ALPHAXIOMS Geothermal News & Energy Research

Stadtwerke Weimar granted exploration permit for deep geothermal near Weimar — what it means for decarbonising district heat The Thuringian environmental authority, Thüringer Landesamt für Umwelt, Bergbau und Naturschutz (TLUBN), has granted Stadtwerke Weimar GmbH an exclusive permit to search for deep geothermal resources in a roughly 495-square-kilometre licence area centred on Weimar. The permit covers exploration from a depth of 400 metres downward and includes rights to investigate other energy resources that might surface in the process. It is valid until June 2031 and requires regular reporting to the TLUBN; further investigations such as seismic surveys or test drilling will need separate approvals and renewed stakeholder participation. This decision marks a strategic move by the municipal utility as it evaluates options to make Weimar’s district heating system climate neutral. The permission to explore does not commit Stadtwerke Weimar to build a geothermal project; rather it ...

Dublin’s seismic survey will map deep underground geology to assess geothermal potential, reduce uncertainty, and support future clean, local energy development Dublin is about to become a live laboratory for one of the clean energy questions of the decade: can the heat stored deep beneath the city help warm homes, offices, schools, and hospitals? The answer is not known yet, but the Dublin Seismic Survey is designed to find out by mapping the geology 2 to 3 kilometres underground with a safe, non-invasive method that has already been used successfully in other European cities . A city listening underground At street level, the survey may look deceptively simple: a specialist truck pauses at intervals, presses a vibration plate to the road, and sends controlled energy into the ground. That energy bounces off different rock layers and structures, then returns to sensors along the route, where it is recorded and processed into images of the subsurface . The process is built around precis...

The New Energy Frontier: Quaise Energy’s Superhot Geothermal Gambit in Oregon By Alphaxioms Editorial Team | September 4, 2026 In the high desert of Central Oregon, a project with implications far beyond Deschutes County is taking shape. Quaise Energy, now backed by a total of $280 million in funding, is advancing Project Obsidian, which it describes as the world’s first commercial superhot geothermal power plant . The company says the first phase is designed to deliver 50 MW by 2030, with a pathway toward 250 MW and ultimately more than 1 GW . Before the first megawatt reaches the grid, however, the project faces a local policy test: whether Deschutes County should grant a five-year property tax abatement under Oregon’s Rural Renewable Energy Development Zone Program. That decision is more than a routine incentive request. It is a referendum on how rural counties choose to support next-generation energy infrastructure and whether older incentive frameworks can accommodate a technolog...

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 en...

GEL’s Technical-Grade Lithium Milestone Could Reshape UK Critical Minerals Supply Geothermal Engineering Ltd’s latest announcement is an important step for the UK’s lithium ambitions. The company says lithium carbonate produced from deep geothermal brine at United Downs now meets the 99.3% purity threshold for technical-grade material, which means it can be sold directly to battery supply chains without further refining.   Why this milestone matters This is significant because it moves geothermal lithium closer to commercial relevance, not just technical proof. A material that already meets market specification is much easier to integrate into downstream battery and industrial supply chains. It also strengthens the case that geothermal brines can support both clean power generation and critical minerals production from the same asset base.   For the UK, the timing is especially relevant. The government has set a target of meeting 10% of domestic critical mineral de...

Mazama Energy’s Athena drilling milestone points to a new phase for superhot rock geothermal Mazama Energy says its Athena well at Newberry, Oregon reached 10,350 feet in 15 drilling days, cutting the drilling time to the same depth by 80% versus its 2025 result. The company says the performance supports a broader case for superhot rock geothermal as a lower-cost, scalable source of firm power.   A faster drilling result Mazama’s update is important because drilling speed is one of the biggest cost drivers in geothermal development. Reaching the same depth in 15 days instead of the much longer 2025 campaign suggests the team is learning quickly and improving operational efficiency. The company also reported instantaneous rates of penetration above 350 feet per hour and sustained rates above 130 feet per hour over extended intervals.   That matters because geothermal economics often hinge on whether drilling can be made predictable, repeatable, and cheaper over time. ...

Fervo and Google sign world’s largest deal for next-gen geothermal power Fervo Energy’s latest agreement with Google is a major milestone for next-generation geothermal and a clear sign that big tech is getting more serious about 24/7 clean power. The deal covers 396 MW from Fervo’s Cape Station project in Utah, with the option for Google to expand its commitment later, potentially pushing the relationship much closer to gigawatt scale.   For the geothermal sector, the significance goes beyond one contract. It is a public validation that enhanced geothermal systems can attract a blue-chip corporate buyer at a size usually associated with utility-scale solar, wind, gas, or nuclear procurement. For Google, it strengthens a strategy centered on securing always-available, carbon-free electricity for future data center growth.   Fervo’s announcement also lands at a moment when electricity demand is rising fast, especially from artificial intelligence infrastructure. Tha...