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Showing posts from November 30, 2025

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Cornish Lithium Awards Halliburton Contract for Geothermal Lithium Project Development

Cornish Lithium awards contract for Cross Lanes Geothermal Lithium Project to Halliburton‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌...

Zanskar’s Big Blind: First Blind Geothermal Discovery in 30 Years

Big Blind: The Geothermal Discovery That Changes Everything By: Robert Buluma Utah startup  Zanskar Geothermal quietly dropped one of the most important announcements in American energy in decades. They discovered and confirmed “Big Blind” ,the first completely blind, commercial-grade geothermal system found in the United States in over thirty years. Let that sink in. No hot springs.   No fumaroles.   No steaming ground.   No prior wells.   Zero surface expression whatsoever. Just desert, sagebrush, and – 7,000 feet below,  a reservoir hot enough and permeable enough to support gigawatt-scale power production. This isn’t incremental progress. This is a paradigm breaker. Why “Blind” Discoveries Matter So Much For the last 40 years, geothermal development in the U.S. has been geographically handcuffed. You could only build plants where nature advertised the resource on the surface – think Yellowstone, The Geysers, or Imperial Valley. Ever...

Hot Nest Norway: Geothermal Luxury Carved Inside a Mountain

Hot Nest Norway: The World’s Most Extraordinary Geothermal Spa Resort is Taking Shape Inside a Mountain By:  Robert Buluma Deep in the dramatic Gudbrandsdalen valley in Otta, Norway, something truly groundbreaking (literally) is happening. A former slate quarry is being transformed into Hot Nest Norway – a year-round luxury destination carved directly into the bedrock of the mountain, powered entirely by deep geothermal energy. This isn’t just another spa. It’s a visionary fusion of raw Norwegian nature, cutting-edge renewable energy, and jaw-dropping architecture that looks like it was designed by a collaboration between Tolkien and Tesla. What is Hot Nest Norway? Imagine walking into a mountain and discovering 3,000 m² of luxurious spaces:   20 uniquely designed hotel rooms   700 m² of geothermal-heated indoor and outdoor pools (yes, outdoor pools in the Norwegian winter – steaming at +38 °C while snow falls around you)   A fine-dining restaurant cel...

British Investor Oxley Buys Croatian Geothermal Field for €400,000

Alexander Oxley Acquires Slatina-3 Geothermal Exploration Field in Croatia Published: November 24, 2025 Author:  Robert Buluma In a quiet but significant move for Croatia’s emerging geothermal sector, British investor Jordan Alexander Oxley has acquired the Slatina-3 geothermal exploration field near Slatina in Virovitica-Podravina County. The asset was previously owned by EES Dravacell Energy , a company majority-controlled by London-based Cindrigo that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Oxley emerged as the sole bidder in the bankruptcy sale and secured the property for €400,000, double the initial asking price of €200,000, according to bankruptcy administrator Verko Kutleša in an interview with Jutarnji list. The transaction includes the exploration license and the existing exploration well. Bankruptcy proceedings for EES Dravacell Energy are still ongoing, but the geothermal asset has now changed hands. Background of the Project Cindrigo originally planned to develop a 2...

Rochester’s Geothermal Network: Minnesota’s First Clean Downtown Revolution

Rochester’s Downtown Building Energy Transition: Building Minnesota’s First Municipal Thermal Energy Network By: Robert Buluma Rochester, Minnesota is quietly making history. In November 2025, the city flipped the switch on Phase 2 of its Downtown Building Energy Transition (DBET), creating the state’s first municipal thermal energy network that connects multiple public buildings to clean, renewable geothermal energy. City Hall, the Mayo Civic Center, Rochester Public Library, Rochester Art Center, and Rochester Civic Theatre are now linked through a shared “ambient loop” that moves heat where it’s needed ,no fossil fuels required for day-to-day operations. This isn’t just another green project checkbox. It’s a practical, scalable model for how mid-sized American cities can decarbonize large downtown building clusters while actually saving money. What Exactly Is a Thermal Energy Network? Think of it as district energy, but smarter and cleaner. A thermal energy network is a closed-loop ...

