The Quiet Revolution Underground: How an Oil Giant Drilled 4 Miles Deep for Geothermal Heat And What It Means for the Future of Clean Energy By:  Robert Buluma  Date:March 6, 2026 Imagine this: In the flat, oil-soaked plains of Weld County, Colorado—where drilling rigs have long been synonymous with fossil fuels—a massive rig rises quietly last spring. No fanfare, no press releases blasting headlines. Just Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) , the oil behemoth better known for pumping black gold, sinking twin boreholes nearly four miles (about 20,000 feet) into the Earth. Not for oil or gas this time—but for something far more revolutionary: limitless, carbon-free heat from the planet's depths. Completed in under six weeks starting April 2025, this secretive project—dubbed GLADE (Geothermal Limitless Approach to Drilling Efficiencies)—has sent ripples through the geothermal world. Backed by a $9 million U.S. Department of Energy grant from 2022, GLADE wasn't about extracting hydrocarb...

Milestone Alert: Kaishan Group's KK01 Geothermal Power Plant in Kenya Completes All Tests – Set for Commercial Operations (COD)! Posted by: Alphaxioms Geothermal News   Date:March 6, 2026 Kenya's geothermal sector has achieved yet another significant milestone in the push for clean, reliable, and sustainable energy. On March 5, 2026, Kaishan Group Co., Ltd.(开山集团), a leading Chinese innovator in geothermal technology, proudly announced the successful completion of all independent third-party witnessed tests for their fully owned and operated KK01 (Kaishan Kenya 01) geothermal power station. Located in the prolific Menengai geothermal field in Nakuru County, this 35 MW net capacity plant has now cleared every hurdle, including a rigorous 30-day stability run that began on February 2. With all performance parameters meeting or surpassing design expectations, the independent engineer is poised to issue the final certificate and notify Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), marki...

Pertamina Geothermal Energy Withdraws from Kenya's Suswa Project: A Strategic Pivot in International Expansion By: Robert Buluma Image: Pertamina Geothermal Energy Withdraws from Kenya's Suswa Project Amid Concerns Over Returns and Majority Stake In a significant development for the global geothermal sector, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy Tbk (PGEO ), the renewable energy arm of Indonesia's state-owned energy giant Pertamina, has officially withdrawn from its planned investment in the Suswa geothermal field in Kenya . Announced in late February 2026, this decision marks the end of a multi-year exploration of collaboration between PGEO and Kenya's Geothermal Development Company (GDC), a fully government-owned entity tasked with advancing the country's vast geothermal resources. The news first surfaced prominently in Indonesian media, including Bisnis.com, where Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (NRE ) President Director John Anis provided direct insight during an...

Revolutionizing the Earth's Heat: GA Drilling Secures $44.1 Million to Accelerate NexTitan – The Breakthrough for Geothermal at Scale By:  Robert Buluma Image: Revolutionizing the Earth's Heat: GA Drilling Secures $44.1 Million to Accelerate NexTitan – The Breakthrough for Geothermal at Scale In a world urgently transitioning to net-zero emissions, geothermal energy stands out as one of the most promising yet underutilized renewable resources. Unlike solar or wind, which are intermittent, geothermal offers baseload power—steady, reliable electricity available 24/7, with minimal land use and near-zero operational emissions. The Earth's subsurface heat is virtually limitless; if harnessed effectively, it could power civilizations indefinitely. Yet geothermal's growth has been stymied by one dominant factor: the exorbitant cost of drilling deep into hard, hot rock formations. Drilling often accounts for up to 70% of total project expenses in conventional geothermal develo...

Quaise Energy's Ambitious $200 Million Raise: Paving the Way for Superhot Geothermal Revolution By: Robert Buluma Welcome back to Alphaxioms Geothermal News, your go-to source for the latest breakthroughs in sustainable energy from the heart of geothermal innovation. As we dive into March 2026, the geothermal sector is heating up—literally—with exciting developments that could reshape our global energy landscape. Today, we're spotlighting Quaise Energy , a Houston-based startup that's making waves (millimeter waves, to be precise) in the quest for unlimited clean power. The company is in the process of raising approximately $200 million to fund its groundbreaking first commercial geothermal power plant in Oregon. This move not only underscores the growing investor confidence in next-generation geothermal technologies but also positions Quaise as a frontrunner in unlocking terawatt-scale energy from deep beneath the Earth's surface. For those new to the geothermal scene...