ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

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...

Nine South Korean organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate on the development and demonstration of ships and offshore systems powered with small modular reactors (SMRs). The partners will also develop marine systems and the production of hydrogen using molten salt reactors (MSRs) . Representatives from the partners mark the signing of the MoU (Image: KAERI) Since July, an advisory panel - the Green Transformation (GX) Executive Committee - has been considering the implementation of major changes in energy, all industries, and the economy and society in order to achieve the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The government's GX implementation meeting was held on 22 December, during which a roadmap for the next ten years was agreed as a "basic policy for the realisation of GX". Under the new policy - which describes nuclear power as "a power source that contributes to energy security and has a high decarbonisation effect...

The routes of the vibration vehicles in the 13 communities. Source: Wärmeverbund Magglinge Next week, as part of the geothermal project in Magglingen, Switzerland, around 2,700 measurement devices will be deployed for underground data collection. The actual measurements are scheduled to start in mid-March and will last for about three weeks. The Magglingen geothermal project, which will provide heat for the National Sports Center in Magglingen (NSM) in the future, is entering a new phase. In preparation for the planned measurements, around 2,700 measurement devices will be deployed in Leubringen/Magglingen and twelve other communities for underground data collection. They will remain there for about two months. The actual measurements will start, depending on the weather conditions, in mid-March and will last for about three weeks. They are aimed at locating the suspected warm water reservoir in the depths. The results will be evaluated in early 2024. Investigation of the underground u...

Forget about relying on finite sources of energy. Europe is turning towards a renewable and unlimited energy source - geothermal. With France, Iceland and Hungary leading the way, several countries are investing billions of euros in this energy source to meet their energy demands . image source: (unsplash.com,Mark Kuiper) A Rich European Tradition Europe has a rich history in geothermal energy, with Iceland, France, and Hungary dominating the sector. However, in recent years, more and more countries have shown an increased interest in exploring the potential of this renewable energy source. Geothermal energy is 100% renewable, unlimited, and reliable - making it a valuable resource in the race towards decarbonization. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the continent's vulnerability in the energy sector and has only reinforced the trend towards investing in geothermal energy. Decarbonizing 25% of Energy Demand Geothermal power plants are estimated to provide up to 10% o...

Equinor Strikes Again! The energy giant has made a remarkable discovery in the North Sea, marking the seventh find since autumn of 2019. The latest addition to its list of achievements, the Røver Sør discovery, is said to hold an estimated 17 to 47 MMboe, with a majority of it being oil . Jan Arne Wold and Elisabeth Sahl / ©Equinor Partnered with DNO, Wellesley Petroleum and Petoro, Equinor operates the production license and continues to make waves in the oil and gas industry with its string of successful discoveries, including Echino Sør (2019), Swisher (2020), Røver Nord (2021), Blasto (2021), Toppand (2022), and Kveikje (2022). Geir Sørtveit, Equinor's Senior Vice President for Exploration and Production West Operations, says that discoveries close to existing infrastructure are vital to maintain oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf, as they are more profitable and can be brought to production with minimal carbon emissions. With Røver Sør being in close pro...

Rolls-Royce SMR and Polish company Industria have joined forces to revolutionize the country's energy infrastructure with the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). Alan Woods, Rolls-Royce SMR’s Director of Strategy and Business Development, left, and Szczepan Ruman, CEO of Industria (Image: Rolls-Royce SMR) Industria, part of the state-owned Industrial Development Agency JSC (IDA), has chosen Rolls-Royce SMR for the Central Hydrogen Cluster with the aim to produce 50,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen annually. With the potential of "up to three" SMRs and the possibility of replacing over 8GW of coal-fired power plants, this collaboration has the power to shape a sustainable future for Poland. Tom Samson, CEO of Rolls-Royce SMR, said this partnership has "enormous potential" and could support thousands of high-skilled jobs in both Poland and the UK.  Meanwhile, President of the Board of IDA, Cezariusz Lesisz, sees this as a "great opportunity" to...

P ilot Projects Will Work to Scale EGS, And Help Provide Renewable Geothermal Energy to over 65 Million American Homes (image source: unsplash.com, Sam Bark) WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a funding opportunity of up to $74 million for up to seven pilot projects that will test the efficacy and scalability of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). Directed by the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the pilot projects will use innovative technology and a variety of development techniques to capture the Earth’s abundant heat resources in diverse geologic settings. Through this investment, DOE hopes the research and development from the findings would demonstrate the growth and ultimate potential for geothermal energy to provide reliable, around-the-clock electricity to tens of millions of homes across the country. This is DOE’s first funding opportunity for geothermal energy since the launch of the Enhanced Geothermal ShotTM , part of DOE’s Ener...

 "Brace Yourself for a Nuclear Revolution!" Doel units 1 and 2 (Image: Engie Electrabel) The Belgian government is taking a bold step towards securing its energy future by asking ENGIE to investigate the possibility of extending the operation of the country's three oldest reactors - Doel 1 and 2 and Tihange 1 - until 2027. The clock is ticking and the reactors are scheduled to shut down in 2025, but the government has a plan to keep the lights on. During the scorching summer months, the government hopes to reduce the electricity production of the reactors and extend their operation, ensuring energy supply security through the winter of 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The energy ministry spokesman, Jonas Dutordoir, says, "The challenges faced in Ukraine and the French nuclear energy sector have prompted us to explore ways to create more certainty and reduce risks in energy supply." The government has tasked ENGIE with conducting a safety assessment of the proposed ...

image source: (oilandgasdaily) TotalEnergies, an oil and gas company, just secured two permits to search for the perfect spot to store millions of tonnes of CO2 in the North Sea. This area is a prime location for carbon storage, as the firm can utilize exhausted oil and gas wells, along with undersea aquifers, all connected by pipelines.  The TotalEnergies permits cover 2,000 square kilometres, 250 km off the Danish coast and includes the Harald gas field, as well as other aquifers. The goal is to store as much as 5 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030, in an effort to reduce the environmental impact of polluting industries.  TotalEnergies will hold an 80% stake and act as the operator, with a state-owned Danish firm holding the remaining 20%. This will be TotalEnergies' fourth North Sea project, with previous ventures in British, Dutch, and Norwegian waters. Carbon capture is the process of capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes or power generation before they ...

