Skip to main content

Just In

Global Geothermal Power Market Review 2026.

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Global Geothermal Power: Policies, Funding, Wells, Strengths, Opportunities and Barriers Geothermal is moving into a broader investment cycle. In 2026, the story is no longer limited to volcanic power plants in a few classic markets; it now includes enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop designs, district heating, superhot rock, lithium from brines and industrial heat. Across the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Iceland, France and Italy, the sector is being shaped by a simple question: who is de-risking the first wells, and who is ready to finance the next ones?  United States: the next-generation testbed The United States has the broadest geothermal innovation ecosystem in this group, with a mature conventional base in the West and a fast-growing next-generation pipeline. The main policy signal in 2026 is the Department of Energy’s US$171.5 million funding opportunity for next-generation geothermal field-scale tests, exploration...
Post a Comment

US DOE to First Track Romanian Geothermal Feasibility Study

Image
By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms

Advancing Energy Solutions: ELCEN's Geothermal Agreement in Washington



In a significant stride towards sustainable energy solutions, ELCEN, under the leadership of Gen byeral Director Claudiu Crețu, has inked a pivotal agreement in Washington. The deal focuses on conducting a feasibility study for harnessing geothermal energy to power the district heating system in Bucharest. This endeavor, backed by the Department of Energy (DOE), marks a crucial milestone in Romania's energy landscape.


The announcement was made by Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, who highlighted the collaborative efforts between Romania and the United States in advancing energy initiatives. With Romania emerging as a respected entity in the global energy arena, partnerships like these underscore its commitment to innovation and progress.


The agreement signifies more than just a technical study; it embodies a shared vision for sustainable development and economic prosperity. By exploring geothermal energy potentials, Bucharest aims to reduce its carbon footprint while ensuring reliable and competitive energy sources for its citizens.


Furthermore, discussions during the Washington meetings encompassed a wide array of energy projects, including the expansion of nuclear capabilities, offshore wind energy ventures, and the revitalization of heavy water production. These dialogues reflect a comprehensive approach towards diversifying Romania's energy portfolio and strengthening its position as a regional energy leader.


The involvement of esteemed American companies such as Fluor and Sargent & Lundy underscores the international collaboration driving Romania's energy ambitions. With their expertise and support, projects like the Cernavodă nuclear units 3 and 4, as well as the development of small modular reactors, are poised for accelerated progress.


The significance of these initiatives extends beyond national borders. As Minister Burduja aptly stated, Romania's success in the energy sector resonates globally. By embracing sustainable practices and fostering innovation, Romania sets a precedent for responsible energy management that reverberates throughout Central and Eastern Europe.


Moreover, the support garnered from key American stakeholders, as evidenced by meetings with members of Congress, underscores the bilateral commitment to energy security and collaboration. Their endorsement not only facilitates financing for energy projects but also strengthens diplomatic ties between Romania and the United States.


In conclusion, ELCEN's agreement for a geothermal feasibility study in Washington signifies a pivotal step towards a greener, more sustainable future for Bucharest and Romania as a whole. By harnessing the earth's natural resources and fostering international partnerships, Romania is poised to lead the way in shaping a cleaner, more resilient energy landscape.


As Minister Burduja eloquently stated, these endeavors are not just about words; they are about tangible actions that will benefit the environment, economy, and citizens of Romania for generations to come.

Source: Researched and Written by Robert Buluma, alphaxioms@gmail.com

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 »

Alphaxioms Interviews Rystad Energy: Geothermal's Inflection Point, Policy, and Drilling Breakthroughs

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal at an Inflection Point: Why Policy, Conventional Resources, and Drilling Breakthroughs Will Define the Next Decade This interview was conducted by Robert Buluma on behalf of Alphaxioms,  responses delivered by  Alexandra Gerken Product manager, Geothermal solution at Rystad Energy   Introduction: The Strategic Crossroads for Geothermal Geothermal energy is entering a decisive phase. After decades of steady but regionally concentrated development, the sector now faces a confluence of technological innovation, policy ambition, and market demand that could either unlock global scale or confine geothermal to niche applications. Alexandra Gerken, Product Manager for Geothermal Solutions at  Rystad Energy , offers a clear-eyed assessment of where the industry stands, which technologies will drive near-term growth, and what must happen for geothermal to become a globally significant source of firm, low-carbon power. Her analysis emphasizes three pillars: the imme...
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 »

