Skip to main content

Just In

Top 10 Critical Geothermal Energy Problems Costs Risks Seismicity

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Top 10 Geothermal Problems: Why a 24/7 Resource Still Struggles to Scale Image credit : Fida, C.E.O Geosilica... This is what scaling looks like downhole in geothermal pipes Intelligence; Strategy for the Geothermal Decade Geothermal energy is often presented as the clean firm resource that can support a renewable electricity system around the clock. It does not depend on sunshine, it can operate through calm weather, and it can provide heat and power for decades. Kenya already relies heavily on geothermal generation , Iceland uses geothermal heat across its economy, and next generation developers are now signing large power contracts with technology companies seeking reliable carbon free electricity. Yet the global geothermal sector remains small compared with solar and wind, with installed electricity capacity still near 16 GW.  That gap is not caused by one obstacle. It is produced by a chain of interlocking problems involving geology, drilling, finance, permitting, public acce...
Post a Comment

EGEC to announce Ruggero Bertani EGIA award winner at GeoTHERM expo and Congres

Image
By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms

  Announcing the Top 5 Most Innovative Geothermal Projects in 2024

The anticipation is building as the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC) reveals the finalists for the prestigious Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award 2024. These groundbreaking projects showcase the forefront of geothermal technology and will be vying for recognition at the GeoTHERM expo & congress, set to unfold between February 29 and March 1, 2024, in Offenburg, Germany.


1. Canopus Drilling Solutions Geothermal BV (Netherlands)

Project: Field pilot of the Directional Steel Shot Drilling technology at VersuchsStollen Hagerbach, CH.


Canopus Drilling Solutions introduces the Directional Steel Shot Drilling (DSSD) technology, proving its ability to drill three times faster than traditional methods. A successful field pilot at VersuchsStollen Hagerbach demonstrated the prowess of DSSD by steering through various rock types and depths, marking a significant leap in drilling efficiency.


2. Deutsche Erdwärme GmbH (Germany)

Project: Geothermal Well GN-Th-1 (Geothermal Project Graben-Neudorf).


Deutsche Erdwärme's project in Graben-Neudorf showcases the innovative use of silicate drilling fluid systems and offshore mud cooler technology. This combination effectively handles extreme subsurface temperatures, enabling exploration of fractured reservoirs in environments reaching up to 2025 Halliburton (Netherlands)

Project: GeoESP Intake: Geothermal Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP) Intake.


Halliburton's GeoESP Intake employs technology from diverse industries to revolutionize Geothermal Electric Submersible Pumps. This project significantly reduces power consumption, manages open-hole completions, minimizes scale formation, and mitigates erosion at the ESP inlet setting depth, offering substantial advancements in high-flow geothermal applications.


 4. HydroVolve UK Ltd (United Kingdom)

Project: The GeoVolve HYPERDRIVE.


HydroVolve's decade-long dedication to research culminates in the GeoVolve HYPERDRIVE, a high-performance percussive drilling system. Proven in 2023 trial wells, this technology not only reduces rig time costs by enhancing the rate of penetration but also minimizes expenses associated with bit replacements, breaking down limitations associated with drilling deep, hard rock formations.


 5. Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH (Germany)

*Project: Lithium Extraction Optimization Plant (LEOP) to produce green lithium in Europe.


Vulcan Energie Ressourcen addresses the growing demand for green lithium with the Lithium Extraction Optimization Plant (LEOP). Operating in the Upper Rhine Graben, this plant utilizes brine from deep reservoirs containing lithium. Through a sophisticated process, it extracts lithium chloride, setting the stage for further refinement into Lithiumhydroxide for battery production.


Philippe Dumas, EGEC Secretary-General, expressed his admiration for the finalists, stating, "I am immensely inspired by the caliber of innovation demonstrated by the five finalists for the Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award 2024."



