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Showing posts from February 1, 2026

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Újbuda Geothermal Energy Exploration Approval Boosts Sustainable Heating Potential

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Újbuda Gets Approval to Explore Its Geothermal Energy Potential Budapest’s Újbuda district has received approval to examine whether geothermal energy can contribute to its future heating and energy needs. The decision places one of the capital’s most densely populated districts at the centre of Hungary’s broader effort to make better use of its underground thermal resources. The approval does not mean that a geothermal power plant or district-heating system will be built immediately. Instead, it allows the district and its partners to investigate the geological conditions, technical feasibility, environmental implications and financial requirements of using heat stored beneath the city. The project could eventually support cleaner heating, reduce dependence on imported natural gas and strengthen Budapest’s energy resilience. Its success, however, will depend on careful geological research, responsible water management, transparent public consultation and a realistic financing model. Wh...
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The Billion-Dollar Gamble Beneath Our Feet: Why Geothermal Exploration Is the Industry’s Greatest Risk

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Exploration Risk: The Billion-Dollar Gamble Beneath Our Feet By:  Robert Buluma Image credit: Kane Watikson on LinkedIn  Geothermal energy is often described as the sleeping giant of the clean energy transition  constant, weather-independent, capable of delivering 24/7 baseload power without the intermittency that defines solar and wind. Yet despite this extraordinary promise, geothermal remains underdeveloped in most parts of the world. The reason is not lack of heat. It is not lack of demand. It is not even lack of technology and not even  FINANCE ,  Whilst many will throw that policy card, but Alphaxioms is already future proofing that .  The real barrier lies several kilometers beneath our feet  in uncertainty. Exploration risk is the defining challenge of geothermal energy. Unlike wind turbines that can measure wind speeds before construction, or solar farms that can predict output from sunlight data, geothermal developers must make multimillion-d...
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Unlocking Africa's Hidden Power: New Zealand and the AU Ignite the Geothermal Revolution

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
In a landmark diplomatic moment that signals brighter prospects for Africa's clean energy future,  H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, formally received the Letters of Credentials from H.E. Ms. Olivia Owen, the newly appointed Ambassador of New Zealand to Ethiopia and the African Union, on February 4, 2026. This ceremony marks not just the beginning of a new ambassadorial tenure but a renewed surge of momentum in one of the most promising renewable energy partnerships on the continent: the AU–New Zealand geothermal cooperation. Amid Africa's urgent push to harness its vast geothermal resources—particularly along the East African Rift System—New Zealand's world-renowned expertise in geothermal development stands as a beacon of hope for sustainable, reliable, and affordable power. New Zealand, a global leader in geothermal energy, draws nearly 20% of its electricity from the Earth's natural heat. Its pioneering approaches to exploration...
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Melilla’s Hidden Fire: Teverra and Earth Energy Explorers Trigger Spain’s Next Geothermal Breakthrough

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Teverra and Earth Energy Explorers Ignite a Geothermal Revolution in Melilla: Spain’s Hidden Heat Awakens By:  Robert Buluma There are places on Earth where the future doesn’t arrive gently. It doesn’t knock politely. It doesn’t wait for permission. It erupts—quietly at first—through data, through drilling plans, through boardroom decisions that look ordinary to outsiders but feel like thunder to those who understand what is at stake. The Melilla Geothermal Project is one of those moments. A moment when a city perched on the edge of Europe, staring directly into the Mediterranean, begins to ask a question that could shake its energy destiny: What if the most powerful resource we need isn’t imported… but buried beneath us? This is the kind of question that rewrites history. And now, with Teverra partnering with Earth Energy Explorers (EEE), that question is no longer theoretical. It is becoming a plan—measured, engineered, and dangerously ambitious. Melilla is not just another Sp...
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KenGen Launches International Tender for Essential Geothermal Wellhead

