ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

Borinquen I: Costa Rica’s Geothermal Revival Takes Concrete Form By : Robert Buluma ICE Awards $100 Million Electromechanical Contract as Project Exceeds 55% Completion On June 4, 2026, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) awarded a contract for the design, supply, supervision, testing, and commissioning of electromechanical generation equipment for the Borinquen I Geothermal Project. The transaction is valued at approximately $100 million. The award marks a definitive turning point for a project that spent years in institutional limbo. The Contract Scope The electromechanical equipment package encompasses three core components: The generating unit – driven by volcanic steam Associated systems and equipment The cooling tower ICE will formalize the contract in the second half of 2026. Construction of the machine house is scheduled to begin in July 2027. This is not a speculative timeline. The contract award is complete. The sequencing is now fixed. Project Status: Beyond Ha...

Beyond Electricity: Iceland's Masterclass in People-Centered Geothermal Direct Use By: Robert Buluma   When most people hear "geothermal energy," they think of power plants, steam turbines, and electricity generation. But Iceland—the undisputed world leader in geothermal utilization—has spent nearly a century proving that the real magic happens when you stop thinking about megawatts and start thinking about people. While the rest of the world has been fixated on using geothermal resources solely to spin turbines, Iceland has built an entire social and economic fabric around the direct use of geothermal heat. From heating homes and melting street snow to growing tomatoes in the dead of winter and drying fish without fossil fuels, the Icelandic model offers a compelling blueprint for any nation sitting on geothermal potential. The lesson is simple but profound: electricity is just one product. Heat is the real treasure. This article explores how Iceland built resilient, com...

  Geo POWER Act Ignites a New Era for Next-Generation Geothermal Energy in the United States By: Robert Buluma The global energy transition is no longer a distant ambition—it is a rapidly unfolding reality. Across continents, nations are racing to secure reliable, clean, and scalable energy sources capable of sustaining economic growth while addressing climate imperatives. In this high-stakes transformation, geothermal energy—long considered a niche player—is now stepping into the spotlight. And in the United States, a powerful legislative push is accelerating that shift. The recent introduction of the Geothermal Power Opportunity with Expanded Regions (Geo POWER) Act (H.R. 8437) in the U.S. House of Representatives marks a defining moment for the future of geothermal energy. Championed by Representatives Nick Begich (R-AK) and Susie Lee (D-NV), the bill reflects a growing bipartisan consensus: geothermal energy—particularly next-generation systems—must play a central role in Amer...