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DOE Launches Geothermal Center of Excellence to Accelerate U.S. Deployment

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
DOE launches Geothermal Center of Excellence to push U.S. geothermal toward gigawatt scale The U.S. Department of Energy has launched a new Geothermal Center of Excellence in Golden, Colorado, with a clear mandate: connect industry with the national labs, accelerate geothermal innovation, and help move the technology toward gigawatt-scale deployment. The center is part of DOE’s effort to position geothermal as a more competitive source of reliable baseload electricity in the United States.  The announcement matters because it comes at a time when geothermal is gaining fresh attention from policymakers, developers, and power buyers, especially as data centers and industrial users look for firm clean electricity. DOE says the U.S. already leads the world in geothermal electricity capacity at just over 4 GW, but that current output represents only a fraction of the country’s technical potential. [1] Why DOE created it DOE says the new center is designed to become industry’s main entry...
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Oil and Gas Giants Pivot to Geothermal: Investments, Drilling Expertise, Enhanced Systems, Repurposing Wells

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Oil and Gas Companies Entering the Geothermal Energy Industry Oil and gas companies are becoming increasingly active in geothermal energy. Their involvement includes direct project development, investment in geothermal startups, drilling and well services, engineering, equipment manufacturing, subsurface studies, geothermal heating, and the conversion of abandoned or nonproductive oil and gas wells. At least 80 oil and gas companies have some form of participation in the geothermal sector. When major oil companies, national oil companies, oilfield-service providers, drilling contractors, engineering firms, geoscience companies, equipment manufacturers, investors, and technology startups are included, the number can reasonably exceed 100. This shift is one of the most important developments in the modern geothermal industry. Oil and gas companies already possess many of the skills required to develop geothermal resources, including geological interpretation, seismic imaging, reservoir m...
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Neptune Energy’s Altmark Lithium Pilot Phase II Advances Adsorption-Based DLE for European Battery Supply

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Neptune Energy launches Pilot Phase II for lithium extraction in the Altmark: paving the way for European battery supply Neptune Energy has begun the second pilot phase of its Altmark Lithium Extraction Project (ALE). After a broad evaluation of  Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technologies in pilot phase I, the company is now focusing on an adsorption process and testing various adsorbent materials together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies (IEG). The project aims to recover lithium from thermal deep groundwater in northern Saxony-Anhalt economically and with environmental safeguards , a step toward regional supply chains for battery raw materials in Europe. Project status and technical objectives A project-related resource of around 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) has been identified in the Altmark. The lithium is dissolved in thermal water at depths between approximately 3,000 and 4,000 metres. Neptune Energy...
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Chevron Seeks Buyer for Lampung Geothermal Project Stake in Indonesia

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Chevron seeks buyer for Lampung geothermal stake Chevron is reportedly looking for a buyer for its stake in the Lampung geothermal project, a move that could reshape one of Indonesia’s more closely watched geothermal developments. The asset is tied to PT Cahaya Anagata Energy, the joint venture formed by Chevron and Pertamina Geothermal Energy to develop the Way Ratai geothermal working area in Lampung. That headline matters because Lampung is not just another exploration block. It sits inside Indonesia’s wider push to expand geothermal power, one of the country’s most important clean-energy resources, while also reflecting Chevron’s long-running pattern of portfolio rotation in the geothermal sector. Why the Lampung asset matters The project in question is the Way Ratai geothermal working area in Lampung, where Chevron and Pertamina Geothermal Energy agreed to cooperate through a new local entity. Pertamina Geothermal Energy’s project page identifies the site as Wai Ratai, reinforci...
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Wippolderlaan Geothermal Project Confirms 85 Degrees After Well Test

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Wippolderlaan Geothermal Project Confirms 85 Degrees in Deep Reservoir Aardwarmte Wippolderlaan has completed drilling and testing its two geothermal wells, and the results are encouraging: the reservoir temperature reached 85 degrees at about 2,200 meters deep, confirming the project’s subsurface expectations and moving the scheme into its next development phase. The well test also showed that the reservoir’s geological quality is good, while the project now shifts toward surface-plant construction and eventual heat delivery by mid-2028. Test phase delivers positive results The latest milestone for Aardwarmte Wippolderlaan was a full well test designed to assess how the geothermal source performs under real conditions. The wells were extensively tested after drilling, and the measured temperature of 85 degrees at reservoir depth aligned with the project team’s expectations. This matters because geothermal projects depend not only on reaching hot water, but also on confirming that the ...
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Chiyoda and Sage Geosystems Advance Next-Generation Geothermal Power

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Chiyoda and Sage Geosystems Advance Next-Generation Geothermal Chiyoda Corporation and Sage Geosystems have signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct a technical and commercial feasibility study for high-pressure surface facilities tied to Sage’s proprietary enhanced geothermal systems approach. The announcement is an important step for next-generation geothermal because it focuses on the infrastructure needed to turn deep subsurface energy into reliable commercial power. The study is not a full build decision, but it is the kind of engineering work that usually comes before one. It will help determine whether Sage’s pressure-based geothermal concept can be translated into a scalable, bankable power-generation system. What the partnership covers The collaboration centers on the surface equipment required to handle high-temperature, high-pressure fluid produced from wells. Sage will provide key operating inputs, including wellhead pressure, temperature conditions, fluid proper...
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Texas GLO Geothermal Energy Development Opportunities for Renewable Power