DEEP drilled its first well in November, 2018. Now, after over four years of development, the project is going ahead. Photo by Brian Zinchuk DEEP Earth Energy Production Corp. Takes the Plunge into Construction of Pioneering Geothermal Power Project After years of intensive exploration and meticulous planning, DEEP Earth Energy Production Corp. has finally given the green light to the construction of its historic first geothermal power project. This visionary initiative promises to deliver carbon-free, baseload power generation that harnesses the heat of the earth's core. The company has announced that it has finalized its strategy for the development, construction, and commissioning of its first geothermal project in southeast Saskatchewan. The engineering and procurement phase is already underway, and field construction is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2023. "Geothermal power generation has the potential to provide a constant supply of clean and renewable ene...

GETTY IMAGES Saudi Aramco is poised to award contracts for approximately 90 initiatives over the next three years as it continues with its significant upstream oil and gas capacity expansions. The company plans to tender and award contracts for 66 projects concerning oil and gas processing and refining facilities, 14 projects relating to pipelines and distribution, and 10 for civil infrastructure and security systems. Contractors attending the recent In-Kingdom Value Add (iktva) Forum in Dhahran indicate that Aramco is ramping up its investment after a slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown. The planned 90 projects are expected to necessitate 12,000 kilometers of pipelines, 20,000 kilometers of cables, and 2.2 million cubic meters of concrete. Despite the optimistic outlook on the business in the region, contractors believe that there may be some challenges along the way, such as supply chain bottlenecks, competition for personnel and materials, and prolonged lockd...

image source: (unsplash.com, Tommy Krombacher) Get ready for a cleaner, greener future in heavy-duty transportation! TotalEnergies and Air Liquide are joining forces to create a network of over 100 hydrogen fueling stations across Europe, revolutionizing the way goods are transported. TotalEnergies and Air Liquide are teaming up to revolutionize heavy-duty transportation in Europe! The two companies are joining forces to create a joint venture that will bring a network of hydrogen fueling stations to major European roads. With a goal of deploying over 100 stations in France, Benelux, and Germany, the venture will make it easier than ever to access hydrogen fuel and spur the growth of the hydrogen sector. TotalEnergies will bring its experience in energy distribution and station management to the table, while Air Liquide will contribute its technology expertise and mastery of the entire hydrogen value chain. The joint venture will invest in, build, and operate these hydrogen stations, p...

  Hydrogen pipeline. Courtesy of Rawpixel dot com On February 1st, 2023, Oracle Energy and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to collaborate and examine the feasibility of Oracle Energy providing approximately 50,000 tonnes of Green Hydrogen to EGA annually. This would make up the majority of the total output from Oracle Energy's planned Green Hydrogen Project in Pakistan. If negotiations proceed smoothly, it is intended that a binding agreement will be signed at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) to be held in the UAE from November 30th to December 12th 2023. The objective of Oracle Energy is to produce a total of 55,000 tonnes of high-purity Green Hydrogen each year, which is equivalent to producing 150,000 kg of hydrogen daily. The MoU is valid for one year from January 30th, 2023, and both parties have agreed to work towards the acquisition of Green Hydrogen ahead of COP28. EGA's aim is to incorporate Green Hydrogen and...

A cutaway of the FLEX reactor (Image: MoltexFLEX) MoltexFLEX, a Warrington-based company, has secured a grant from the prestigious Henry Royce Institute of Advanced Materials (Royce) for ground-breaking research aimed at qualifying industrial-grade graphite for applications in advanced molten salt nuclear technologies. This grant, awarded as part of Royce's Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), seeks to boost research and innovation activities across the United Kingdom. Graphite plays a crucial role in controlling the fission process in FLEX reactors and other nuclear reactors, and MoltexFLEX aims to explore the use of readily available industrial-grade graphite as part of its commitment to using readily accessible, "off-the-shelf" components. The research, which will be conducted in partnership with the University of Manchester's Nuclear Graphite Research Group (NGRG), will make use of cutting-edge facilities in the university's irradiated materials laborator...

Image: www.gov.pl Poland is poised to lead the way in nuclear energy innovation. Minister of Education and Science Przemysław Czarnek has declared nuclear energy as the "energy sector of the near future" and believes that science must support business, entrepreneurship, and the economy. The ministry is taking a proactive approach to job creation, estimating that 100 specialist jobs will be created for each Small Modular Reactor (SMR) power plant built. With plans to build a fleet of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMRs, that could mean "at least several thousand jobs" for Poland's growing energy sector. The country is on track to have its first SMR built by the end of the decade, and this presents a crucial challenge - the need for highly skilled engineers and specialists to operate the planned nuclear power plants. To meet this challenge, six universities in Poland have signed a letter of intent to educate and train the next generation of nuclear energ...