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
KenGen Launches International Tender for Essential Geothermal Wellhead Equipment Amid Kenya's Green Energy Push In a significant move to bolster its geothermal energy infrastructure, Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has issued an open international tender for the supply of specialized geothermal wellhead equipment. The tender, referenced as KGN-GDD-025-2026, focuses on expanding gate valves and adaptor flanges—critical components used in geothermal wellheads to manage high-pressure steam and ensure safe, efficient energy extraction. Released in January 2026, this procurement opportunity underscores KenGen's ongoing commitment to expanding Kenya's renewable energy capacity, particularly in the geothermal sector, which already accounts for a substantial portion of the country's power generation. Tender Details and Requirements The tender invites sealed bids from eligible candidates worldwide, emphasizing an open competitive process to attract qualified ...
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Kenya’s Geothermal Surge: Menengai, Suswa, Courts, and Cheaper Power

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Kenya’s geothermal sector stands at a pivotal crossroads in 2026, blending rapid expansion, legal scrutiny, fresh exploration, and bold affordability measures.  By: Robert Buluma Image: Trucks are flagged for Suswa Geothermal Block As Africa’s geothermal leader, Kenya harnesses the Rift Valley’s heat to deliver reliable, clean baseload power that stabilizes the grid amid fluctuating hydro and costly thermal backups. Today, the narrative unfolds across Menengai’s maturing projects, Suswa’s exciting new frontier, courtroom challenges, and policy reforms aimed at cheaper electricity for all. Menengai: From Vision to Reality with Turbulence The Menengai field in Nakuru County exemplifies Kenya’s innovative de-risking model. The Geothermal Development Company (GDC ) drills high-risk wells and confirms steam resources, then invites private independent power producers (IPPs) to build plants and purchase steam. This approach accelerates investment by removing the biggest uncertainty. Three...
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Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Leads International Collaboration on Geothermal Reservoir Connectivity: A Leap Towards Sustainable Energy

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Leads International Collaboration on Geothermal Reservoir Connectivity: A Leap Towards Sustainable Energy Posted by Alphaxioms Geothermal News on January 31, 2026 Hello, geothermal enthusiasts! Welcome back to Alphaxioms Geothermal News, your go-to source for the latest developments in the world of underground energy. Today, we're diving into an exciting announcement from Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (MGC) that's set to bridge the gap quite literally,between shallow and deep geothermal reservoirs. On January 29, 2026, MGC revealed that it has signed an international joint research contract with New Zealand's Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ), alongside partners from Kyushu University and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). This collaboration, funded by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), promises to unlock new insights into geothermal resource utilization. Let...
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Strandeiland’s Silent Breakthrough: SCAN’s Successful Geothermal Research Drilling in Amsterdam

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
The SCAN Geothermal Research Well That Could Redraw Amsterdam’s Heat Future For most people walking across Strandeiland in Amsterdam today, nothing looks unusual. No drilling rig. No heavy machinery. No fenced-off work zone. No signs of an industrial operation that recently took place. And yet beneath that calm surface, something major has happened. A geothermal research drilling campaign, carried out under the SCAN programme, has been successfully completed , and it may quietly become one of the most important steps in determining whether the Amsterdam–Diemen–Almere region can unlock aardwarmte (geothermal heat) as a cornerstone of its clean heating future. The Rig is Gone , But the Data Remains The SCAN research drilling site on Strandeiland has now been fully dismantled, with the land returned to its original state. SCAN reports the operation as a success, praising the smooth collaboration with the Municipality of Amsterdam and other regional partners. This is the kind of geothermal...
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CTR Launches American Data Power: 600 MW Geothermal Complex to Fuel America’s AI & Hyperscale Data Boom at Salton Sea

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
The recent announcement from  Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc. (CTR) marks a significant step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the U.S. energy landscape:  providing reliable, clean, baseload power for the explosive growth of hyperscale data centers and AI infrastructure. On January 29, 2026, CTR launched American Data Power, a new subsidiary dedicated to delivering a utility-scale 600 MW energy complex in California's Salton Sea Geothermal Field. This initiative advances the next phase of CTR's flagship Hell’s Kitchen development, positioning it as one of the largest baseload renewable energy projects in the country. Geothermal energy stands out in the renewable mix because it delivers continuous, 24/7 power unlike solar or wind, which depend on weather conditions. The proposed complex targets a capacity factor exceeding 95%, ensuring high operational reliability. This makes it ideal for the constant, high-load demands of hyperscale data centers...
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Minnesota Revives Aquifer Geothermal: The LED of Heating

