EIG’s First Geothermal Bet Signals a New Phase for EGS Financing Image : Thematic image of a geothermal plant EIG Geothermal Catalyst Partners’ inaugural investment in Power Planet is a meaningful signal for the geothermal sector because it links development capital with a project that already has infrastructure, interconnection capacity, and subsurface data on its side . For an industry that often struggles to move from concept to bankable execution, that combination can shorten timelines and reduce risk. Why This Deal Matters The core story is not just that EIG made its first investment; it is that the fund is targeting the middle of the geothermal value chain, where projects need capital to clear technical and commercial hurdles . That matters because enhanced geothermal system, or EGS, projects can be highly promising but capital-intensive, especially before they reach a stage where traditional infrastructure investors feel comfortable stepping in . Power Planet’s Star Peak proje...
Oil Giant Goes Deep for Clean Heat: Occidental Drills 4 Miles Underground in Colorado – Fastest Superduper Geothermal Well Yet
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...