As the geothermal industry eagerly awaits the winner announcement at GeoTHERM, these projects exemplify a dedication to excellence, pushing the boundaries of geothermal technology to new heights. The Ruggero Bertani European Geothermal Innovation Award continues to serve as a beacon for recognizing and celebrating outstanding contributions to the geothermal energy sector

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Critical Geothermal Energy Problems Costs Risks Seismicity

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Top 10 Geothermal Problems: Why a 24/7 Resource Still Struggles to Scale Image credit : Fida, C.E.O Geosilica... This is what scaling looks like downhole in geothermal pipes Intelligence; Strategy for the Geothermal Decade Geothermal energy is often presented as the clean firm resource that can support a renewable electricity system around the clock. It does not depend on sunshine, it can operate through calm weather, and it can provide heat and power for decades. Kenya already relies heavily on geothermal generation , Iceland uses geothermal heat across its economy, and next generation developers are now signing large power contracts with technology companies seeking reliable carbon free electricity. Yet the global geothermal sector remains small compared with solar and wind, with installed electricity capacity still near 16 GW.  That gap is not caused by one obstacle. It is produced by a chain of interlocking problems involving geology, drilling, finance, permitting, public acce...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Arverne secures Limagne geothermal lithium permit to boost supply

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Arverne expands geothermal asset portfolio with new lithium exploration permit in Auvergne Arverne secures 442.7 km² PER “Bassin de Limagne” near Clermont-Ferrand French geothermal developer Arverne (Euronext: ARVEN) has been granted an exclusive research permit (Permis Exclusif de Recherches, PER) for lithium and related substances covering the “Bassin de Limagne” in Puy‑de‑Dôme, Auvergne. The five‑year permit, announced 3 September 2026, spans 442.68 km² and adds to Arverne’s growing national portfolio of PERs: the company now holds nine permits in France, three of which are focused on lithium. The award underscores Arverne’s strategy to combine geothermal heat production with geothermal lithium extraction — an integrated model the company is already deploying elsewhere in France. For the Auvergne permit, Arverne emphasizes that the Bassin de Limagne area overlaps with its existing PER for the Riom‑Clermont‑Métropole, where 3D exploration studies have previously evaluated the subsurf...
Post a Comment
Read More »

"US Geothermal Tax Credits 2026: What the IRA/45Q Changes Mean for Developers"

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
US Geothermal Tax Credits in 2026: What Is Actually Still Alive After OBBBA For an industry that spent more than a decade building financial models around a stable federal incentive structure, 2026 has been a year of whiplash. The 30% federal geothermal tax credit that developers and homeowners built forecasts around is gone in one form and still alive in another, and even the IRS’s own public guidance has been confusing enough to trigger uncertainty across the market. That confusion is not a minor clerical issue. It is shaping investment decisions, contractor sales pitches, homeowner timelines, and project finance assumptions right now. If you work in geothermal, the key question is no longer whether federal incentives exist, but which incentive applies, to which project type, and under what ownership structure. The law that changed the timeline To understand where things stand in 2026, you have to start with the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which created a long runway for clean e...
Post a Comment
Read More »

BLM Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale Opens New Energy Opportunities

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
BLM Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale: What It Means for U.S. Geothermal Development The Bureau of Land Management’s Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale is a significant signal for the next phase of U.S. geothermal development. As federal agencies continue to prioritize renewable energy on public lands, this project highlights both the practical mechanics of geothermal leasing and the broader policy direction supporting domestic clean energy expansion. For developers, investors, land managers, and energy analysts, the sale offers an important case study in how geothermal projects move from planning into commercial opportunity. Geothermal energy has long been one of the most promising yet underutilized renewable resources in the United States. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal can provide steady baseload power regardless of weather or time of day. That makes it especially valuable in power systems that need reliability, grid stability, and long-duration decarbonization. A lease sale like the ...
Post a Comment
Read More »

EIG Geothermal Catalyst Partners Launches Inaugural Power Planet Investment

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
EIG’s First Geothermal Bet Signals a New Phase for EGS Financing Image : Thematic image of a geothermal plant EIG Geothermal Catalyst Partners’ inaugural investment in Power Planet is a meaningful signal for the geothermal sector because it links development capital with a project that already has infrastructure, interconnection capacity, and subsurface data on its side . For an industry that often struggles to move from concept to bankable execution, that combination can shorten timelines and reduce risk. Why This Deal Matters The core story is not just that EIG made its first investment; it is that the fund is targeting the middle of the geothermal value chain, where projects need capital to clear technical and commercial hurdles . That matters because enhanced geothermal system, or EGS, projects can be highly promising but capital-intensive, especially before they reach a stage where traditional infrastructure investors feel comfortable stepping in . Power Planet’s Star Peak proje...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Chicago’s Geothermal-Powered High-Rise Could Redefine Sustainable Urban Development

