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Showing posts from February 8, 2026

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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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Geo Dipa Launches Open Tender: Rig Bundling Services Now Available for Jailolo Geothermal Exploration

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
PT Geo Dipa Energi (Persero ) has recently announced an open tender for Rig Bundling Services specifically for the Jailolo geothermal exploration project in West Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia.  This procurement marks a significant step forward in advancing geothermal energy development in one of Indonesia's promising frontier areas. The tender, referenced under announcement number 008.PLL/PST.PBJ-GDE/III/2026 (or similar variations noted in related documents), invites qualified contractors to provide integrated drilling services. The scope involves drilling two exploration wells in the Jailolo Geothermal Working Area (WKP Jailolo) using a 1000-1500 HP rig, bundled with essential supporting services. These include mud logging, H2S safety monitoring, water supply transfer systems, tubular/OCTG inspection, casing running, drill bits, drilling cuttings and waste management, and fuel supply. This bundled approach streamlines operations, reduces risks, and optimizes costs for the st...
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Exploration of Geothermal Potential in Virovitica Has Begun

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
The exploratory well Virovitica GT-1 (VirGT-1) is investigating the possibilities of utilizing a local renewable energy source. By: Robert Buluma Exploration work has started in Virovitica to assess the geothermal potential of the VirGT-1 well. This is part of a project evaluating the use of geothermal energy for energy purposes. The research is being conducted by the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency ( AZU ) in the geothermal water exploration area “Virovitica 2,” which covers parts of the City of Virovitica and the Municipality of Lukač. “With this initiative, Virovitica is showing a forward-thinking approach to long-term development and the pursuit of sustainable solutions for the city’s future. Exploring geothermal potential is important because it allows us to assess our available options based on expert, verified data,” said Ivica Kirin, Mayor of Virovitica. The VirGT-1 exploratory geothermal well is planned to reach a depth of approximately 1,300 meters. The research targets geologica...
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Geothermal Revolution in the Desert: KAEC Teams Up with Strataphy to Slash Energy Use

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
KAEC and Strataphy Forge a Path to Sustainable Urban Cooling: A Landmark Partnership in Geothermal Innovation By:  Robert Buluma In a significant step forward for sustainable urban development in Saudi Arabia, Emaar, The Economic City (KAEC ) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Strataphy, a leading Saudi deep-tech startup specializing in geothermal cooling solutions. Announced recently, this collaboration aims to explore the large-scale deployment of advanced geothermal cooling technologies across KAEC’s expansive facilities and tenant ecosystem. The partnership focuses on introducing innovative “Cooling as a Service” models that promise to enhance operational efficiency, dramatically reduce energy consumption, lower carbon emissions, and support scalable, future-ready infrastructure. This initiative aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 sustainability goals and the broader Saudi Green Initiative. King Abdullah Economic City: The Foundation for...
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Fervo Energy Hits 290°C Milestone: Project Blanford Sets New Standard for Enhanced Geothermal

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Fervo Energy has achieved a major breakthrough in next-generation geothermal energy with the announcement of their hottest well to date at Project Blanford in Utah.  By:  Robert Buluma This press release, dated February 9, 2026, highlights rapid progress in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) and underscores the company's pivotal role in delivering reliable, 24/7 carbon-free power. As global energy demand surges and the push for decarbonization intensifies, milestones like this could reshape the future of baseload renewable energy. The Breakthrough at Project Blanford Fervo Energy , a Houston-based leader in advanced geothermal development, recently completed a successful appraisal drilling campaign at a new greenfield site named Project Blanford, situated in Millard County, Utah. The standout result: a vertical appraisal well that reached resource temperatures exceeding 555°F (approximately 290°C) at a depth of about 11,200 feet. This marks the hottest well in Fervo's history...
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Supercritical Geothermal Breakthrough: 400C Energy Tests 400°C Frac Port and Targets $50/MWh Clean Power

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Breakthrough in Supercritical Geothermal: 400C Energy's Milestone Paves the Way for Ultra-Low-Cost Clean Power By :  Robert Buluma In the rapidly advancing world of renewable energy, breakthroughs in geothermal technology stand out for their potential to deliver reliable, always-on power at costs that rival traditional fossil fuels. 400C Energy has just shared an exciting update: they have successfully completed rigorous testing of their 9.625-inch super-hot capable frac port equipped with integral flow control. This component withstood extreme cyclic conditions of 400°C and 15,000 psi frac differential, marking a major step forward for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) targeting supercritical resources. This achievement opens the door to generating electricity at a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) below $50/MWh delivering ultra-low-cost, clean, baseload power that can compete directly with coal and natural gas while scaling quickly to utility-scale deployment. From Conventional G...
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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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"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...
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Ijen vs Zanskar: Blind Geothermal Energy Discovery and Development

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Ijen’s Blind Geothermal System vs. Zanskar’s AI-Discovered Resources: Two Models for Finding Hidden Heat The geothermal industry is entering a new phase in which the most valuable resources may no longer be the fields marked by obvious hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, or steaming ground. Increasingly, developers are targeting “blind” or hidden geothermal systems,reservoirs that lack clear surface expressions but can still contain the temperature, permeability, and fluid needed for commercial power generation. Two examples illustrate how different parts of the industry are approaching this challenge. In Indonesia, the Blawan-Ijen geothermal field in East Java was developed through geological interpretation, magnetotelluric imaging, conceptual modelling, and drilling. The project is now operating commercially, with its first phase delivering approximately 35 MW to the Java grid under a 30-year power purchase agreement.  In the United States, Zanskar Geothermal & Minerals is using...
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Maryland Geothermal Rebate Program 2026: Residential Heating and Cooling Incentives Drive Strong Demand

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
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...
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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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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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Vercana Electric Rig Advances Geothermal Brine Lithium Extraction Economics

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Electric-Rig Direct Lithium Extraction From Geothermal Brine: The Economics of Vercana Versus Ormat Vulcan Energy Resources is pursuing an integrated model that combines geothermal drilling, direct lithium extraction, renewable electricity and industrial heat. Through its Vercana subsidiary, the company is also using electric drilling equipment designed to support the development of its Lionheart project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. The approach differs from the conventional geothermal model represented by Ormat Technologies, whose core business remains geothermal power generation, equipment, project development and energy storage rather than commercial lithium recovery from geothermal brine.  The economic question is broader than whether an electric drilling rig costs less to operate than a diesel rig. The more important issue is whether electric drilling, geothermal energy and direct lithium extraction can create a more valuable integrated project than a conventional geotherm...
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IID Secures Major, Local Geothermal Agreement to Strengthen Reliability

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
IID Secures 86 MW of Geothermal Power in Major Salton Sea Agreement The Imperial Irrigation District has signed 10-year agreements with BHE Renewables, through its CalEnergy subsidiary, to secure 86 megawatts of around-the-clock geothermal power from two established projects in California’s Imperial Valley. The agreement will strengthen IID’s electricity reliability, support renewable-energy compliance and help meet growing demand across the Imperial and Coachella valleys. The new contracts cover 44 MW from the Salton Sea 4 geothermal project and 42 MW from the Leathers geothermal project. Deliveries are scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, giving IID access to dependable renewable electricity during a period of rising summer demand and increasing pressure on power systems across the American West. The agreement represents an important step in IID’s long-term resource planning. It combines existing geothermal generation with additional capacity from the Yuma Cogeneration facility in ...
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Geothermal Projects In Africa, Countries Overview

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
 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 ...
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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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