Eavor’s Geretsried Closed-Loop Geothermal Plant Now Powers the Grid

Eavor Technologies Achieves Historic Milestone: World’s First Commercial-Scale Closed-Loop Geothermal System Now Delivering Power in Geretsried, Germany Published: December 2025 By:  Robert Buluma The Day Geothermal Changed Forever On a crisp Bavarian morning in late 2025, a quiet revolution in clean energy officially went live.   Eavor Technologies Inc ., the Calgary-based pioneer of closed-loop geothermal technology, announced that its flagship commercial project in Geretsried, Germany has begun delivering power to the grid becoming the world’s first utility-scale multilateral closed-loop geothermal system to achieve commercial operation. For anyone who has followed the geothermal sector for the last decade, this is nothing short of seismic (pun intended). What Makes Eavor’s Closed-Loop System Truly Disruptive? Traditional geothermal plants rely on naturally occurring hot water reservoirs or enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) that require hydraulic fracturing and massiv...

€1 Billion EU Innovation Fund Auction Opens Today: The Race to Decarbonize Europe’s Industrial Heat Has Officially Begun

€1 Billion EU Auction: A Game-Changer for Decarbonizing Europe's Industrial Heat Posted by Robert Buluma | December 4, 2025 In a bold move toward climate neutrality, the European Commission has just opened the doors to a €1 billion funding bonanza aimed squarely at slashing fossil fuel dependency in one of Europe's most carbon-intensive sectors: industrial heat. If you're in the energy transition space, engineering, or sustainability game, this is your wake-up call. The Innovation Fund Fixed Premium Auction 2025 (IF25) for Industrial Process Heat Decarbonisation is now live, and it's not just another grant round—it's a competitive sprint to electrify and renew the way industries heat up their operations. As of today, December 4, 2025, the call is open for submissions until February 19, 2026. With projects required to be up and running within four years of grant signature, this auction is designed for speed and scale. Let's break it down: what it covers, who'...

Alberta Bets $35 Million on the Future of Drilling: From Smarter Oil Wells to Geothermal and Critical Minerals Breakthroughs

Alberta launches $35-million challenge to reinvent drilling for the next 50 years   By  Robert Buluma | December 3, 2025   EDMONTON – The days of drilling straight down and hoping for the best are long gone. Today, operators in Western Canada routinely steer multi-kilometre horizontal wells with pinpoint accuracy from a single surface location. Tomorrow’s wells, however, could be guided entirely by artificial intelligence, powered by low-emission rigs, and used to unlock everything from geothermal heat to critical minerals and permanent CO₂ storage. That future just got a $35-million boost. Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA ) officially opened applications this week for the Drilling Technology Challenge, a funding program designed to bridge the “valley of death” that too often kills promising subsurface innovations before they ever reach the field. “Many great ideas never make it past the prototype stage because the cost and risk of real-world testing are simply...

Europe’s First Geothermal Lithium Revolution: EIB Injects €250 Million into Vulcan’s Zero-Carbon Lionheart Project

Europe Takes a Giant Leap Toward Lithium Independence: EIB Backs Vulcan Energy’s €2 Billion Lionheart Project with €250 Million By: Robert Buluma 3 December 2025 – In a move that could reshape Europe’s battery and electric-vehicle future, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has just signed a landmark €250 million financing agreement with Australian-German company Vulcan Energy for Phase One of the Lionheart Project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. This isn’t just another mining project. It’s Europe’s first commercial-scale Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) operation that simultaneously produces battery-grade lithium and renewable geothermal heat and power – all with a net-zero carbon footprint. Why this matters for Europe Lithium is classified as both a critical and strategic raw material under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act.   Europe currently imports >95% of its battery-grade lithium, mostly from Australia, Chile and China.   By 2030, the EU’s demand for lit...