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
“‘The LED of heating’: cheap geothermal energy system makes US comeback”.  By:  Robert Buluma This story spotlights a groundbreaking project in Minnesota that's bringing back Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) nearly 45 years after pioneering U.S. experiments. In the frigid winters of Minnesota, where temperatures can drop below -10°C (-14°F), keeping homes warm traditionally relies on fossil fuels or inefficient electric systems. But a new development called The Heights in St. Paul is changing that by tapping into the stable temperatures deep underground. The Revival of a 1980s Idea Back in the late 1970s and 1980s, the U.S. Department of Energy funded tests beneath the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus. Researchers drilled wells to store hot water in aquifers over 100 meters (about 330 feet) deep during summer, then extracted it for winter heating. The concept, known as seasonal thermal energy storage, aimed to cut primary energy use significantly. A 1991 federal...
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Kenya’s Geothermal Advantage: Pulling Carbon Out of the Sky

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Kenya’s Climate Breakthrough: Harnessing Geothermal Power to Pull Carbon Out of the Air This article was written by Robert Buluma 🌋 Why Kenya Is Uniquely Positioned for Carbon Removal Kenya is one of the world’s geothermal success stories. Unlike many nations that rely heavily on fossil fuels, Kenya generates a significant share of its electricity from geothermal resources, particularly along the Great Rift Valley. This region is rich in underground heat, volcanic rock formations, and clean baseload power. These conditions make Kenya ideal for carbon removal for three major reasons: 1.Abundant renewable energy – Carbon capture technologies require large amounts of energy. In Kenya, geothermal power provides constant, low-carbon electricity and heat. 2. Suitable geology – Volcanic basalt formations naturally lock carbon dioxide into solid rock through mineralization. 3.Strategic location – Kenya sits at the crossroads of African innovation, climate finance, and global carbon markets. T...
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Eavor Demobilizes Rigs in Geretsried: What It Means for Closed-Loop Geothermal Investors, Heat Markets, and Project Risk

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
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...
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Endurance Energy Tests World's First Subsea Geothermal Well at Axial Seamount

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Endurance Energy Tests the World's First Subsea Geothermal Well: What the Axial Seamount Demonstration Really Proved What if geothermal energy did not need a power plant on land? What if electricity could be produced directly from the Earth's heat beneath the ocean, with generators sitting on the seafloor and sending power to coastal grids? On October 19, 2026, Seattle-based startup Endurance Energy announced a major step toward that idea. The company said it had drilled and completed the world's first subsea geothermal well and placed a 3-ton test power plant nearly a mile beneath the Pacific. It also reported net-positive electricity from heat at an active underwater volcano, according to its announcement on PR Newswire. The headline numbers are modest. The Adélie prototype produced more electricity than it used for about 8.7 seconds. During that time it delivered a median net output of about 2 kilowatts and a peak of 16.5 kilowatts. One detail matters more than any other...
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Geiselbullach Geothermal Project Confirms 10 MW District Heating Capacity

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Geothermal milestone at Geiselbullach: 10 MW of heat confirmed after successful second deep well test On 15 August 2026 the Geiselbullach geothermal project reached a pivotal technical milestone: performance testing of the second deep production well completed successfully, delivering a sustained flow of 90 liters per second of thermal water at 79–80 °C. These measured parameters translate into roughly 10 MW of usable thermal power for district heating, enough to replace a portion of heat currently supplied by the municipal waste-to-energy plant (AHKW) and to create headroom for expanding the regional district heating network. The result confirms the project’s technical assumptions and moves the scheme into system-integration and commissioning activities ahead of planned commercial deliveries for the 2027 heating season. This article explains the test results and their significance, outlines the technical and operational consequences, and places the Geiselbullach development in the bro...
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Menengai Geothermal Project Delays Expose Kenya’s Broken Steam Supply Model

