Who Is Really Funding Next-Gen Geothermal in 2026? Next-generation geothermal has moved beyond laboratory research into a capital-intensive commercialization phase. In 2026, the most important financing is no longer coming from one investor category: venture capital funds are financing drilling, subsurface modelling and hardware; strategic energy companies are providing equipment, project access and market credibility; banks are beginning to lend against contracted projects; and governments are absorbing exploration and first-of-a-kind technology risk. The strongest financing activity is concentrated in the United States and Canada, but Europe is becoming increasingly important through Germany-based deployment, European Union grants, UK innovation support, and strategic participation from European energy companies. The central investment question is changing from “Can this technology work?” to “Can the developer deliver repeatable, financeable projects at commercial cost?” The 2026 fun...
Geothermal Energy in Africa: A Continent Poised to Lead a Renewable Revolution By : Robert Buluma Africa, and East Africa in particular, sits on one of the world's most extraordinary geological phenomena: the East African Rift System (EARS). This 6,000-kilometer rift, stretching from the Red Sea down to Mozambique, is not just a source of breathtaking landscapes; it is a vast reservoir of underground steam and heat with the potential to fundamentally reshape the continent's energy future. Geothermal energy is not new to Africa. The world's first geothermal power plant was commissioned in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kiabukwa mine between 1952 and 1960, a 250 kW operation that predates even the famous Wairakei plant in New Zealand. While that pioneer project faded, a revolution is now taking place that could see Africa overtake Europe in geothermal capacity by the end of the decade. The moment is here for Africa to transform its immense geological wealth into a dri...