Latest News

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 21st September 2026

Mazama Energy has completed a US$135mn fundraising to help scale the world’s hottest engineered geothermal system, a financing supported by some of the world’s major oil and gas corporations.

Lead Investors included Centaurus Capital and Doerr Capital, with strategic participation from oil majors ConocoPhillips and Shell Ventures, alongside other backers including Gates Frontier and the Jeffrey and Marieke Rothschild Foundation.

Mazama holds the record for the hottest engineered geothermal system (EGS) ever built.

“The breakthrough in superhot geothermal is turning extreme heat into a repeatable, economic power system,” said Sriram Vasantharajan, CEO of Mazama Energy.

In 2025 at Newberry, Oregon, the company created an engineered geothermal system at 629°F (331°C), proving reservoir creation, connectivity and heat recovery.

It is now pushing toward even hotter targets — its second well, Project Athena, reached that same 10,350-foot depth in 15 days during September, about 80% faster than the 2025 well, and is drilling a mile further down toward 750°F (400°C).

“At Newberry, we have demonstrated the critical pieces together: extreme-temperature drilling, reservoir creation and heat harvesting, at temperatures no other engineered geothermal system has achieved,” said Vasantharajan.

“We are now driving that integrated system toward greater speed, efficiency and scale. That is the foundation for commercial superhot power.”

According to Mazama, reaching 750°F (400°C) delivers up to 10 times the power of a conventional 390°F (200°C) well, owing to the much higher energy density of supercritical water and improved reservoir productivity.

This allows the company to deliver projects using 75% less water and drilling 80% fewer wells than conventional geothermal developments.

Mazama said its technology has the potential to significantly improve the viability and permitting prospects of geothermal projects across a wide range of regions, reducing both surface infrastructure requirements and overall project footprint.

“Unlocking superhot rock geothermal requires solving three interconnected challenges: reaching extreme temperatures without compromising the equipment, creating a productive reservoir where none exists naturally, and efficiently extracting heat to generate and sustain power,” a company statement read.

“Mazama has spent the last several years developing these capabilities into a single integrated system, paving the way toward delivering carbon-free, baseload power competitive with fossil fuels.”

The new financing will fund Project Ceres, supported by the US Department of Energy, to advance horizontal well development in superhot rock toward a 15 MWe of capacity per well and demonstrate power generation in 2027.

Athena and Ceres are the near-term ‘proof points’ for a much larger ambition, the statement added.

“Mazama is targeting independent certification of more than 10 GWe of resource potential at Newberry alone, while evaluating additional sites in the United States and internationally as it builds toward multi-gigawatt-scale developments,” it noted.

“Mazama’s goal is to make superhot rock geothermal a scalable source of firm power to address rising electricity demand, affordability and energy security around the world.”

A quote from ConocoPhillips was also included in the Mazama statement: “We are pleased to support Mazama as it advances a differentiated pathway to commercial scale ultra-high-temperature geothermal based on demonstrated field performance.”

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 17th September 2026

The Bureau of Land Management is offering opportunities for reliable energy development with a competitive geothermal lease sale on 27 October, 2026, across 40,000 acres in California.

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 15th September 2026

Hexagon Energy has announced a strategic agreement with Weyerhaeuser Company for the development of geothermal projects in Washington and Oregon.

The projects will focus on large areas of land held by Weyerhaeuser, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands and a leading manufacturer of wood products in North America.

Hexagon Energy has leased the geothermal rights on approximately 145,000 acres across the two north-western states.

Once operational, this portfolio could bring over 3 GW of carbon-free power online, Hexagon Energy said in a statement.

“Geothermal energy represents an emerging opportunity to provide clean and reliable, around-the-clock power, and our ownership presents a unique platform to evaluate that potential in the Pacific Northwest,” said Kendall Fountain, Vice President, Energy and Natural Resources at Weyerhaeuser.

He said Weyerhaeuser's commitment to responsible land stewardship, including recreation, conservation, economic development, and different forms of renewable energy, aligns well with the development of geothermal power.

“This agreement supports the continued growth of our Climate Solutions business while aligning with our commitment to responsible land stewardship, sustainability and long-term value creation.”

