ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

The U.S. Department of Energy just dropped a massive boost for geothermal energy—and it's game-changing for the future of clean, reliable power! DOE Unleashes $171.5 Million to Supercharge Next-Generation Geothermal in the U.S. On February 25, 2026, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a funding opportunity worth up to $171.5 million through its Office of Geothermal. This isn't small change—it's aimed at accelerating next-generation geothermal technologies that could unlock massive potential for affordable, 24/7 baseload energy across America. Why does this matter? The U.S. already leads globally with about 4 gigawatts of installed geothermal capacity, but DOE studies show we could realistically scale to at least 300 gigawatts by 2050. That's enough to power millions of homes and businesses with clean, domestic energy that doesn't rely on weather or time of day. This funding directly supports President Trump's Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy, f...

UK's Geothermal Dawn: Cornwall Lights Up the Future of Constant Clean Power and Green Lithium Too By: Robert Buluma Image: Cornwall becomes the heartbeat of UK Geothermal,  Great time to be alive On February 26, 2026, a quiet but historic moment unfolded in the granite heartland of Cornwall. After years of vision, engineering grit, and one of the deepest holes ever sunk into British rock, Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL ) flipped the switch. The United Downs Deep Geothermal Power Plant came online – the first time the United Kingdom has ever generated grid electricity directly from the Earth’s natural heat. This isn’t another wind farm that stops when the breeze dies, or a solar array that goes dark at dusk. This is baseload renewable power: steady, weather-independent, always available. Up to 3 MW of constant electricity is now flowing  enough to supply roughly 10,000 British homes  sold under a long-term agreement to Octopus Energy. At the same moment, the same geotherm...

Exclusive Insights from INL's Trevor Atkinson: The Future of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), Critical Minerals, and Why Geothermal Lags Behind Wind & Solar Published on Alphaxioms Geothermal News   Date: [February 26, 2026]   By Robert Buluma In a detailed email interview, Trevor Atkinson, Research Scientist in Geothermal Energy and Subsurface Systems at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), shares candid perspectives on the field's priorities, breakthroughs, barriers, and potential. His work focuses on subsurface characterization, reactive-transport modeling, AI optimization, and integrating geothermal with critical mineral recovery. 1. What is INL’s most important geothermal research priority today, and why?   Advancing Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) through physics-based modeling and AI-driven optimization. My research focuses on subsurface characterization and reactive-transport modeling, which are essential for predicting fluid–rock interactions and pe...

Geothermal Energy in 2026: Germany's AFK Geothermie Launches Major Deep Drilling Expansion East of Munich , A Blueprint for Reliable Renewable Heat By: Robert Buluma Imagine a quiet industrial site near Munich's eastern suburbs suddenly dominated by a towering 40-meter drilling rig in 2026. Beneath the surface lies a vast reservoir of hot water at around 90°C, ready to deliver clean, baseload heat to thousands more homes and businesses. This is the reality unfolding at AFK Geothermie GmbH in Aschheim, where Germany's first inter-municipal geothermal project is gearing up for a transformative second deep drilling campaign. As Europe pushes for energy independence and net-zero heating, this Bavarian initiative stands out as a practical model: community-owned, resilient, and increasingly fossil-fuel-free. The Pioneering Roots of AFK Geothermie Founded in 2008 by the neighboring municipalities of Aschheim, Kirchheim, and Feldkirchen, AFK Geothermie was a trailblazer the first ...

The press release from Ormat Technologies dated February 17, 2026, announces a major deal: a long-term geothermal Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with NV Energy to deliver up to 150 MW of new geothermal capacity specifically to support Google's data center operations in Nevada.  This agreement, facilitated through NV Energy's Clean Transition Tariff (CTT), is pending approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN), anticipated in the second half of 2026. In a significant step forward for renewable energy and the tech industry's sustainability goals, Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA) , a leading vertically integrated geothermal and renewable energy company, has signed a portfolio Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that could deliver up to 150 megawatts (MW) of clean, reliable geothermal power to support Google's data centers in Nevada. Announced on February 17, 2026, this long-term contract marks a pivotal moment in addressing the surging electricity deman...

Greece is sitting on a hidden treasure trove right beneath its feet not gold or oil, but something far more sustainable and exciting: geothermal energy. By: Robert Buluma In mid-December 2025, the Ministry of Environment and Energy (ΥΠΕΝ) took a major step forward by publishing two key ministerial decisions that officially classify geothermal fields across the country. The first decision (ΥΠΕΝ/ΔΑΠ/142903/684, published in Government Gazette ΦΕΚ 7320/Β/2025) designates 14 geothermal fields of local interest, featuring temperatures ranging from 30°C to 90°C—perfect for direct-use applications like district heating, greenhouse agriculture, spa tourism, aquaculture, and even small-scale electricity generation. The second decision upgrades the Stypsi field on Lesvos to national interest status (based on updated data from ΔΕΗ Ανανεώσιμες), with temperatures exceeding 90°C and reservoir depths of 250–600 meters. This opens the door to larger-scale, high-enthalpy geothermal power production. W...