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Djibouti Pays KenGen: $1M Offer on a Five-Year Geothermal Drilling Debt

Djibouti Pays KenGen: A $1 Million Offer on a Five-Year-Old Geothermal Drilling Debt Djibouti has finally moved to pay part of what it owes Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) for drilling work done near Lake Assal. The amount is small next to KenGen's balance sheet. What it says about selling geothermal drilling services across Africa matters a lot more. KenGen's latest annual report says Djibouti's state geothermal agency, the Office Djiboutien de Développement de l'Énergie Géothermique (ODDEG), has offered a first instalment of about $1 million (Sh129 million) against outstanding invoices of $2.13 million (Sh276.03 million), according to Business Daily. "ODDEG has acknowledged the debt and has proposed an initial payment of $1 million as the first instalment towards settlement," KenGen said in the report. KenGen is Kenya's largest power producer, with about 54% of the market. The Kenyan government owns 70% of the company and the public holds t...

PGE’s Lumut Balai Unit 2: The 55 MW Geothermal Breakthrough Powering Indonesia’s Clean Energy Future

PGE’s Lumut Balai Unit 2: A 55 MW Geothermal Triumph Rewriting Indonesia’s Clean Energy Future By:  Robert Buluma Indonesia has once again staked its claim as a global geothermal heavyweight. With the successful operationalization of the Lumut Balai Unit 2 Geothermal Power Plant, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk (PGE) has delivered a strategic blow in the global race toward clean baseload energy. More than just a 55 MW addition to the country’s energy mix, this project marks a bold step in Indonesia’s ambition to expand its geothermal capacity to 1 gigawatt within the next few years. In a world grappling with climate volatility, unstable energy prices, and growing demand for reliable renewable power, this achievement resonates far beyond Indonesia’s borders. It signals a shift — a declaration that geothermal energy is rapidly maturing, scaling, and proving itself as the backbone of modern clean-energy systems. A Milestone Project in a Region Rich With Geothermal Potential Lumut ...

Biliran II Geothermal Project: The Philippines’ Next 200 MW Renewable Baseload Power Breakthrough

Biliran II: The Philippines' Next 200 MW Geothermal Powerhouse Poised to Transform Data Centers and Industrial Energy Security By:  Robert Buluma In a world racing toward stable and decarbonized energy systems, geothermal power continues to stand out as one of the most reliable and future-proof renewable energy solutions. The Philippines—already home to the world’s third-largest geothermal capacity—is once again making headlines with a transformative new development: the ~200 MW Biliran II Geothermal Project , now advancing toward its final resource confirmation. This landmark project represents a bold new era of geothermal development in Southeast Asia, tapping into renewable baseload power to supply industries that can no longer afford instability, unpredictable pricing, or carbon-heavy electricity. With the rising energy demands of data centers, manufacturing hubs, and digital infrastructure, Biliran II could become a strategic cornerstone in securing long-term energy resilienc...

The Geothermal Boom Begins: New Investments, Bold Tech, and a 20× Outlook by 2050

Global Geothermal Market Heats Up: New Investment Plans Revealed for 2025 By: Robert Buluma The global geothermal energy sector is entering a transformative phase in 2025, driven by surging investments, accelerating technology adoption, and favorable policy shifts. As clean baseload capacity becomes more critical to the world’s energy transition, stakeholders are increasingly turning to geothermal power—not just for electricity generation, but also for industrial heat, green hydrogen, and direct-use applications. This shift could solidify geothermal as a cornerstone of sustainable energy infrastructure in the decades ahead. 1. A Market Poised for Steady Growth According to industry forecasts, the global geothermal energy market is on track for major expansion.   We  project the sector will grow from USD 56.0 billion in 2025 to USD 85.0 billion by 2035 , a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%. Business Research Insights forecasts a CAGR of 7.3% between 2025 and 20...

Archi Indonesia and Ormat Launch 40 MW Geothermal Venture in North Sulawesi

Archi Indonesia and Ormat Form Powerful Geothermal Joint Venture: A 40 MW Vision That Could Redefine North Sulawesi’s Energy Future By: Robert Buluma In a decisive move that signals Indonesia’s accelerating transition toward renewable energy, Archi Indonesia (ARCI ) —one of the country’s largest pure-play gold mining companies—has joined forces with global geothermal powerhouse Ormat Technologies . Their new joint venture, PT Toka Tindung Geothermal (TTG) , aims to deliver a 40-megawatt geothermal power plant within ARCI’s mining concession in North Sulawesi. The partnership is more than a business deal. It represents a strategic realignment in Indonesia’s energy landscape, a recalibration of ARCI’s identity, and a major step forward for geothermal development in Southeast Asia. Below is a deep, comprehensive look at what this collaboration means, what it could unlock, and why it deserves the attention of every energy observer today. A Bold Partnership: ARCI Holds 5%, Ormat Lead...