The collaboration comes at a time when demand for geothermal energy is rapidly increasing, driven by a rising demand for baseload, carbon-free power, added Matthew Hantzmon, Chief Executive Officer of Hexagon Energy.

"We are excited to partner with Weyerhaeuser to develop this significant geothermal resource and bring abundant, clean, baseload energy to the Pacific Northwest,” said Hantzmon.

“Our team is grateful that Weyerhaeuser entrusted us to unlock this valuable asset for them.”

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 11th September 2026

Geothermal energy company, Dig Energy, has broken ground and completed its first paid commercial installation: geothermal heating and cooling at Sulfolk’s 100MAG, and AI and innovation hub in Boston.

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 11th September 2026

The US Department of Energy’s Office of Geothermal has announced a US$300,000 Geologic Enhanced Mapping System (GEMS) Prize to help identify hidden geothermal systems in a big to prioritise efforts to accurate the ongoing geological mapping of the US.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 9th September 2026

Irish MEP Seán Kelly says Ireland must stop talking about its geothermal potential and start delivering projects, arguing that implementation of the country’s geothermal policy has already taken too long.

A keynote speaker at the European Geothermal District Heating & Cooling Conference held in Dublin this month, he highlighted the geopolitical pressures and broad industry context that had heightened the urgency for geothermal energy.

“More than 90% of Irish heat demand was still being met by fossil fuels in 2024, with renewables accounting for only 7.9% of heat consumption,” he said.

“We are very exposed and vulnerable.”Geothermal energy could provide a solution, he said, referencing the publication of the European Commission’s new Electrification Action Plan, which he described as “one of the most consequential pieces of European energy policy in this Commission’s mandate.”

In his full speech, posted to the website of the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC), Kelly said there is a “great opportunity” for Ireland to learn from the experiences of other European countries to advance its own geothermal sector.

“There are lessons from projects that succeeded and from those that did not, and there is a great opportunity for Ireland to learn from that experience and apply it rapidly at home,” he told the conference.

Kelly also flagged Ireland’s 2023 geothermal policy that has not yet been fully implemented.

“An opportunity is nothing without action,” he said.

“Three years is too long for a policy statement on a valuable indigenous energy resource to be sitting on a shelf awaiting full implementation, particularly when the geopolitical context has changed so dramatically around us.”

Kelly said that every major new public building and significant public-sector heating retrofit should at least be asking the question: has geothermal been properly assessed?

“We need to put in place the required frameworks and supports to get this sector moving.”

Amid lofty ambitions, both from the European Commission and in Dublin, he urged for great action.

“We need to show ambition here and deliver.”

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 8th September 2026

The Nevis geothermal project is moving ahead, with the drill rig that will be used to develop the island’s energy resources undergoing final inspection in Iceland ahead of mobilisation to the Caribbean island.

Iceland Drilling has been tasked with the drilling work after signing a contract with Nevis Electricity Company (Nevlec) back in April this year.

Premier of Nevis and Minister of Energy in the Nevis Island Administration, Mark Brantley, said in late August that the inspection work represents the final major step before the rig is transported to the project site.

“The final pre-condition for mobilisation of the drill rig to Nevis is an inspection of that drill rig, and that inspection is currently underway in Iceland,” he said.

The inspection work is being conducted by Scotia Drilling Consultants, a UK-based company, and is focused on the rig’s structural, mechanical, operational and safety systems.

Brantley said completion of the inspection will clear the way for the next stage of the project.

“Once this drill rig inspection is completed, then it would mean that we have now done all that is necessary in order to move this to the next phase, which is the actual mobilisation of the rig to the island of Nevis.”

Mobilisation of the rig and other heavy equipment is expected to take place throughout September and October, with work on the first well scheduled to begin by the end of the year.

The 272-metric-tonne Drillmec HH-300 ‘Týr’ rig is expected to drill five geothermal wells at the Hamilton geothermal site.

Technical work is also underway in Nevis at the project site to prepare for the arrival of the rig and the commencement of drilling.

“Civil works for the well pad will be done by a company called COWI and that too is a company from Iceland and that company will be supervised by Iceland Drilling,” said Brantley.

The development of the geothermal wells is a critical component of a wider project which is intended to harness Nevis’ indigenous geothermal resource for electricity generation.

