All articles tagged with #geothermal
Scientists using seismometers mapped a vast underground magma reservoir beneath Tuscany, Italy—comparable in size to Yellowstone’s magmatic system—yet with no eruptions. The dormant chamber, detected to a depth of 15 kilometers, could inform geothermal development and mineral exploration while raising questions about why it has remained inactive.
Seismic tomography reveals a massive, 8–15 km-deep magma reservoir beneath Tuscany containing more than 5,000 km3 of melt—comparable to Yellowstone’s magma chambers—yet with no eruption history. The system could host supercritical fluids above 500°C, offering insights for geothermal energy and mineral deposits while informing crustal evolution studies.
The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding $171.5 million in a funding opportunity to support next‑generation geothermal field‑scale tests for electricity generation and exploration drilling to validate promising geothermal prospects. The first round will open with two topics focused on enhanced geothermal systems and hydrothermal resource characterization/confirmation. DOE says the effort could unlock large geothermal potential—up to about 300 GW by 2050—and is part of President Trump’s energy agenda; letters of intent are due March 27, 2026, with full applications due April 30, 2026.
The final GOP reconciliation bill, expected to be signed by President Trump, significantly reduces incentives for solar, wind, and clean hydrogen projects, while preserving some benefits for nuclear and geothermal energy through 2033. The bill introduces stricter project timelines and new rules for foreign entities, potentially impacting climate tech startups and the data center sector, with hydrogen credits ending earlier than planned.
The US is recognizing geothermal energy as a significant resource, with New Mexico alone holding an estimated 163 gigawatts of potential, and recent policy moves aim to expand its development, supported by technological advances and interest from data centers and the Department of Defense.
Fervo Energy secured $206 million in funding to develop what will be the world's largest enhanced geothermal power plant in Utah, with initial operations expected in 2024 and expansion in 2028, leveraging advanced drilling technology and significant investment from notable backers like Breakthrough Energy Catalyst.
Fervo Energy successfully drilled a deep, hot geothermal well reaching 15,765 feet and 520°F in just 16 days, setting new performance records and demonstrating the scalability of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). The results support the potential for large-scale, deep geothermal energy deployment beyond the western US, with independent verification indicating significant thermal energy reserves and capacity for over 5 GW of development. This advancement positions geothermal as a key contributor to the US's clean energy future amid rising power demands.
An apartment building in Brooklyn, NY is utilizing geothermal energy by drilling nearly 500 feet below ground to provide air conditioning, taking advantage of the Earth's cooler temperatures. Once completed, it will be one of the largest geothermal residential buildings in the US.