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The Retrofit Revolution: How GreenFire Energy Is Turning Abandoned Oil & Geothermal Wells Into Continuous Clean Power Without New Drilling

The Retrofit Revolution: How GreenFire Energy Is Unlocking Geothermal Power Without Drilling a Single New Well By: Robert Buluma   While much of the geothermal energy sector has been focused on breakthrough drilling techniques—deeper wells, hotter reservoirs, and complex engineered systems—a quieter revolution has been unfolding in the background. Instead of chasing entirely new subsurface frontiers, one company has chosen a radically simpler question: What if the answer was already in the ground? GreenFire Energy is advancing a retrofit-first geothermal strategy that targets one of the most overlooked opportunities in the global energy transition: existing wells that are underperforming, depleted, or completely abandoned. Rather than drilling new holes into the Earth, the company is reusing the infrastructure that already exists—turning stranded assets into continuous sources of clean, baseload electricity. This approach is not just technically elegant. It may also be one of ...
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"Centrus Energy Corporation sets sights on HALEU breakthrough with year-end demonstration"

Exciting news for the advanced nuclear sector as the US-based Centrus Energy Corporation has completed construction on a cutting-edge uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio. This state-of-the-art facility features a cascade of 16 advanced centrifuges and is set to revolutionize the production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) by the end of 2023.

The HALEU cascade at Piketon (Image: Centrus)

With the support of the US Department of Energy, Centrus received USD150 million in funding to bring this project to life. The cascade and its associated systems have undergone rigorous testing and the completion of fissile material storage and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) operational readiness reviews are the final steps before production can commence.

Piketon is the only production facility in the US that has been licensed by the NRC for HALEU production, making this a major milestone in the advanced nuclear industry. The HALEU produced here will be enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235, surpassing the uranium fuel used in traditional light-water reactors. This high-assay fuel will be essential for most of the advanced reactor designs being developed by the DOE's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.

This new plant marks the first time in 70 years that the US will own and operate its own uranium enrichment technology. Centrus is dedicated to leading the production of HALEU to support the deployment of advanced reactor designs worldwide. The company aims to scale up its facility to meet the full spectrum of uranium enrichment requirements, including low-enriched uranium for existing reactors and HALEU for advanced reactors.

After the initial demonstration run, Centrus' production of HALEU will be subject to the availability of Congressional appropriations, with plans to produce 900 kg of HALEU per year in 2024. The company is also exploring the possibility of expanding HALEU production at the Piketon facility by adding more cascades, provided that adequate funding or offtake contracts can be secured.

In just 42 months, a full-scale HALEU cascade with a capacity of 6,000 kilograms of HALEU per year (6 MTU/year) could be operational, with the potential to add additional cascades every six months. Get ready for a new era in uranium enrichment as Centrus Energy Corporation leads the way.

source:(https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Centrus-on-track-for-HALEU-demonstration-by-year-e)

#Centrus Energy #Demonstration #Haleu #Uranium

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Eavor steps back from operator role in the Geretsried geothermal project

Eavor at the Crossroads: What Geretsried Really Tells Us About the Future of Closed-Loop Geothermal By Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights | May 13, 2026 For years, Eavor Technologies was the geothermal sector's most talked-about enigma. The company raised hundreds of millions of dollars, attracted backing from heavyweights including BP , Chevron , Helmerich & Payne , and Temasek , and made bold promises about a proprietary closed-loop technology that would quietly revolutionise how humanity extracts heat from the earth. But it rarely said much in public. The secrecy was, to many observers in the geothermal community, a feature rather than a bug — protecting intellectual property, managing competitive intelligence, buying time. Now, Eavor is talking. And what it is saying is worth listening to very carefully. In an exclusive interview published on May 13, 2026, by GeoExpro editor Henk Kombrink, Eavor's new president and CEO Mark Fitzgerald — who took the role in October 2025 ...
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Rodatherm Energy: The Refrigerant Gambit

By: Robert Buluma   Rodatherm Energy has done something no other geothermal startup has attempted at commercial scale: swapped water for refrigerant in a closed-loop system. The claim is 50% higher thermal efficiency than water-based binary cycles, achieved by circulating a proprietary phase-change fluid through a fully cased, pressurized wellbore. The company emerged from stealth in September 2025 with a $38 million Series A—the largest first venture raise in geothermal history. Lead investor Evok Innovations was joined by Toyota Ventures, TDK Ventures, and the Grantham Foundation. The engineering thesis is elegant. The execution risks are significant. This is an Alphaxioms examination of both. II. The Thermodynamic Distinction Every geothermal company you've covered moves heat using water or steam. Rodatherm moves heat using a fluid that boils and condenses inside the wellbore. In a conventional closed-loop water system (Eavor's model), water circulates as a single-phase liq...
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GEN Electric Grid Impact Study RFP in Framingham Massachusetts Advances Utility Geothermal Networks

GEN Electric Grid Impact Study RFP Signals a Defining Moment for Geothermal Energy Networks in the United States By: Robert Buluma The United States geothermal sector is entering a new phase, one where geothermal systems are no longer being viewed only as sources of heating and cooling, but increasingly as strategic infrastructure capable of strengthening the electric grid itself. In one of the most important emerging developments in utility-scale thermal network deployment, the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET), in partnership with Eversource Gas, has officially launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a groundbreaking Electric Grid Impact Study focused on Geothermal Energy Networks (GENs), also referred to as Thermal Energy Networks (TENs). Backed by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy under grant “DE-EE0010662.0002 Home Energy Efficiency Team Utility-Managed Geothermal Pilot in Framingham, Massachusetts,” the initiative represents far more than a local energy pilot. It is...
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Fervo Energy Is Sitting on a Lithium Goldmine: Why DLE + IPO Is the Billion-Dollar Move They Haven't Made Yet