Marriott Drilling to Support Tenerife’s First Deep Geothermal Wells with SGI Collaboration

Marriott Drilling to Support Tenerife’s First Deep Geothermal Wells with SGI Collaboration By: Robert Buluma Marriott Drilling Group has been awarded a borehole rig services contract by Soluciones Geotérmicas Integradas (SGI) to deliver Tenerife’s first deep geothermal wells. This landmark project marks a significant step toward unlocking the Canary Islands’ untapped renewable energy potential. SGI, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and a wholly owned subsidiary of TAQA (Industrialization & Energy Services Company) , is leading Tenerife’s first deep geothermal exploration campaign. Marriott Drilling has been commissioned as the sole drilling contractor to provide high-performance geothermal borehole services, supporting the island’s transition to cleaner energy. The project, set to begin in 2025 , is commissioned by Energía Geotérmica de Canarias (EGC) —a consortium comprising Reykjavik Geothermal , DISA , ITER , and Involcan . The campaign aims to evaluate geothermal electricity...

GDC Opens Multiple Senior Job Vacancies as Kenya’s Geothermal Sector Expands

GDC Announces Multiple High-Level Job Vacancies: A Major Opportunity for Kenya’s Geothermal Talent By: Robert Buluma Kenya’s geothermal sector continues to surge forward—and once again, the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is opening its doors to top professionals ready to shape the future of clean energy. GDC has officially announced multiple senior and principal-level job openings , signaling the company’s commitment to strengthening its technical, administrative, and governance capacity. These new roles come at a time when Kenya is accelerating geothermal development to meet national energy demands and support the transition to sustainable, reliable baseload power. 🔥 Positions Now Open at GDC GDC is inviting qualified candidates to apply for the following key roles: 1. Manager, Geothermal Resource Management A strategic leadership position responsible for managing resource assessment, reservoir monitoring, geoscientific planning, and supporting field development. This ro...

Zanskar’s Humboldt County Discovery Could Become Nevada’s Largest Geothermal Power Plant

Nevada’s Next Geothermal Giant: Zanskar’s Pumpernickel Discovery Signals a Clean Energy Breakthrough By:  Robert Buluma Nevada is no stranger to geothermal power — but a new discovery in Humboldt County may redefine the state’s renewable energy landscape. Zanskar , a cutting-edge geothermal exploration company using artificial intelligence to hunt for hidden underground heat, has successfully drilled a major geothermal well that could become Nevada’s largest geothermal power facility within just three years. This milestone, known as the Pumpernickel well , is more than a drilling success. It marks the emergence of a bold strategy, a new wave of discoveries, and a significant step toward reliable, 24/7 carbon-free energy for the Western United States. A Breakthrough Hidden Beneath the Surface Zanskar’s Head of Geoscience, Aubry DeReuil , explained that geothermal energy is often associated with obvious surface indicators like hot springs. But the company’s philosophy mirrors...

Iceland Launches First High-Temp Slimhole Well in 15 Years — A New Era for Geothermal Discovery Begins

Iceland Launches a New High-Temperature Slimhole Well After 15 Years: A Major Leap for Geothermal Exploration By: Robert Buluma Iceland has once again taken a bold step in strengthening its geothermal leadership, as Orkuveitan announced the commencement of its first exploration well in over 15 years . This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter for geothermal innovation in the Meitlar area—one that blends scientific precision, sustainability, and future-focused energy development. The newly launched well is no ordinary project. It is a high-temperature slimhole designed to reach depths of 1,500 meters , allowing geoscientists to test the presence, behavior, and potential of the geothermal system hidden beneath the Meitlar landscape. This well represents years of planning, rigorous geological studies, and persistent pursuit of clean-energy solutions. According to the project team, this initiative is a key element of Orkuveitan’s New Energies department, which works tirelessly t...

