Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April 19, 2026

Just In

New Zealand Geothermal Exploration Expands into Taranaki and Waikato Regions

Geothermal Exploration in Taranaki and Waikato: Unlocking New Energy Opportunities in New Zealand New Zealand is expanding its geothermal ambitions beyond the country’s established development zones. Two Māori-led exploration projects in Taranaki and South Waikato have received a combined NZ$5.95 million in government grants to investigate previously underexplored geothermal resources and assess their potential to support regional growth, energy resilience, employment, and decarbonisation.  The initiatives reflect a broader shift in geothermal development. While New Zealand’s geothermal industry has traditionally focused on high-temperature resources suitable for electricity generation, the new projects will also examine lower-temperature heat that could serve industrial, agricultural, commercial, and community applications. Government Funding for Two Exploration Projects The New Zealand Government has allocated NZ$3 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to the Taranaki Ge...

Engie advances geothermal exploration for Réunion Island energy independence

Engie’s Geothermal Ambitions in Réunion Island: A Turning Point for Energy Independence in Volcanic Territories By: Robert Buluma In a world increasingly defined by the urgency of energy transition, remote island territories stand at the frontline of both vulnerability and opportunity. The recent move by to secure a geothermal exploration permit in marks more than just another project milestone—it signals a potential transformation in how isolated regions harness their natural resources to break free from fossil fuel dependency. This development, centered in the Cafres-Palmistes highlands, is not merely about drilling wells or building a power plant. It is about unlocking the immense geothermal promise hidden beneath volcanic landscapes, navigating environmental sensitivities, and setting a precedent for sustainable energy in island economies worldwide. A Strategic Foothold in Volcanic Terrain Réunion Island, located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is a geological marvel...

Project Obsidian: Unlocking Superhot Geothermal Power from Deep Earth

Quaise Energy and the Dawn of Superhot Geothermal Power in Oregon By: Robert Buluma Inside Project Obsidian and the Future of Deep Earth Energy The global energy transition has long been defined by solar panels on rooftops, wind turbines across plains, and batteries reshaping grids. Yet beneath all these familiar technologies, another contender is quietly emerging—one that does not depend on weather, daylight, or even surface conditions at all. It comes from deep within the Earth itself, from rock so hot it behaves almost like a molten energy reservoir. That is the frontier where Quaise Energy is now operating. In Oregon, the company is developing what could become the world’s first superhot geothermal power plant under its ambitious initiative known as Project Obsidian . If successful, it could mark a fundamental shift in how humanity produces clean, continuous electricity—moving from shallow geothermal pockets to tapping heat sources several kilometers beneath the Earth’s surfac...

Vulcan–Mersen Alliance Signals a New Era for Lithium and Geothermal Integration

Vulcan – Mersen Alliance Signals a New Era for Lithium and Geothermal Integration By: Robert Buluma In a world racing toward electrification, the battle for critical minerals is intensifying. Lithium, the backbone of modern batteries, has become one of the most strategically important resources of the 21st century. But while demand surges, so does scrutiny—over sustainability, supply chains, and environmental impact. Against this backdrop, a significant development has emerged: has signed a key supply agreement with for its flagship Lionheart project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. At first glance, this may look like a standard industrial supply deal. It is anything but. This agreement represents a deeper shift—one where lithium production, geothermal energy, chemical engineering, and circular industrial design converge into a single, integrated system. The Lionheart Vision: Lithium Without the Carbon Cost The Lionheart Project, located in the , is one of the most ambitious li...

Vermont Geothermal Project Signals New Era for Affordable Clean Housing

Vermont’s Neighborhood Geothermal Breakthrough Could Redefine Clean Housing In the quiet town of Hinesburg, Vermont, a modest housing development is preparing to do something profoundly disruptive. It isn’t a megaproject. It doesn’t boast gigawatts of capacity or billion-dollar budgets. Yet what is about to break ground could quietly reshape how entire communities heat and cool their homes—not just in the United States, but globally. At the center of this transformation is a neighborhood-scale geothermal system, a concept that is steadily evolving from niche innovation into a cornerstone of decarbonized living. The Riggs Meadow development, spearheaded by Champlain Housing Trust in partnership with Evernorth and Vermont Gas Systems, represents a turning point in how clean energy integrates with affordable housing. This is not just a project. It is a signal. A Quiet Revolution Beneath the Surface Unlike solar panels or wind turbines, geothermal systems operate largely out of sight...

When Siemens Bets Big, Geothermal's Industrial Era Begins

Siemens and Vulcan Energy : The Automation Backbone of Europe's Geothermal Lithium Revolution By Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights | April 2026 Image: The Vulcan Geothermal Lionheart Field   On 20 April 2026, Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX: VUL, FSE: VUL) announced the signing of a circa €40 million framework agreement with Siemens AG, appointing the German industrial giant as Main Automation Contractor (MAC) for its flagship Lionheart Project in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley. This announcement, which Vulcan describes as the final major supply agreement for Lionheart, deserves far more analytical attention than a routine procurement notice. It is, in fact, a milestone that illuminates the trajectory of geothermal energy as an industrial foundation not merely a power source  and carries instructive lessons for geothermal developers across every active rift zone on the planet, including the East African Rift Valley. What Lionheart Actually Is To understand the significance of the ...

SCAN Drilling Campaign Maps Netherlands Geothermal Energy Potential Successfully

SCAN Drilling Campaign Completed: Unlocking Geothermal Potential Across the Netherlands The completion of the SCAN drilling campaign marks a defining moment in the Netherlands’ journey toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. Spanning over two years—from October 2023 to December 2025—the ambitious program delivered eight strategically placed exploratory wells across the country. What began as a mission to better understand the Dutch subsurface has now evolved into a cornerstone for the next generation of geothermal energy development. This campaign was never just about drilling wells. It was about answering one fundamental question: where, and to what extent, can geothermal energy be harnessed effectively in the Netherlands? With the operational phase now complete, the results are not only promising but transformative, offering clarity where uncertainty once dominated. A Nationwide Effort to Decode the Subsurface The SCAN program covered approximately half of the Netherla...

Popular posts from this blog

Eavor Demobilizes Rigs in Geretsried: What It Means for Closed-Loop Geothermal Investors, Heat Markets, and Project Risk

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...

Endurance Energy Tests World's First Subsea Geothermal Well at Axial Seamount

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...

Menengai Geothermal Project Delays Expose Kenya’s Broken Steam Supply Model

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 ...

Geiselbullach Geothermal Project Confirms 10 MW District Heating Capacity

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...

BLM Nevada Geothermal Lease Auction Boosts Renewable Energy Investment amid Solar Land Conflict

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...

KenGen Risks Losing Olkaria Geothermal Wells Over Licence Error

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 ...

Lithium Harvest Plans Alberta Geothermal Power and Lithium Project

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...

Djibouti Pays KenGen: $1M Offer on a Five-Year Geothermal Drilling Debt

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...

Corva and Oliasoft Connect Well Design With Real-Time Drilling

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...

California Court Orders New Environmental Review for Imperial County Geothermal Lithium Project

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...