Serbia Advances Mišeluk Geothermal District Heating Project in Novi Sad

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Serbia Advances Geothermal Drilling for the Mišeluk District Heating Plant in Novi Sad Serbia is moving forward with plans to develop a geothermal district heating system in Mišeluk, a rapidly urbanizing area of Novi Sad. The project is intended to place geothermal energy at the centre of a new low-carbon heating network, supported by solar power and natural gas backup. Exploratory drilling and construction of the heat distribution network are being carried out by JKP Novosadska toplana, Novi Sad’s public district heating utility. The initiative is supported through the United Nations Development Programme’s “Geothermal Energy in Serbia” programme, with financial backing from Slovakia.  The Mišeluk project is important not only because it could provide a new renewable heat source for Novi Sad, but also because it demonstrates how geothermal energy can be integrated into urban development from the earliest planning stages. Rather than retrofitting a geothermal system into an establi...
Post a Comment
Read More »

Global Geothermal Power Market Review 2026.

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Global Geothermal Power: Policies, Funding, Wells, Strengths, Opportunities and Barriers Geothermal is moving into a broader investment cycle. In 2026, the story is no longer limited to volcanic power plants in a few classic markets; it now includes enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop designs, district heating, superhot rock, lithium from brines and industrial heat. Across the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Iceland, France and Italy, the sector is being shaped by a simple question: who is de-risking the first wells, and who is ready to finance the next ones?  United States: the next-generation testbed The United States has the broadest geothermal innovation ecosystem in this group, with a mature conventional base in the West and a fast-growing next-generation pipeline. The main policy signal in 2026 is the Department of Energy’s US$171.5 million funding opportunity for next-generation geothermal field-scale tests, exploration...
Post a Comment
Read More »

North America Geothermal Energy Investment Opportunities, Companies, Resources, and Market Outlook

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Investment Opportunities in North American Geothermal Energy North America is entering a new investment cycle in geothermal energy. The United States offers the region’s deepest commercial market and the largest advanced-geothermal pipeline; Mexico provides proven high-temperature volcanic resources and an established utility-scale industry; while Canada presents an earlier-stage opportunity centered on sedimentary-basin geothermal, direct-use heating, closed-loop systems, and oil-and-gas technology transfer. The investment case now extends well beyond conventional geothermal power plants. It includes enhanced geothermal systems, advanced closed-loop systems, geothermal heat pumps, district heating, industrial heat, geothermal storage, lithium extraction from geothermal brines, data-center power, and hybrid renewable-energy projects. In the United States, utilities had already procured or agreed to procure 1,007 MW of next-generation geothermal capacity through 12 power-purchase agreem...
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 »

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 »

Green Therma Selects H&P to Drill Denmark’s Longest Geothermal Well

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Green Therma Selects H&P to Drill Denmark’s Longest Geothermal Well for Aalborg Heat4Ever Demonstration Denmark is moving from geothermal ambition to execution. Green Therma has selected Helmerich & Payne to drill the Heat4Ever demonstration well near Aalborg, a project that could become one of the country’s most technically ambitious geothermal developments and a meaningful test of closed-loop district heating.   A milestone for Danish geothermal The Aalborg Heat4Ever project matters because it is designed to prove that geothermal heat can be delivered without relying on a natural hot-water reservoir. Instead of producing groundwater from a conventional geothermal field, the system uses a closed-loop pipe-in-pipe design that circulates the same fluid downhole, heats it in contact with hot rock, and returns it to the surface for district heating use.  That distinction is important for Denmark, where district heating is already a major part of the energy system ...
Post a Comment
Read More »

PT Geo Dipa Energi Launches Strategic Minor Overhaul Tender for Dieng Unit 1 to Strengthen Geothermal Reliability

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
PT Geo Dipa Energi Opens Tender for Minor Overhaul of Dieng Unit 1 in 2026 Image: Indonesian Geothermal power plant PT Geo Dipa Energi (Persero) has opened a tender for the minor overhaul of the Dieng Geothermal Power Plant Unit 1 in 2026, signaling a continued focus on preserving the reliability of one of Indonesia’s most important geothermal assets. The procurement is aimed at selecting a qualified contractor with proven experience in turbine and generator maintenance for thermal power plants, underscoring the technical complexity and operational importance of the work. The tender, identified as RKS-004-PST/GDE/I/2026, uses a post-qualification bidding method and applies strict administrative, technical, and safety requirements. The schedule places document registration and collection between 26 and 28 January 2026, followed by a mandatory RKS explanation session and field visit on 29 January 2026. Procurement Scope and Process The procurement procedure requires prospective bidders...
Post a Comment
Read More »