Karlsruhe’s Geothermal Collapse: A Costly Blow to Germany’s Energy Transition

Karlsruhe’s Geothermal Collapse: A Costly Blow to Germany’s Energy Transition By:  Robert Buluma In the heart of Baden-Württemberg, a project that once symbolized ambition, innovation, and the promise of clean geothermal heat has now collapsed quietly. What was meant to become one of Germany’s most transformative regional heating networks has instead turned into a warning sign for Europe’s energy transition. The dissolution of the regional heat association in the Karlsruhe district,made up of ten municipalities,marks a serious setback not only for Germany but for the broader global geothermal movement. This is more than a failed project. It is a lesson in communication, financing, political courage, and the true cost of clean energy. A Vision That Should Have Succeeded The plan was compelling: Harness the deep geothermal power beneath Graben-Neudorf,home to Germany’s hottest geothermal well to deliver CO₂-neutral district heating to communities from Bretten to Bruchsal, Forst, and ...

China Just Built the World’s Cleanest Large-Scale Geothermal Heating System – And Barely Anyone Noticed

China Just Quietly Built One of the Greenest Heating Systems on Earth – And Hardly Anyone Noticed By:  Robert Buluma In a quiet corner of Shaanxi Province, something remarkable just happened. On an ordinary day in late 2025, nine deep geothermal wells in Qishan County, Baoji City, began pumping clean heat from 2,800 meters beneath the Earth’s surface into thousands of homes. No smoke. No coal. No water extracted from the ground and no wastewater discharged back into it. This is China’s first large-scale mid-deep geothermal closed-loop district heating project, and it might be one of the most under-reported green energy milestones of the decade. The Numbers Are Staggering 9 geothermal wells (drilled to 2,800–3,000 m)   100% closed-loop heat exchange – zero fluid leaves or enters the rock formation   Supplies central heating to the entire southern district of Qishan County   Annual savings: 12,000 tons of standard coal   Annual CO₂ reduction: 3...

Iceland Ignites a Geothermal Revolution: ISK 600 Million Bet on Low-Temperature Innovation

Iceland's Geothermal Renaissance: Government Bets Big on Low-Enthalpy and Innovative Uses By: Robert Buluma Iceland has long been the poster child for geothermal energy. With legendary high-temperature fields powering everything from the famous Blue Lagoon to nearly 100% of the country’s electricity and district heating, most people assumed the geothermal story was already written. Apparently not. In a move that has the global geothermal community buzzing, the Icelandic government has just announced a massive ISK 600 million (roughly €4 million / $4.4 million USD) grant program specifically designed to kick-start innovative geothermal projects, with the state covering up to one-third of total project costs. What makes this announcement truly exciting isn’t the money itself (Iceland has funded geothermal before), but the deliberate shift in focus: low-enthalpy resources and non-traditional applications. Why This Matters  The Low-Enthalpy Revolution For decades, Iceland’s geothermal ...

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AFK Geothermie launches €65M dublette drilling to heat 1,200 homes

AFK Geothermie launches second dublette drilling in Aschheim , pathway to 1,200 geothermal heat connections Summary AFK Geothermie has begun preparing the drill site for a second deep geothermal dublette near Aschheim. Drilling is scheduled to start in November at depths up to 2,600 meters. The project aims to supply up to 1,200 residential connections in Aschheim, Feldkirchen and Kirchheim with district heating from January 2028, expanding an established field first tapped in 2008. Total investment is around €65 million, combining public grants, municipal contributions, company equity and long-term loans. Why this matters now The AFK project is a practical example of how municipal-scale geothermal systems move from demonstration to scale-up. As European policymakers push for decarbonized heating, replicable, well-financed geothermal projects that integrate with existing district heating networks are becoming critical. The Aschheim dublette highlights common technical, financial and ...