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
  Texas GLO Seeks Geothermal Development Input as Texas Opens New Frontier for Geothermal Energy Image : This image appears to show a pilot geothermal energy production facility retrofitted onto an existing oil and gas well site, utilizing Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology to generate clean electricity from subsurface heat Texas is already one of the world's most important energy markets, but a new initiative from the Texas General Land Office (GLO) could help establish another major chapter in the state's energy story: geothermal energy . On August 28, 2026, the Texas General Land Office issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking industry feedback on geothermal exploration and development opportunities on GLO-owned surface lands. Responses are due by December 10, 2026 . The RFI is more than a request for technical comments. It represents an early signal that Texas is evaluating how its public lands could participate in the emerging geothermal economy. By seeking i...
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UPLIFT Project: Advancing Safe Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Europe

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
UPLIFT Project: Advancing Safe and Efficient Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Europe Image:The UPLIFT consortium at the project kick-off meeting in Potsdam, Germany, 8–9 June 2026. Europe has launched a new research initiative focused on unlocking heat from deep, hot, and low-permeability rocks. Known as UPLIFT“Unlocking Petrothermal Lithologies through Innovative Fracture Technologies”—the four-year Horizon Europe project will develop and demonstrate safer, more efficient, and more socially acceptable  Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). Running from May 2026 to April 2030, UPLIFT will conduct a field-scale demonstration at the RINGEN geothermal research site in Litoměřice, Czechia. The project brings together eight partners from five European countries to address some of the most difficult challenges facing deep geothermal energy, including high drilling costs, low reservoir productivity, induced seismicity, stimulation efficiency, and public acceptance.  The project could beco...
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Oil and Gas Giants Pivot to Geothermal: Investments, Drilling Expertise, Enhanced Systems, Repurposing Wells

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Oil and Gas Companies Entering the Geothermal Energy Industry Oil and gas companies are becoming increasingly active in geothermal energy. Their involvement includes direct project development, investment in geothermal startups, drilling and well services, engineering, equipment manufacturing, subsurface studies, geothermal heating, and the conversion of abandoned or nonproductive oil and gas wells. At least 80 oil and gas companies have some form of participation in the geothermal sector. When major oil companies, national oil companies, oilfield-service providers, drilling contractors, engineering firms, geoscience companies, equipment manufacturers, investors, and technology startups are included, the number can reasonably exceed 100. This shift is one of the most important developments in the modern geothermal industry. Oil and gas companies already possess many of the skills required to develop geothermal resources, including geological interpretation, seismic imaging, reservoir m...
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OGDCL, Pinstech join hands to unlock Pakistan’s lithium potential from geothermal brines

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
A strategic milestone for Pakistan’s critical minerals strategy Image : A Thematic image of a Geothermal Project  Pakistan’s Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has confirmed a high‑grade lithium occurrence in geothermal brine from the Wahid Bakhsh well in Khairpur, Sindh , and moved quickly to partner with the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (Pinstech) to develop indigenous extraction technology.  The discovery, reporting 275 mg/L lithium in produced formation water, sits well above the commonly cited 90 mg/L commercial threshold used internationally for geothermal brine projects. This article examines the technical significance, commercial pathways, environmental advantages, risks and next steps for investors and industrial stakeholders. Why this discovery matters Strategic mineral importance: Lithium is central to lithium‑ion batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs), grid storage, consumer electronics and numerous industrial applicatio...
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Burghausen geothermal district heating: €27M investment drives municipal climate-neutral heat transition and resilience

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Burghausen Approves Geothermal District Heating: A €27 Million Bet on Climate-Neutral Urban Heat The town of Burghausen has taken a decisive step toward a low-carbon heating future. On 6 August 2026 the supervisory board and shareholder meeting of Energieversorgung Burghausen GmbH (EBG) — jointly owned by the city of Burghausen and Energie Südbayern (ESB) — unanimously approved the implementation of a geothermal district heating project. With an investment envelope of roughly €27 million and plans for heat transport over approximately 10 kilometres from the Naturwärme Kirchweidach-Halsbach production site, the project aims to deliver climate-neutral heat to local households, public buildings and businesses, and to position Burghausen as a regional model for municipal heat transition. This article explains the technical concept, the economics and financing pathway, expected timeline and benefits, potential risks and mitigation strategies, and the wider policy and market context that mak...
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Idle GDC Drilling Machines Put Sh15bn Investment Into Question

By Robert Buluma Alphaxioms
Idle GDC drilling machines put Sh15bn investment into question Image: A GDC Owned Geothermal Rig Kenya’s geothermal ambitions have long been presented as one of the country’s strongest energy success stories. Yet a fresh audit report has exposed a costly weakness inside the Geothermal Development Company , where drilling rigs worth Sh15.93 billion have raised hard questions about value for money, asset management, and the future pace of geothermal expansion. The issue is not simply that machines are sitting idle. It is that these machines were bought for a strategic purpose: to drill wells, unlock steam, and help Kenya expand one of its cleanest and most reliable sources of power. When such expensive equipment remains unused for years, the problem goes far beyond maintenance. It points to a breakdown in planning, operations, oversight, and financial discipline. For a country that relies heavily on geothermal energy to stabilise electricity supply, the implications are serious. Every id...
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