Exciting PhD Opportunity at Utrecht University : Unravelling Clogging Mechanisms in Porous and Fractured Rocks (Deadline: 14 December 2025) Published on  December 2025 By: Robert Buluma Are you a curious MSc graduate in Earth Sciences, Geology, Physics, or a related field who wants to work on cutting-edge research that directly supports the energy transition? Then this fully funded PhD position at Utrecht University (The Netherlands) might be exactly what you’re looking for! The Project – Why it matters Many of tomorrow’s energy solutions  geothermal energy, CO₂ storage, underground hydrogen storage , depend on injecting and extracting large volumes of fluids into the subsurface. A major risk that can kill these projects is clogging: pores and fractures gradually get blocked by particles, precipitates, or biomass, reducing permeability and sometimes stopping flow altogether. Although individual clogging mechanisms are reasonably well studied, we still lack a good understanding...

Breakthrough Beneath the Beach: Amsterdam Region Hits Geothermal Paydirt at Strandeiland By: Robert Buluma The Netherlands just took a giant leap toward fossil-free heating. On the artificial island of Strandeiland (part of Amsterdam’s fast-growing IJburg district), the SCAN exploration well has officially confirmed what the geothermal community has been hoping for: a thick, hot, and , most importantly permeable reservoir in the Slochteren Formation. Key numbers that matter:   Reservoir thickness: 152 meters   Bottom-hole temperature: 66 °C   Permeability: confirmed via successful production and injection tests   That’s not screaming-hot by Icelandic standards, but for direct-use district heating in one of Europe’s densest urban areas, 66 °C is more than enough to supply thousands of homes with clean, baseload heat – forever. Why This Well Changes Everything for the Netherlands The Dutch government launched the SCAN program (Seismic Campaign Nethe...

First Utility-Owned Geothermal Network Set to Double with DOE Grant , A Bipartisan Clean Energy Win By: Robert Buluma In a political climate where clean energy funding is under siege, geothermal is emerging as the unexpected survivor. Just days ago, the U.S. Department of Energy greenlit an $8.6 million grant to expand the nation's pioneering utility-led geothermal heating and cooling network in Framingham, Massachusetts. This move, finalized under the Trump administration, signals that geothermal – reliable, efficient, and domestic – might just be the renewable technology that transcends partisan divides. The Framingham Pilot: A Groundbreaking Start Launched in 2024 by Eversource Energy , the Framingham project marked a U.S. first: a utility-owned networked geothermal system serving an entire neighborhood. Spanning residential homes, a school, a firehouse, and low-income housing, the initial phase taps into stable underground temperatures around 55°F via dozens of boreholes drill...

Exclusive interview with Exergy : discover the new Gemini dual-flow radial outflow turbine, the first single-unit ORC solution for 30–60 MW geothermal projects, offering up to 30 % lower costs and 99 % availability. By:  Robert Buluma .   An interview with  Luca Pozzoni -  Deputy CEO | Group CFO - Exergy International and the Exergy Team 1. Can you walk us through the key design innovations in your new Gemini turbine and how it differs from previous models? The major innovation of the Gemini turbine lies in the dual-flow configuration: unlike conventional radial outflow turbines which are equipped with a single bladed overhung rotor disk, the Gemini features a double-side bladed rotor disk mounted in a between-bearing configuration. This enables the efficient processing of significantly larger volumes of fluid, leading to higher power output having basically two radial outflow turbines in a single machine with enhanced operational stability and simplified mainte...

Big Blind: The Geothermal Discovery That Changes Everything By: Robert Buluma Utah startup  Zanskar Geothermal quietly dropped one of the most important announcements in American energy in decades. They discovered and confirmed “Big Blind” ,the first completely blind, commercial-grade geothermal system found in the United States in over thirty years. Let that sink in. No hot springs.   No fumaroles.   No steaming ground.   No prior wells.   Zero surface expression whatsoever. Just desert, sagebrush, and – 7,000 feet below,  a reservoir hot enough and permeable enough to support gigawatt-scale power production. This isn’t incremental progress. This is a paradigm breaker. Why “Blind” Discoveries Matter So Much For the last 40 years, geothermal development in the U.S. has been geographically handcuffed. You could only build plants where nature advertised the resource on the surface – think Yellowstone, The Geysers, or Imperial Valley. Ever...

Alberta launches $35-million challenge to reinvent drilling for the next 50 years   By  Robert Buluma | December 3, 2025   EDMONTON – The days of drilling straight down and hoping for the best are long gone. Today, operators in Western Canada routinely steer multi-kilometre horizontal wells with pinpoint accuracy from a single surface location. Tomorrow’s wells, however, could be guided entirely by artificial intelligence, powered by low-emission rigs, and used to unlock everything from geothermal heat to critical minerals and permanent CO₂ storage. That future just got a $35-million boost. Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA ) officially opened applications this week for the Drilling Technology Challenge, a funding program designed to bridge the “valley of death” that too often kills promising subsurface innovations before they ever reach the field. “Many great ideas never make it past the prototype stage because the cost and risk of real-world testing are simply...