Nevada’s Geothermal Lease Sale Breaks Records With Bids Surpassing $400 per Acre

Nevada’s Geothermal Lease Sale Shatters Records: What It Means for the Future of Clean Energy By: Robert Buluma The geothermal industry is entering an exciting new chapter—one defined by bold investments, rising land values, and rapidly advancing technology. The latest lease sale in Nevada is a perfect example. According to industry sources, bids are already surpassing previous records , with some parcels hitting over $400 per acre . This remarkable surge comes just months after earlier records were set, signaling a powerful and accelerating trend. As geothermal development continues to pick up momentum across the western United States, Nevada stands out as one of the most attractive hotspots. The state’s rich geothermal resources, combined with strong policy support and advancements in subsurface imaging, drilling, and reservoir engineering, are creating the perfect environment for developers and investors alike. A Record-Breaking Sale: What Happened? The Bureau of Land Management...

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Eavor Demobilizes Rigs in Geretsried: What It Means for Closed-Loop Geothermal Investors, Heat Markets, and Project Risk

Eavor Demobilizes Rigs from Geretsried: What It Really Means for Closed-Loop Geothermal For three years, two drilling rigs on a farm estate near Geretsried, a Bavarian town about 40 km south of Munich, stood as the symbol of the world's most ambitious closed-loop geothermal experiment. Now in October 2026,  Eavor Technologies, the Calgary-based developer of the Eavor-Loop, has told the town and its heating utility that both rigs would leave the site . The company said keeping idle rigs and specialist services on site was costly, and that releasing them would help put the project in the strongest position to continue with Loop 2 once its commercial structure is reworked . On the surface, this is a logistics decision. Underneath, it is one of the clearest signals yet about where first-of-a-kind geothermal technology stands, and how hard it is to turn a technical proof into a bankable business. This article explains exactly what happened, what the move means and what it does not mean...

California Court Orders New Environmental Review for Imperial County Geothermal Lithium Project

California Appeals Court Orders New Environmental Review for Imperial County Geothermal–Lithium Project Image: California Salton Lake Sea Hell’s Kitchen geothermal and lithium extraction plan sent back for deeper water, air-quality and mitigation analysis under CEQA A California appeals court has ordered Imperial County to conduct a more rigorous environmental review of the proposed Hell’s Kitchen geothermal power plant and lithium extraction project near the Salton Sea. The Fourth District Court of Appeal found that the county’s original environmental impact report (EIR) did not adequately address long-term water availability, enforceable mitigation measures for water shortages, or potential air-quality impacts tied to the receding Salton Sea. The ruling partially reverses a lower court decision and remands the case to Imperial County Superior Court, requiring the county and project developer Controlled Thermal Resources to address the identified deficiencies before the project can m...

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

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...

“Why Are Cities Still Expensive When Boise Found This?”

  Boise’s $1 Million Geothermal Breakthrough: A Bold Step Toward Affordable Clean Heating By:  Robert Buluma A City Turning Underground Heat Into Housing Solutions In the global race to build cleaner, more affordable cities, innovation often emerges from unexpected places. One such place is Boise, Idaho, a community already known for its pioneering use of geothermal heating. In early 2026, Boise captured international attention after winning a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, a global competition that rewards cities developing groundbreaking solutions to pressing urban problems. The recognition was not simply about technological innovation. Boise’s winning proposal demonstrated how geothermal energy can be used to reduce the cost of living , specifically by lowering utility bills for residents in affordable housing developments. With the award, Boise now plans to build a new apartment complex powered by geothermal heating—potentially ...

Maryland Geothermal Rebate Program 2026: Residential Heating and Cooling Incentives Drive Strong Demand

Maryland’s Geothermal Rebate Program  FY26 Geothermal Rebate Program is entering its final stretch with funding already oversubscribed, which is a strong sign that homeowner interest in geothermal heating and cooling is rising quickly in the state.  The program offers a $3,000 rebate for eligible new geothermal heating and cooling systems for Maryland residents in single-family detached homes and townhomes, but the application portal is now closed while the state works through the existing queue. That update matters because it shows how incentive programs can move from a policy idea into real household demand very quickly. A program with a $150,000 budget does not usually run out of room unless homeowners, contractors, and installers all see geothermal as a practical investment. In Maryland’s case, the fact that requests exceeded the full FY26 budget suggests the market is responding to both energy-cost concerns and long-term efficiency goals. What the program offers The Maryl...