Plum IV and CTR’s Geothermal Critical Minerals Deal Takes Shape

Plum Acquisition Corp. IV and  Controlled Thermal Resources Outline a Large-Scale Geothermal and Critical Minerals Platform Plum Acquisition Corp. IV (“Plum IV”) and Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc. (“CTR”) are moving toward a proposed business combination that would create a public company focused on one of the most ambitious geothermal and critical minerals developments in the United States. The combined entity is expected to trade on Nasdaq under the pro forma ticker CTRH, reflecting a platform built around clean baseload power, lithium recovery, and broader critical minerals production. The investor presentation dated August 2026 frames the transaction around CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen project in Imperial County, California, which is presented as a strategically positioned resource opportunity with energy, minerals, infrastructure, and permitting advantages.   At the center of the presentation is a clear message: this is not just a power project, and it is not j...

Philippines Geothermal Drilling: Rufino "Dong" Cotanda Jr. on PGPC, EDC, ThermaPrime, and the Future of Geothermal Energy

Alphaxioms Exclusive: Inside the Philippines' Geothermal Drilling Success Story , A Conversation with Rufino "Dong" Cotanda Jr. Image : Rufino "Dong" Cotanda Jr The Philippines is the world's third-largest producer of geothermal electricity, with more than 2 GW of installed capacity. Behind this achievement is decades of technical expertise, sustained government support, and some of the world's most experienced geothermal drilling professionals. One of those professionals is Rufino "Dong" Cotanda Jr., a drilling veteran with over 45 years of experience in both oil & gas and geothermal operations. Having worked with Saudi Aramco , Desco , Unocal, Chevron , and now the Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC), Dong has helped shape drilling programs across multiple continents. In this exclusive interview with Alphaxioms, he discusses the evolution of geothermal drilling in the Philippines, the technologies improving well performance,...

EGS, Superhot Rock & AI: Geothermal Expert Cary Lindsey on the Industry's Next 20 Years

“Inside the Next Wave of Geothermal Innovation: Opportunities, Risks, and Global Impact” By:  Robert Buluma An indepth interview with Cary Lindsey, PhD Research Scientist Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada Reno  1. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are often described as geothermal's "breakout technology." From a geological standpoint, what are the biggest unresolved uncertainties preventing large-scale commercial deployment ? The progress we've seen in EGS over the last few years has been incredible. For a long time, geothermal was largely limited to places where nature had already done the hard work for us by creating hot, permeable reservoirs. EGS opens the door to developing geothermal resources in places that were previously off the table. That said, there are still some big questions we need to answer. Can we maintain those engineered reservoirs for decades? How much liquid (water or brine) will the...

SECI Invites Geothermal Agencies for Resource Assessment and Power Development in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

SECI’s Geothermal EOI for Andaman & Nicobar Islands: What It Means for India’s Next Frontier in Clean Power The Solar Energy Corporation of India’s EOI for geothermal resource assessment and development in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a notable signal that India is widening its renewable-energy playbook beyond solar and wind. For developers, consultants, and investors, this tender is less about a single procurement and more about a strategic entry point into one of India’s most technically intriguing clean-energy frontiers. Why This EOI Matters SECI has published Tender ID SECI000268 under reference SECI/C&P/EOI/17/0003/26-27 for the “Identification and Capability Assessment of Agencies for Geothermal Resource Assessment, Exploration, Development, and Utilization of Geothermal Power Plant in UT of A&N Islands.” The document indicates that the initiative is meant to identify agencies with capability across geothermal resource assessment, exploration, development, and...

Dynelectro, Syntholene, and the Geothermal SOEC Breakthrough in Iceland

Dynelectro, Syntholene, and the Geothermal SOEC Breakthrough in Iceland Dynelectro’s role in the Syntholene Iceland project highlights a major shift in how the market should think about SOEC technology. For years, solid oxide electrolysis cells have been seen as highly efficient but too difficult to commercialize because of stack degradation, short operating life, and the complexity of integrating them into real industrial systems. This project helps challenge that view by showing how geothermal integration, advanced power electronics, and system-level design can make SOEC a credible industrial solution.   The most important takeaway is simple: the market has often misunderstood SOEC as a technology limited by chemistry alone, when in fact a large part of the challenge is operational. Dynelectro’s approach shows that if the stack is controlled properly and supported by the right electrical architecture, SOEC can move much closer to commercial viability. The Syntholene Iceland ...

