KenGen Risks Losing Olkaria Wells Over 18-Year Licence Blunder Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) faces a serious legal and operational risk at Olkaria after an error in the coordinates of its geothermal licence left part of the company’s wells, steam infrastructure and other assets outside its legally recognised area. The licensing mistake, made nearly two decades ago, remains unresolved despite the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum acknowledging the problem in 2017. The dispute has raised questions about the security of KenGen’s investments, the government’s management of geothermal resources and the potential consequences for Kenya’s electricity supply. Olkaria is the country’s most important geothermal centre and accounts for the overwhelming majority of Kenya’s installed geothermal generation capacity. Licence Error Exposes Strategic Assets The problem dates back to September 19, 2008, when the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum issued KenGen a licence covering ...
Quaise Energy's Bold Vision for 2026: Pioneering Superhot Geothermal and 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's surface, typically in volcanic or tectonically active regions. While reliable and renewable, it's geographically limited and often produces power at moderate temperatures.
Superhot geothermal changes the game by targeting much deeper, hotter rock—reaching temperatures around 300–500°C (or higher). At these "superhot" conditions, a single well can generate 5–10 times more power than conventional geothermal systems due to higher thermal efficiency and energy density.
Quaise Energy is at the forefront of commercializing this approach. According to Araque's update:
- Construction is underway at their pilot project in the western United States, poised to become the world's first superhot geothermal commercial power plant.
- Later in 2026, the company plans to drill confirmation wells and conduct flow tests to validate superhot conditions at commercially relevant scales.
- They'll also introduce their first commercial offtake agreement, proving strong market demand for this next-generation resource.
This pilot, expected to demonstrate thermal energy extraction in 2026 and potentially lead to a full power plant by 2028, focuses on regions like the western U.S. (possibly near volcanic areas such as Oregon's Newberry Volcano). By accessing deeper heat, superhot geothermal could provide baseload power—consistent, 24/7 electricity—near demand centers, reducing transmission losses and enabling deployment almost anywhere on Earth over time.
The implications are massive: zero emissions, minimal land use compared to solar or wind, and a path to terawatts of clean energy to support growing demands from AI data centers, electrification, and industrial processes.
Revolutionizing Drilling with Millimeter Wave Technology
Reaching superhot rock requires drilling far deeper—often 10–20 kilometers—through hard crystalline basement rocks like granite and basalt, where conventional mechanical drill bits wear out quickly and costs skyrocket.
Quaise's solution? Millimeter wave drilling,inspired by fusion research. Instead of physical bits, a gyrotron generates high-power millimeter waves (similar to microwaves but far more intense) transmitted down a waveguide. These waves heat and vaporize rock, turning it into fine ash that's blown out of the borehole. The result: faster, cheaper, and more reliable deep drilling without downhole hardware failures.
Araque detailed exciting 2026 milestones for this technology in Texas:
- Extending field progress from the current ~100–118 meters to 1,000 meters—equivalent to more than two Empire State Buildings stacked deep.
- Commissioning a 1-megawatt gyrotron at headquarters (10 times more powerful than current systems) to enable faster drilling and larger boreholes at commercial scale.
- Continuing integration, testing, and hardening of the full millimeter wave system for deployment at their first power project.
This hybrid approach—combining conventional rotary drilling for shallower sections with millimeter waves for the deep, hard rock—positions Quaise to break records and scale rapidly. Recent field tests in central Texas (at granite quarries) have already demonstrated record depths and speeds, proving the concept moves from lab to real-world application.
Why 2026 Could Change Everything
Araque's reflection resonates deeply: "There are only a few times in your career when you can look back and say, 'That year changed everything.'" For Quaise, 2026 represents the convergence of construction, validation, and commercialization.
Superhot geothermal powered by millimeter wave drilling could unlock "Earth’s perfect power source"—abundant, renewable, and dispatchable. It addresses key energy challenges: providing firm power to complement intermittent renewables, enhancing grid stability, and offering a route to energy independence worldwide.
As Araque emphasizes, access to the Earth's subsurface heat is foundational to modern civilization and global energy security. With these advancements, Quaise isn't just drilling holes—it's paving the way for a cleaner, more secure energy future.
The company's brilliant team is transforming how we harness geothermal energy, and 2026 promises to be a pivotal chapter. Whether you're an investor, policymaker, or simply someone passionate about sustainable innovation, this is a story worth following closely.
Related: Quaise Energy Unveils Revolutionary Pure-Energy Drilling — The Future of Geothermal is Here
Quaise Energy invites everyone to join the journey. The heat beneath our feet could soon power the world—let's see what 2026 brings.
Source: Quaise C.E.O on LinkedIn
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