilling project and are being financed in part by the Caribbean Development Bank, according to the notice [1]. That funding link matters because it shows the proje...
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Green Therma deploys closed-loop geothermal demonstration in Groß Schönebeck, Germany

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Green Therma deploys demonstration of closed-loop geothermal in Groß Schönebeck, Germany Green Therma has deployed its closed-loop geothermal demonstration at the Groß Schönebeck research site in Germany, and the project is now moving from installation into operation. The system is intended to test the company’s Heat4Ever/DualVac concept under real geothermal conditions at depths of more than 3 kilometers.  Green Therma deploys closed-loop geothermal demonstration in Groß Schönebeck, Germany Green Therma has reached an important milestone in the development of closed-loop geothermal technology with the deployment of its demonstration project at the Groß Schönebeck research site in Germany. The company says the system is now circulating water through a single-well closed-loop configuration, bringing geothermal heat to the surface from more than 3 kilometers underground.  The project is being carried out at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences’ geothermal research facility,...
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