Iceland's Geothermal Renaissance: Government Bets Big on Low-Enthalpy and Innovative Uses By: Robert Buluma Iceland has long been the poster child for geothermal energy. With legendary high-temperature fields powering everything from the famous Blue Lagoon to nearly 100% of the country’s electricity and district heating, most people assumed the geothermal story was already written. Apparently not. In a move that has the global geothermal community buzzing, the Icelandic government has just announced a massive ISK 600 million (roughly €4 million / $4.4 million USD) grant program specifically designed to kick-start innovative geothermal projects, with the state covering up to one-third of total project costs. What makes this announcement truly exciting isn’t the money itself (Iceland has funded geothermal before), but the deliberate shift in focus: low-enthalpy resources and non-traditional applications. Why This Matters  The Low-Enthalpy Revolution For decades, Iceland’s geothermal ...

DeepStor : Turning a Former Oil Field into a Giant Underground Heat Battery at KIT Campus North Published by  Robert Buluma : | November 2025 Imagine storing the surplus summer heat deep underground and bringing it back up in winter to warm an entire research campus  without burning any gas or emitting CO₂. That is exactly what the DeepStor research infrastructure at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Campus North is setting out to prove.  From black gold to green heat The Upper Rhine Graben, one of Europe’s classic oil provinces, still hides dozens of depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs beneath its surface. Instead of abandoning them, the DeepStor team wants to repurpose one of these former oil fields as a high-temperature seasonal heat storage  essentially a gigantic geothermal battery. Hot water (up to 130–150 °C) would be injected in summer when solar thermal collectors, waste heat from industry or even waste incineration plants produce more heat than needed. ...

First Gen and Unilever Philippines Renew Renewable Energy Partnership By:  Robert Buluma In a strong move toward sustainability, First Gen Corporation will continue to supply 10 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy (RE) to seven of Unilever Philippines’ facilities. This renewed partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to operational efficiency and environmental responsibility. The agreement covers Unilever’s production and distribution sites across Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas . These facilities manufacture a wide array of products, from ice cream, sauces, and seasonings to beauty, personal care, and home care items. First Gen will source the power from the geothermal plants of its subsidiary, Energy Development Corp. (EDC) , located in Bicol, Tongonan in Leyte, and Palinpinon in Negros Oriental . “Since 2017, First Gen has been our partner in helping us reduce the carbon footprint of our manufacturing operations with a steady supply of renewable en...

Scotland’s First Deep Geothermal Heating Plant: NHS Grampian and TownRock Energy Explore Renewable Future By:  Robert Buluma Scotland is taking a significant step toward renewable energy with the potential construction of its first deep geothermal heating plant in Aberdeen. A recent Scottish Government-funded feasibility study, conducted by TownRock Energy in partnership with NHS Grampian , has revealed the immense potential of harnessing geothermal energy beneath the city. This groundbreaking initiative could transform heating systems, reduce carbon emissions, and support the local community in tackling rising energy costs. Feasibility Study Highlights Geothermal Potential The desk-based study, completed by TownRock Energy, examined three different geothermal technologies for the Foresterhill Health Campus . The study concluded that an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) , reaching depths of 3.5km to 5km, would provide the most efficient and reliable source of renewable heat. ...

Marriott Drilling to Support Tenerife’s First Deep Geothermal Wells with SGI Collaboration By: Robert Buluma Marriott Drilling Group has been awarded a borehole rig services contract by Soluciones Geotérmicas Integradas (SGI) to deliver Tenerife’s first deep geothermal wells. This landmark project marks a significant step toward unlocking the Canary Islands’ untapped renewable energy potential. SGI, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and a wholly owned subsidiary of TAQA (Industrialization & Energy Services Company) , is leading Tenerife’s first deep geothermal exploration campaign. Marriott Drilling has been commissioned as the sole drilling contractor to provide high-performance geothermal borehole services, supporting the island’s transition to cleaner energy. The project, set to begin in 2025 , is commissioned by Energía Geotérmica de Canarias (EGC) —a consortium comprising Reykjavik Geothermal , DISA , ITER , and Involcan . The campaign aims to evaluate geothermal electricity...

Deutsche Erdwärme Starts Long-Term Geothermal Test in Graben-Neudorf By:  Robert Buluma After months of inactivity, the geothermal project in Graben-Neudorf (Karlsruhe district) is springing back to life. Deutsche Erdwärme has initiated a long-term test to evaluate the productivity of its 3,600-meter-deep borehole. The test, expected to run for two to three weeks, is seen as a critical step in determining the feasibility of large-scale geothermal energy production at the site. The central question: Is the geothermal well as productive as Deutsche Erdwärme anticipates? According to reports by SWR, water will be pumped into the underground reservoir, followed by seismological measurements and pressure tests. These activities aim to determine the operational conditions required for safely running a future geothermal plant. Herbert Pohl, CEO of Deutsche Erdwärme, noted that such a long-term test is unprecedented in Germany and in the Upper Rhine Valley. While geothermal exploration...

⚡ Quaise Energy’s Groundbreaking Demo: Drilling with Pure Energy — A Revolution Rooted in MIT Posted by  Robert Buluma — November 2025 In the heart of Marble Falls, Texas, the earth trembled not from an explosion, but from innovation. Quaise Energy — a bold spinout from the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI ) — has just proven the impossible : drilling through granite using pure energy , not physical bits. This September, the company hosted the first of several live public demonstrations of its millimeter-wave drilling system — a technological leap that could redefine the future of geothermal energy. 🔥 The Birth of a Drilling Revolution Quaise’s CEO Carlos Araque calls it “the first drilling innovation in 100 years.” He believes this breakthrough can unlock clean, renewable geothermal power on a scale rivaling fossil fuels . And that’s not hyperbole. With early funding and research support from MITEI , Quaise is turning decades of plasma and fusion science into the key tha...