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Menengai’s Broken Promise: How Kenya’s Geothermal Model Lost the Steam Thematic image of the Olkaria Geothermal Field  Kenya’s Menengai geothermal project was sold as a model of modern public-private partnership. The state would carry the difficult and expensive burden of geothermal exploration and drilling. Private power producers would then build, own and operate power plants. Geothermal Development Company would supply the steam; the independent power producers would convert it into electricity; Kenya Power would buy the output. On paper, the arrangement was elegant. In practice, Menengai has exposed a far more uncomfortable reality: Kenya’s public steam-supply model is not delivering the certainty it promised. Menengai Phase I was designed to produce 105 megawatts from three 35 MW plants. GDC’s own project page says the three plants were awarded to Globeleq Menengai Geothermal, Sosian Menengai Geothermal Power and OrPower Twenty Two under a build-own-operate structure. Yet the ...
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KenGen Risks Losing Olkaria Geothermal Wells Over Licence Error

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
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 ...
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BLM Nevada Geothermal Lease Auction Boosts Renewable Energy Investment amid Solar Land Conflict

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
BLM’s Nevada Geothermal Lease Auction Signals Rising Competition for Federal Energy Land The Bureau of Land Management’s latest geothermal lease sale in Nevada attracted nearly $4.83 million in total receipts, highlighting growing investor interest in geothermal resources as electricity demand rises . The auction also exposed an increasingly important land-use conflict: several geothermal parcels overlap with proposed utility-scale solar projects, including NextEra Energy’s 1,000-megawatt Sawtooth Energy Center. The October 20, 2026, sale offered 83 parcels covering approximately 265,155 acres across 10 Nevada counties. Bidders placed offers on 60 parcels covering 186,641 acres, while 23 parcels received no bids. The results provide a new measure of competition for federal geothermal acreage in one of the United States’ most important geothermal states. Auction Results The Nevada auction attracted 32 registered bidders, of which 18 submitted at least one bid. Across the sale, bidders s...
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Djibouti Pays KenGen: $1M Offer on a Five-Year Geothermal Drilling Debt

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
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...
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Lithium Harvest Plans Alberta Geothermal Power and Lithium Project

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Lithium Harvest’s Alberta Geothermal Project Could Combine Renewable Power and Domestic Lithium Production Lithium Harvest Holding A/S has signed a letter of intent with an unnamed geothermal development partner to establish a joint venture for an integrated geothermal power and lithium production facility in Alberta, Canada. At full nameplate capacity, the proposed project is expected to produce approximately 28,500 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually while generating 0.67 TWh of renewable electricity each year. The development would use a single geothermal resource to supply both baseload power and lithium-bearing brine for direct lithium extraction and refining.  A Dual-Output Geothermal Development The proposed Alberta facility reflects a growing effort to extract more value from geothermal resources than electricity generation alone. Traditional geothermal power projects produce electricity by bringing hot underground fluids to the surface. Depending on resource temperature a...
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Corva and Oliasoft Connect Well Design With Real-Time Drilling

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Corva and Oliasoft Build a Continuous Learning Loop for Smarter Well Construction Introduction Corva AI and Oliasoft have announced a strategic collaboration designed to connect well engineering, real-time drilling operations and post-well analysis through a bidirectional digital workflow. The integration links Oliasoft WellDesign with Corva’s Real-Time AI platform, creating a continuous information loop in which engineering plans guide field execution and drilling results improve future well designs.  The partnership addresses one of the persistent weaknesses in modern well construction: the separation between planning software and operational systems. Although operators generate large volumes of engineering and drilling data, those datasets often remain fragmented across departments, applications and reporting processes. The result is slower decision-making, repeated manual work and limited transfer of lessons from one well to the next. By connecting design assumptions with liv...
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California Court Orders New Environmental Review for Imperial County Geothermal Lithium Project

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
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...
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