Geothermal Projects In Africa, Countries Overview

 Geothermal Projects in Africa: Country-wise Overview By : Robert Buluma Africa is increasingly turning to geothermal energy as a sustainable solution to meet its growing electricity demands. With abundant geothermal resources spread across the continent, several countries have embarked on ambitious projects to harness this clean and renewable energy source. Let's delve into the geothermal projects in various African countries, highlighting key players and prospects. Algeria Algeria is exploring its geothermal potential, particularly in the northern regions. Although in the early stages, initiatives are underway to assess feasibility and potential locations for geothermal power plants.  Burundi Burundi has shown interest in developing its geothermal resources, primarily in the northwest region near Lake Tanganyika. The government is actively seeking partnerships with international firms to kickstart exploration and development efforts. Comoros The Comoros Islands are situated ...

LCOE Benchmarking: Eavor Technologies vs. Fervo Energy

LCOE Compared: Eavor Technologies vs.  Fervo Energy   Two Bets on Next-Generation Geothermal An Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights Analysis | May 2026 Image:  Eavor and Fervo Drilling Rigs well poised in their respective well pads , drill baby , baby what a time to be a live Introduction: Why the Cost Question Matters Now The global geothermal sector is in the middle of a pivotal moment. After decades of stagnation largely confined to volcanic hotspots, two fundamentally different technological approaches are racing to prove that geothermal energy can be deployed broadly, cheaply, and at scale. Eavor Technologies , the Calgary-based advanced geothermal systems (AGS) company, and Fervo Energy , the Houston-based enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) pioneer, represent the sharpest divergence in next-generation geothermal strategy today. Each company is backed by hundreds of millions of dollars in private capital, each has reached key commercial milestones, and each is advancing ...

Quaise Energy’s 2026 Breakthrough: Superhot Geothermal Meets Millimeter Wave Drilling

Quaise Energy's Bold Vision for 2026: Pioneering Superhot Geothermal and Millimeter Wave Drilling By: Robert Buluma Image: Quaise Energy’s 2026 Breakthrough: Superhot Geothermal Meets Millimeter Wave Drilling In the rapidly evolving world of renewable energy, few announcements capture the imagination quite like those promising to unlock vast, untapped sources of clean power. On a recent post shared by Carlos Araque, CEO of Quaise Energy, the company declared 2026 as a transformative year—one that could redefine how humanity accesses the Earth's heat for electricity generation. Araque's message highlights groundbreaking progress in two key areas: superhot geothermal energy and millimeter wave drilling. These innovations aim to deliver always-on, zero-carbon power at unprecedented scales, potentially revolutionizing global energy security and sustainability.  What is Superhot Geothermal? Traditional geothermal energy taps into hot water or steam reservoirs near the Earth...

"GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, OPG, SNC-Lavalin and Aecon Sign Historic Contract for Deployment of Groundbreaking Small Modular Reactor at Darlington Nuclear Project Site"

image source:(unsplash.com,Jakob Madsen) GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), in partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG), SNC-Lavalinand Aecon, has signed a contract for the deployment of a BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR) at OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project site, marking the first commercial contract for a grid-scale SMR in North America. This groundbreaking agreement, through which GEH will provide the reactor design, encompasses a comprehensive range of project activities, including design, engineering licensing support, construction, testing, training and commissioning. Jay Wileman, President and CEO of GEH, stated, "This contract is an important milestone and solidifies our position as the leading SMR technology provider. We aim to deliver the first SMR in North America and, in doing so, lead the start of a new era of nuclear power that will provide zero-emission energy generation, energy security and energy reliability around the globe. We can’t express our appre...

DOE Backs $14 Million Utica Shale Geothermal Energy Demonstration Project

Utica Shale Geothermal Breakthrough Redefines America’s Clean Energy Future By: Robert Buluma The United States is preparing to test one of the most ambitious geothermal energy demonstrations ever attempted in the eastern part of the country. In a move that could fundamentally reshape how abandoned and active oil and gas infrastructure is utilized, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $14 million Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) demonstration project targeting the prolific Utica Shale formation in Pennsylvania. At first glance, the announcement may appear like another government-backed energy research initiative. But beneath the surface lies something far more transformative: the possible birth of a new geothermal frontier built directly on the foundations of America’s shale revolution. For decades, geothermal power in the United States has largely been associated with the western states—California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Idaho—where naturally occurring geothermal...