ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

UK Geothermal Revolution? Fully Funded University of Manchester PhD Targets Hidden Heat Beneath Northwest England By: Robert Buluma   The race to decarbonize heat is rapidly becoming one of the defining energy challenges of the 21st century. While solar and wind power have dominated discussions around clean electricity, another vast and largely untapped resource lies hidden beneath our feet: geothermal energy. Now, a newly announced fully funded PhD project at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Manchester is aiming to unlock the geothermal secrets buried beneath Northwest England. Supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the  UK Energy Futures Consortium , the research could provide critical insights into how geothermal resources can contribute to the United Kingdom's ambitious Net Zero goals. As nations worldwide search for reliable, low-carbon energy sources capable of providing heat around the cl...

Steam and Silence: The Uncertain Fate of Ethiopia’s Geothermal Revolution By : Robert Buluma   Despite sitting on a volcanic rift valley with over 10,000 MW of clean energy potential, Ethiopia produces just 7.3 MW of geothermal power—enough to power a small town, but a fraction of what the nation needs. For a country long dependent on hydropower (which fluctuates with drought) and biomass (which degrades forests), geothermal offers the dream of steady, 24/7 baseload energy. However, as investigations into the flagship Aluto Langano and Tulu Moye projects reveal, the road from geological promise to actual megawatts is fraught with technical failure, financial gridlock, and conflicting narratives. The Ghosts of Aluto Langano The story begins and, in some ways, remains stuck at Aluto Langano. Developed by the former EEPCO (now Ethiopian Electric Power/EEP), this site is a textbook case of high potential meeting harsh reality. The resource itself is world-class. Data confirms a high-te...

T5 Smackover Partners and Glencore Deal: A Turning Point for Geothermal Lithium in East Texas By: Robert Buluma  When Geothermal Stops Being Just Energy A quiet but powerful shift is unfolding in the global energy landscape. For decades, geothermal energy has been discussed almost exclusively as a clean electricity source. But in 2026, that definition is rapidly expanding. The latest signal comes from East Texas, where T5 Smackover Partners has signed a binding offtake agreement with global commodities giant Glencore for lithium carbonate production from the Smackover Formation. On the surface, it looks like another lithium deal in a crowded critical minerals market. But underneath, it represents something far more significant: the merging of geothermal energy systems with large-scale mineral extraction, particularly lithium, at an industrial scale. This is not just about batteries. It is about energy systems becoming mineral systems—and mineral systems becoming energy syst...

Unlocking Indonesia’s Geothermal Future: Inside the AFD Call for Technical Advisory Services By: Robert Buluma  Image:  This is the Salak Geothermal Power Plant located in West Java, Indonesia, operated by Star Energy Geothermal. Indonesia sits at the center of the global geothermal map. Despite holding the world’s largest geothermal reserves, only a small portion has been developed. Now, a major opportunity has emerged under the  Agence Française de Développement (AFD) : a call for Geothermal Technical Advisory Services aimed at accelerating project development across the country. This 18-month framework agreement, expected to begin in July 2026 with submissions due by June 26, 2026, is more than a consulting contract. It is a strategic instrument supporting Indonesia’s energy transition under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and a key lever in unlocking the country’s vast geothermal potential. Indonesia’s Geothermal Advantage: A Sleeping Giant of Ener...

The New Language of Geothermal Drilling: What Every Developer Must Know About the IADC Well Classification By Alphaxioms | Geothermal Intelligence For decades, geothermal energy has suffered from a problem that had nothing to do with geology, temperature, or capital. It suffered from a language problem. Developers, drillers, financiers, and policymakers have long struggled to speak the same language when describing geothermal wells — what they are, how complex they are, what they cost to build, and what risks they carry. That problem has quietly persisted in boardrooms, DFI credit committees, and project development offices across the world, slowing financing, distorting risk assessments, and creating a fog of ambiguity that has cost the sector dearly. In February 2025, the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) published its Geothermal Well Classification — Issue 1.0. It is thirty pages long. It is methodical, technically precise, and deceptively significant. For ...

The Geothermal-AI Energy Revolution: How Superhot Rock Could Power the World’s Data Centers By : Robert Buluma   The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is creating an unprecedented demand for electricity, pushing the world's data centers to their limits. To meet this 24/7 power requirement without derailing climate goals, the tech industry is turning to an unlikely source: the boundless heat beneath our feet. A new generation of "superhot rock" geothermal technologies is emerging as a potential solution, combining drilling innovations with the unrelenting computing power of AI itself. ⚡ The AI Energy Challenge: Why Solar and Wind Fall Short The explosive growth of artificial intelligence is creating an unprecedented energy crunch. By 2030, AI infrastructure could consume between 210 and 1,540 TWh annually, equivalent to the entire electricity consumption of some major countries. Hyperscale data centers in the US alone are expected to demand 15-17 GW of new capacity, a ...