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Chicago’s Geothermal-Powered High-Rise Could Redefine Sustainable Urban Development Chicago is preparing to welcome one of its first all-electric, geothermal-powered residential high-rises—a 33-story tower at 410 N. Elizabeth Street in Fulton Market. The project could demonstrate how large urban buildings can reduce fossil-fuel dependence, lower operating costs and cut carbon emissions without sacrificing density, comfort or year-round reliability.  A New Model for Chicago High-Rise Construction The 410 N. Elizabeth Street development is being built by Tree Street Group in partnership with Magellan Development Group and  Mark Goodman & Associates . The first phase will deliver 383 apartments, including 77 designated affordable units, while a planned second tower would bring the overall development to more than 724 residences and 146 affordable homes.  The project is also expected to include ground-floor retail, public green space and a 30-foot-wide pedestrian walkway...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Eavor Kleefeld II Permit Boosts Hannover Geothermal Expansion and Deep Heat Development

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Eavor Secures Kleefeld II: A New Milestone for Hannover’s Deep Geothermal Ambitions Image: A Thematic image of The Eavor Project at Geretsried  Eavor’s new Kleefeld II permit marks an important step forward for deep geothermal development in Hannover, reinforcing the city’s position as one of Germany’s most closely watched urban heat-transition markets . The licence covers about 64.5 square kilometers, lasts for three years, and combines the former Buchholz and Kleefeld I exploration areas into a single, larger field that Eavor already controlled. The decision is more than an administrative update. It signals continued confidence in geothermal as a practical, scalable source of district heating in a dense metropolitan region. For Hannover, it also strengthens a project that has been building momentum for several years and could become a reference case for other European cities seeking cleaner, locally produced heat. A New Chapter For Hannover Kleefeld II sits in the northeast of...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Geothermal Energy Costs: Why Drilling Discipline Decides Bankable Megawatts

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal Isn't Expensive: The Reservoir Always Has the Final Say Somewhere beneath a volcanic ridge, a drill bit is turning through rock that has not moved in two million years. It costs money every second it turns. And nobody on the surface — not the engineer, not the financier, not the minister who announced the megawatts — knows yet whether that well will produce steam or silence. That single moment explains almost everything people get wrong about geothermal energy. Geothermal is routinely described as expensive, slow, capital-hungry and haunted by drilling risk. Investors are reminded that tens of millions can disappear underground before a single megawatt reaches a grid. All of that is true. But it is not the whole truth. The uncomfortable question the industry keeps avoiding is this: is geothermal expensive, or is the way we develop geothermal making it expensive? Those are two completely different problems. One is geology. The other is us. Why Geothermal Refuses to Be...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Top 100 Geothermal Companies in the World in 2026: The Ultimate Industry Guide

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Top 100 Geothermal Companies in the World in 2026: The Ultimate Industry Guide The global geothermal industry is entering a new phase of growth. Established geothermal operators continue to expand conventional hydrothermal power, while enhanced geothermal systems, closed loop designs, geothermal lithium extraction, advanced drilling, and geothermal heating technologies are opening new markets. Geothermal power remains one of the few renewable energy sources capable of supplying firm electricity around the clock. Its ability to operate independently of sunshine and wind makes it increasingly valuable to utilities, industrial users, manufacturers, and data centers seeking reliable low carbon power. This guide profiles 100 of the most influential companies, developers, manufacturers, drilling contractors, technology providers, startups, and industry organizations shaping the geothermal sector in 2026. The ranking is organized by market influence, operating capacity, technology, project pi...
1 comment
Read More »

How AI-Powered Digital Twins Are Transforming Geothermal Reservoir Management

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal Reservoir Digital Twins: How AI Is Transforming Reservoir Management Image : Thematic image of a geothermal heat pump Artificial intelligence and digital twins are quietly rewriting the playbook for geothermal reservoir management. They turn scattered subsurface data into living, predictive models that help operators boost output, cut drilling risk, and extend the productive time. How Geothermal Digital Twins Are Making Reservoirs Smarter, Safer, and More Profitable For decades, geothermal development has been constrained by one brutal fact: you can’t see 3 km underground. You infer, you model, you hope—and sometimes you drill into a dry or underperforming reservoir. AI‑powered geothermal digital twins change that equation by continuously updating subsurface models with real‑time data, making the invisible reservoir behave like a transparent, responsive system. In practice, geothermal digital twins are dynamic software replicas of wells, reservoirs, and surface facilities th...
Post a Comment
Read More »