The planned 30-megawatt power plant would use the geothermal resource to generate clean, renewable electricity, reducing Nevis and St. Kitts’ dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthening the Federation’s energy security.

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 4th September 2026

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the Geothermal Centre of Excellence (Geothermal CoE) as part of broader efforts to fast-track the sector’s development.

Its goal, the DOE said in a statement, is to help connect industry to the national laboratories, drive innovation in geothermal technologies, enhance inter-laboratory collaboration and expand geothermal deployment throughout the country.

The new centre was unveiled on 3rd September, 2026 by DOE Under Secretary Kyle Haustveit, alongside leadership from DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO), the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

It will be located on NLR’s campus in Golden, Colorado, and operate under the oversight and direction of HGEO, NLR and NETL.

At the launch event, DOE leadership emphasised the importance of the CoE in achieving its goal to accelerate the discovery and development of gigawatt-scale geothermal energy and position geothermal as a competitive domestic source for reliable baseload electricity generation.

HGEO’s Office of Geothermal also discussed current office research, development and demonstration, highlighting how the CoE and its collaborations will augment and build on the Office’s initiatives.

“The United States leads the world in geothermal electricity-generating capacity at just over 4 gigawatts (GW) — however, the nation is tapping only a fraction of its total potential,” a DOE statement noted.

DOE-funded analysis indicates the possibility of significantly more geothermal power, as much as 300 GW or more with technology and policy advances.

It added that cost-competitive geothermal would offer a much-needed source of firm, flexible electricity across the country.

“Expanding domestic generation is a crucial part of President Trump’s agenda and the Secretary’s mandate to advance energy addition and restore American energy dominance,” it noted.

“Adding affordable, reliable energy like that from geothermal is also crucial to support human possibility throughout the world and meet the needs of data centres, industry and communities.”

It said that the Geothermal CoE will help realise DOE’s goals to expand geothermal power by driving innovation and serving as industry’s main entry point to the national laboratories and their range of technical and analytical expertise.

An industry advisory board will provide objective insight into industry-relevant geothermal research needs, accelerate industry-lab partnerships, and advise on the centre’s priorities.

The DOE also highlighted the increasing overlap with the nation’s oil and gas industry.

“Techniques from oil and gas as well as new innovations are helping the United States tap into more of its vast heat resources. At the same time, technical challenges remain to fully realise geothermal’s potential,” the statement noted.

“Geothermal environments are hotter and harsher than oil and gas, so new components and tools are needed for geothermal. In addition, the geothermal industry currently drills a relatively small number of wells per year, and there’s a dearth of data about how enhanced geothermal systems perform over time.

“Research and data are important to de-risk technologies, help projects gain access to capital, and help offtakers and utilities better understand how to integrate geothermal energy."

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 4th September 2026

As the energy transition advances, demand is growing for critical minerals such as lithium, a key element for electric vehicles and energy storage-battery applications.
The UK government has set a target of meeting 10% of the UK’s critical mineral demands from domestic production by 2035, including at least 50,000 tons of lithium carbonate.

Significant development

A significant development towards meeting this target has come with the announcement from Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL), a leading geothermal developer in the UK, that its lithium carbonate produced from deep geothermal brine now exceeds the 99.3% purity specification and can be classified as ‘technical grade’ material. This means that it meets the purity requirements for battery producers without the need for further refining. Technical Grade lithium carbonate is traded internationally, including through markets such as the Shanghai Metals Market, and GEL hopes to become a leader in Europe’s emerging lithium industry. Its plant has a production capacity of 100 tonnes of lithium carbononate per annum.

GEL’s United Downs deep geothermal project is the first geothermal power plant in the UK, and is funded by a mixture of public and private funds. The aim of the project is to produce power and heat from the hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall at the United Downs Industrial Site near Redruth, Cornwall. The site contains the hottest and deepest onshore well in the UK, measuring a total depth of 5,057m. GEL has discovered high concentrations of lithium in the geothermal waters at their United Downs site.

Production at the United Downs site is forecasted to hit around 2,000 tonnes per annum by 2029. As other sites are added, the anticipated total production from GEL will increase to 30,000 tonnes per annum by 2033, meeting over 60% of the UK’s lithium target alone.

