Alphaxioms, we talked to Chris Sladen about his involvement in geothermal both in the UK, and globally By: Robert Buluma Chris, please begin by explaining a little about yourself, and why you have a passion for geothermal? I have spent over 45 years involved in energy. Following undergraduate studies in geology at Southampton University, and a PhD in sedimentology at Reading University, I joined the energy sector in Aberdeen in 1980. It was a fascinating era when it seemed like at least one giant oil & gas field was discovered offshore every month; the wealth creation for the UK was gigantic. I got to see so much geology and rocks - my true passion. I moved to China in late 1983; not today’s China, this was over 40 years ago, a country closed for decades and embarking on an open-door policy, in part to bring both investment and technology. I became very interested in energy trends, energy politics, and new geography created by changing politics leading to opportunities for ene...
Turboden , Fervo and the Future of Geothermal: 180 MW of Gen-2 ORC Plants for Cape Station, Utah By: Robert Buluma October 2, 2025 In a landmark move for clean energy and geothermal power, Turboden America LLC the U.S. arm of Turboden S.p.A. (a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group company) has been selected to supply 180 MW of Gen-2 Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants for Fervo Energy’s Cape Station geothermal project in Utah. A New Milestone in Geothermal Deployment This award relates to Phase II of the Cape Station development, following Turboden’s earlier participation in Phase I. Under Phase II, Turboden will provide three ORC units , each with a gross output of 60 MWe, summing to 180 MWe. Once installed and operational (targeted by 2028), these Gen-2 units will bring the total ORC capacity on site to 300 MWe , making Cape Station one of the largest geothermal installations globally. The earlier Phase I installation, invol...