ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

Repurposing Hydrocarbon Wells for Geothermal Applications Insights from Our Interview with Christi on EGS, Storage, and Europe’s Energy Transition Christi is a Geothermal Resource Engineer and PhD Researcher, specializing in deep geothermal systems, closed-loop systems, well repurposing (especially converting old oil/gas wells for geothermal use), Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), and Deep Borehole Heat Exchangers (DBHE). What if the thousands of oil and gas wells scattered across Europe could become the backbone of the geothermal transition? In our recent interview with Christi, a leading researcher involved in the TRANSGEO project, we explored the technical, economic, and regulatory realities of repurposing hydrocarbon wells for geothermal applications , particularly for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), thermal storage, and district heating integration. From case studies like Groß Schönebeck to regional analysis in Lausitz, Christi offered a grounded and technical perspective o...

KenGen Reconstitutes Its Board of Consultants: Strengthening Kenya’s Geothermal Ambition Toward 1,267 MW by 2041 Kenya’s geothermal ambition is no longer just about drilling deeper wells or adding incremental megawatts. It is about governance, technical precision, and long-term strategic stewardship. In a decisive move, Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has issued an Open International Expression of Interest (EOI) – KGN-GDD-043-2026 to recruit and reconstitute its Board of Consultants. At first glance, it may appear as a standard procurement notice. But in reality, it represents something far more significant: a deliberate strengthening of institutional technical capacity at a time when Kenya’s geothermal trajectory is accelerating. This is not just recruitment. This is structural reinforcement. Kenya’s Geothermal Backbone KenGen is the backbone of Kenya’s power generation landscape. The company produces approximately 73.58% of the country’s installed electricity capa...

Taiwan's Geothermal Breakthrough: Jingneng and Ormat Partner for AI-Powered Baseload Energy By: Robert Buluma Taiwan stands on the edge of an energy transformation, driven by surging demand from artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data centers. In February 2026, Jingneng Energy Services (進能服, stock code 6692) announced a major collaboration with global geothermal leader Ormat Technologies (NYSE: ORA) . This partnership focuses on developing Taiwan's first large-scale geothermal power plant in Jinshan District, New Taipei City. The 12.5MW facility aims to deliver reliable, 24/7 clean energy starting in December 2027, with annual output reaching 100 million kWh—enough to power about 30,000 households. This project addresses critical gaps in Taiwan's renewable mix. While solar and wind have grown rapidly, they remain intermittent. Geothermal offers true baseload power, unaffected by weather or time of day, making it ideal for energy-intensive industries....

€3 Billion Climate Shockwave: How the EU’s ETS2 Frontloading Facility Is Reshaping Buildings and Road Transport By: Robert Buluma   Europe Unlocks €3 Billion to Accelerate Decarbonisation Before ETS2 Launch On 4 February 2026, the European Investment Bank and the European Commission launched a bold financial mechanism  the ETS2 Frontloading Facility making €3 billion available to accelerate decarbonisation in buildings and road transport across the European Union. This funding comes years before the new Emissions Trading System (ETS2) officially begins in 2028. That timing is not accidental it is strategic. The goal: reduce emissions, protect households, and prevent economic shock before carbon pricing expands to homes and vehicles. What Is the ETS2 Frontloading Facility? The ETS2 Frontloading Facility is a pre-financing tool that allows EU Member States to access funding before ETS2 revenues are generated. Instead of waiting for carbon market income, governments can: Inves...

Berlin is on the brink of an underground revolution — and it's heating up fast! 🌍🔥 By: Robert Buluma Deep beneath the streets of the German capital lies a massive, untapped source of clean, reliable heat: deep geothermal energy. Now, Berlin is taking bold steps to unlock this hidden treasure, and the early results are nothing short of exciting. Breakthrough First Scans Reveal Promising Heat Reservoirs Last summer (July 2025), specialized teams rolled out heavy-duty Vibro-Trucks through the districts of Lichtenberg and Marzahn-Hellersdorf. These powerful vehicles sent controlled vibrations deep into the earth — like sending sound waves on a treasure hunt. The echoes bounced back from ancient rock layers thousands of meters below, captured by sensitive geophones spread across the surface. The 2D seismic data that came back? Crystal clear and highly encouraging. Geologists and geophysicists are already spotting strong signals of geothermal-friendly horizons — layers that could hold ...

Unlocking the Heat Beneath Our Feet: Aberdeen's Bold Step Toward Geothermal Energy with City-Wide Seismic Sensors By:  Robert Buluma Aberdeen, long known as Europe's oil and gas capital, is quietly pivoting toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. On February 13, 2026, researchers from the University of Aberdeen announced a groundbreaking milestone in the Aberdeen Geothermal Feasibility Pilot (AGFP): the deployment of a city-wide network of seismic sensors to map the subsurface and assess the potential for geothermal heating. This initiative could transform how Aberdeen heats its homes, public buildings, and institutions, tapping into the natural heat stored in the ancient granite beneath the city. What is Geothermal Energy and Why Aberdeen? Geothermal energy harnesses the Earth's internal heat—generated from radioactive decay and residual heat from the planet's formation—for practical uses like district heating. Unlike solar or wind, it's available 24/7, providi...

Unleashing Earth's Inferno: The HOT ROCK Act and the Dawn of Superhot Geothermal Energy Posted by Alphaxioms Geothermal News    Nairobi, February 15, 2026 By: Robert Buluma Imagine standing on the surface of our planet, completely unaware of the roaring furnace miles beneath your feet, a colossal reservoir of heat, forged in the fires of Earth’s creation, waiting patiently to be harnessed. This is not science fiction. It is the very real promise of superhot rock geothermal energy, a breakthrough technology that could completely redefine how we generate power across the globe. On February 13, 2026, Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and Mark Amodei (R-NV) introduced the HOT ROCK Act , a bold, bipartisan piece of legislation designed to accelerate the development of this next-generation geothermal frontier. For those of us here in Nairobi, watching the steam vents and hot springs of the Great Rift Valley, this news feels especially personal. Africa already leads the world ...