Exclusive Interview: An In-Depth Look at Exergy’s Game-Changing Gemini Turbine

Exclusive interview with Exergy : discover the new Gemini dual-flow radial outflow turbine, the first single-unit ORC solution for 30–60 MW geothermal projects, offering up to 30 % lower costs and 99 % availability. By:  Robert Buluma .   An interview with  Luca Pozzoni -  Deputy CEO | Group CFO - Exergy International and the Exergy Team 1. Can you walk us through the key design innovations in your new Gemini turbine and how it differs from previous models? The major innovation of the Gemini turbine lies in the dual-flow configuration: unlike conventional radial outflow turbines which are equipped with a single bladed overhung rotor disk, the Gemini features a double-side bladed rotor disk mounted in a between-bearing configuration. This enables the efficient processing of significantly larger volumes of fluid, leading to higher power output having basically two radial outflow turbines in a single machine with enhanced operational stability and simplified mainte...

Deep Geothermal Drilling Preparation for Renewable District Heating

Deep Drilling Preparation for Geothermal Energy: The Erdwärme Breisgau Project The Erdwärme Breisgau geothermal project has received approval for its next phase, allowing Badenova and Herrenknecht to begin preparing a deep-drilling site near Hartheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The partners plan to invest approximately €60 million to explore a geothermal reservoir located around 3,200 metres underground and develop a heating plant for regional district heating.  Why Deep Drilling Matters for Geothermal Heating Deep geothermal energy can provide a stable, renewable source of heat for district-heating networks. Unlike solar and wind power, which depend on weather conditions, geothermal heating can operate continuously when the underground reservoir and surface infrastructure are technically and economically viable. The Erdwärme Breisgau project is designed to investigate a hot-water reservoir beneath the Hartheim area. The plan involves drilling two directional wells: one producti...

Global Geothermal Insights: An Exclusive Interview with Drilling Engineer Sam Abraham

Global Geothermal Insights: Interview with Sam Abraham the Geothermal Global Technical Advisor at  Halliburton This interview was done by  Robert Buluma on 5th of November 7:30 Am EST At   Alphaxioms , we are committed to uncovering the deeper truths behind geothermal energy , the drilling, the risks, the innovations, and the frontiers. Today we welcome Sam Abraham , a veteran drilling engineer whose global geothermal experience spans more than 25 years. From oil & gas beginnings to geothermal hotspots around the world, Sam shares his journey, insights, and advice for the next generation. Career Journey & Background Sam, could you tell us about your career path and what led you into geothermal drilling? I have a background in oil and gas — seven years since 1991. I served as a base manager in Jakarta for three years, and also worked a little in geothermal alongside oil & gas. In 2005 I moved to New Zealand, given its vast geothermal resources. Fro...

🔥 Krafla Magma Testbed: Drilling Into the Earth’s Fiery Heart

Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) : Humanity’s Bold Leap Into the Heart of the Earth Interview  from Bjorn Gudmundsson the C.E.O-Krafla Magma Testbed and Team By:  Robert Buluma In 2009, deep beneath Iceland’s iconic Krafla volcano, a drilling team made history. During the IDDP-1 project, their drill bit pierced into magma molten rock at just two kilometers below the surface. What began as an accident became a scientific revelation. For the first time, humans had safely accessed magma. This “Eureka” moment gave birth to an idea so daring it almost sounds like science fiction: the creation of a permanent observatory where magma could be directly studied. That idea became the  Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) a visionary international project that promises to rewrite the future of geothermal science, volcanic monitoring, and sustainable energy. Why Krafla? The Perfect Laboratory Beneath Our Feet Krafla’s  geology is unique. It offers a known shallow magma body, decades of research...