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China's Supercritical CO₂ Geothermal Heating Breakthrough: What It Means for the World

China’s Supercritical CO₂ Geothermal Heating Breakthrough: What It Means for the World By Robert Buluma | Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights | May 19, 2026 Introduction: A Quiet Breakthrough in Zhengzhou On May 19, 2026, a major but underreported milestone emerged from Zhengzhou in China’s Henan Province. China Huaneng Group , one of the country’s largest state-owned energy companies, commissioned what is believed to be the world’s first commercial geothermal heating system using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) as its working fluid instead of water. The announcement did not generate major global headlines, yet its implications are significant. This is not just another geothermal pilot project. It represents a working demonstration of a fundamentally different geothermal architecture that could reshape how heat is extracted from the Earth, especially in urban district heating systems. The Zhengzhou project signals a possible shift in geothermal engineering thinking—from water-based sys...
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Zanskar Advances Arizona Geothermal Project as Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Approves New Wells

Zanskar’s geothermal ambitions in Arizona gain momentum after the Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission approved new exploration wells tied to the landmark MILESHIGH project near the Morenci copper mine. By:  Robert Buluma Arizona’s Geothermal Ambitions Surge Forward as New Wells Approved for Landmark Copper Mine Project Arizona is no longer sitting quietly on the sidelines of America’s geothermal revolution. In a development that could reshape both the state’s mining industry and its clean energy future, regulators have approved new geothermal exploration wells tied to the ambitious MILESHIGH geothermal project in Greenlee County. The approval signals far more than another drilling authorization—it represents a decisive step toward integrating geothermal energy into one of North America’s largest copper mining operations while potentially opening a new chapter for geothermal development across the American Southwest. The newly approved wells are associated with a groundbre...
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Iceland Drilling Company Reveals Future of Deep Geothermal Innovation

Exclusive Expert Insights on Superhot Resources, Cost Barriers, Africa’s Growth, and the Next Era of Geothermal Energy By : Robert Buluma   Image:Bruce Gatherer, Geothermal Drilling Business Development & Operations Advisor at Iceland Drilling Company, and Sveinn Hannesson, CEO, who provided the expert insights behind this exclusive interview. Geothermal energy is entering a new and far more extreme frontier. As the global energy transition accelerates, attention is shifting from conventional hydrothermal systems to superhot, ultra-deep, and engineered geothermal systems that promise dramatically higher energy yields and broader geographic applicability. In this exclusive expert exchange,  Iceland Drilling Company  shares detailed insights on the future of geothermal drilling,covering technical frontiers, cost structures, workforce challenges, Africa’s geothermal opportunity, oil and gas crossover, digitalization, partnerships, and what the next 10–15 years may hold f...
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Mazama Energy Newberry Superhot Geothermal Breakthrough Reshapes Clean Energy

Mazama Energy’s Superhot Rock Vision Redefines Global Geothermal Power By Robert Buluma   The geothermal industry is entering a new era, and one company is pushing the boundaries of what was once considered technically impossible. Mazama Energy has ignited global attention after revealing extraordinary progress at its Newberry geothermal site in central Oregon, where it reportedly achieved temperatures of 331°C in an enhanced geothermal system environment. For an industry accustomed to operating within the 150°C to 300°C range, this milestone is more than impressive — it signals the possible beginning of a technological transformation capable of reshaping the future of clean baseload power. For decades, geothermal energy has quietly remained one of the most reliable renewable energy resources on Earth. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal power does not depend on weather conditions, sunlight, or seasonal variability. It delivers continuous electricity twenty-four hours a day, seven ...
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Arverne and Banque des Territoires Advance Geothermal Expansion Across the Île-de-France Region

Arverne and Banque des Territoires Accelerate Geothermal Energy in Île-de-France as France Deepens Its Clean Heat Revolution By: Robert Buluma   France’s geothermal ambitions have entered a bold new chapter. In a landmark move that could redefine how urban regions heat their homes, industries and public infrastructure, Arverne and Banque des Territoires have announced the creation of Francilienne de Géothermie , a dedicated company focused on developing, financing and operating geothermal projects across the Île-de-France region. The announcement, made on May 18, 2026, signals far more than another renewable energy partnership. It represents a strategic attempt to transform geothermal energy into one of the dominant pillars of regional decarbonization in France’s most densely populated and economically influential territory. At the center of this initiative lies a compelling idea: that the future of urban heating may not come from imported fossil fuels or unstable electricity...
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Baker Hughes and Helmerich & Payne Unite to Power the Next Era of U.S. Geothermal Energy

Baker Hughes and H&P Partner to Accelerate U.S. Geothermal Development: A Strategic Shift Toward Scalable Clean Baseload Energy By Robert Buluma | Alphaxioms Energy Insights | 2026 Introduction: A Turning Point for Geothermal Energy in the United States The global energy transition is no longer defined only by solar panels and wind turbines. Beneath the surface, a quieter but far more consistent revolution is unfolding—geothermal energy. On May 20, 2026, a major development signaled that this sector is moving from niche experimentation to industrial-scale deployment. Two heavyweight players in the energy and drilling ecosystem— Baker Hughes and Helmerich & Payne (H&P) —announced a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating geothermal exploration and development in the United States. At the center of the agreement is a geothermal-capable land drilling rig, purpose-built to reduce delays, lower execution risk, and unlock faster development timelines for geotherma...
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