Step forward

Meeting the internationally recognised purity specification represents a significant step forward for GEL, as it

• demonstrates the company’s ability to produce high-purity lithium carbonate at commercial scale
• brings the UK one step closer to establishing a domestic supply of battery-critical lithium materials
• scores high highly in terms of sustainability, due to combining lithium  production with geothermal electricity production.

Dr Ryan Law, CEO of GEL, said, “Producing lithium carbonate that exceeds the purity specification for Technical Grade material is a major milestone for GEL and an important validation of our technology. We are demonstrating that it is possible to produce a high-quality, saleable lithium product in the UK with the highest environmental standards, creating the potential for a more secure and sustainable domestic supply of this critical battery material. This achievement marks an important step in our journey from pioneering technological development to large scale production.”

Julian Hetherington MBE, director of Automotive Transformation at the APC, delivering the UK government’s Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification programme, DRIVE35, said, “United Downs shows the huge opportunity the UK has to build a domestic supply of lithium carbonate in a sustainable way. It will strengthen the UK’s critical minerals supply chain and reindustrialise the country. DRIVE 35 is proud to have supported the project with a £1.8 million grant through our Automotive Transformation Fund, to help reach this important milestone.”

• Region: North America
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 4th September 2026

The global pioneer of next-generation geothermal energy, Fervo Energy, has announced a 396MW power purchase agreement with Google for the continued development of the Cape Station EGS GeoCluster, which is expected to come online in 2028.

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 3rd September 2026

A subsidiary of the TÜV NORD GROUP, DMT, has begun a 3D seismic survey on behalf of Stadtwerke München to investigate the deep subsurface, with the collected data aiming to provide a three-dimensional image of the area to form the geological basis for further development of deep geothermal energy in Munich. 

• Region: Europe
• Topics: Geothermal
• Date: 3rd September 2026

Research consultancy Ecorys has outlined its work on a new European Union (EU) study which maps geothermal energy regulation, permitting and financing across member states.

It work played a part informing the European Commission’s Geothermal Action Plan as part of the Heating and Cooling Strategy.

The Ecorys study examined geothermal regulation, permitting, data availability and financing across the EU, with insights from Iceland, Turkey, Canada and the USA.“Geothermal energy is one of Europe’s most underused renewable resources, offering stable, low-carbon heating, cooling and power generation — yet fragmented regulation, permitting and financing across member states continue to hold back deployment,” the consultancy posted in an update on its website.

The work also charts the long history of geothermal energy in Europe, from the 14th-century district heating system in Chaudes-Aigues, France, to the world’s first geothermal power plant in Larderello, Italy, operating since 1913.

“Despite this legacy, geothermal still contributes only around 0.2% of EU electricity and 0.7% of heat supply today, even though geological assessments point to far greater untapped potential, including over 300 TWh per year of heat production potential in Germany alone,” the consultancy added.

Realising this potential, it noted, depends on overcoming the regulatory, permitting and financing barriers that vary widely across member states.

Key findings from its work include:

• Geothermal regulation is highly fragmented across the EU, with significant differences in legal frameworks, governance structures, and permitting requirements between member states.

• Permitting is a major barrier, particularly for deep geothermal projects, due to lengthy, complex, multi-authority processes, limited administrative expertise, and inconsistent application of environmental assessments.

• Data availability and accessibility remain uneven, with fragmented standards, confidentiality restrictions, and limited administrative capacity increasing exploration risk and investment uncertainty.

• Financial support is scarce, especially for deep geothermal projects, where dedicated risk-sharing mechanisms for exploration and drilling risks are still rare.

• Ownership structures differ by depth and application. Shallow geothermal systems are typically privately financed by building owners, while deep geothermal heat projects are more often structured as municipal initiatives or public–private partnerships.

• Demand-side challenges constrain investment, including dependence on district heating networks and difficulties securing a stable customer base during project development.

• Projects anchored by one or a few large off-takers (for example, agricultural or industrial) or combined with other revenue streams such as lithium or mineral extraction, are better positioned to overcome this demand risk.

• Key best practices include streamlined and differentiated permitting, and centralised digital information tools such as geothermal portals, permitting maps, and zoning systems.