Global Geothermal Power: Policies, Funding, Wells, Strengths, Opportunities and Barriers Geothermal is moving into a broader investment cycle. In 2026, the story is no longer limited to volcanic power plants in a few classic markets; it now includes enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop designs, district heating, superhot rock, lithium from brines and industrial heat. Across the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Iceland, France and Italy, the sector is being shaped by a simple question: who is de-risking the first wells, and who is ready to finance the next ones? United States: the next-generation testbed The United States has the broadest geothermal innovation ecosystem in this group, with a mature conventional base in the West and a fast-growing next-generation pipeline. The main policy signal in 2026 is the Department of Energy’s US$171.5 million funding opportunity for next-generation geothermal field-scale tests, exploration...
Gradient Geothermal Supporting First-in-the-Nation Colorado Initiative to Transform Orphan Oil & Gas Wells into Geothermal and Carbon Storage Assets By: Robert Buluma In a groundbreaking move that bridges the fossil fuel era with a clean energy future, Gradient Geothermal, a Denver-based innovator in geothermal technology, has announced its support for a pioneering technical study led by Colorado's Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO). Announced on March 3, 2026, this initiative marks the first statewide effort of its kind to repurpose orphaned oil and gas wells long considered environmental liabilities—into valuable assets for geothermal energy production and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Orphaned wells are abandoned oil and gas wells with no identifiable owner or operator responsible for plugging them. In Colorado, the ECMC oversees an Orphaned Well Program that identifies, prioritizes, and addresses these sites to pr...