Mazama Energy Awarded Grant by U.S. Department of Energy for Superhot Rock Geothermal Demonstration Project

By: Mazama Energy, Inc. via Business Wire

November 21, 2024 at 17:24 PM EST

Mazama Energy, Inc. (Mazama Energy) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to demonstrate a first-of-its-kind superhot rock (SHR) enhanced geothermal system on the western flank of Newberry Volcano in Oregon.

Background of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable energy source produced from harvesting heat from the earth. Conventional geothermal systems can be created in naturally occurring hot water reservoirs. However, geothermal locations which lack naturally occurring reservoirs can be developed through enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), which is a geothermal system created through a man-made reservoir. EGS is the first step in harnessing this renewable energy source that is vastly available but unattainable in many areas. SHR EGS, the next evolution, taps into superhot rocks, which are subsurface geological formations with temperatures exceeding 374° C (705°F). Compared to current conventional and EGS operating at around 200°C, SHR EGS operates at much higher temperatures to generate five to ten times more electrical power resulting in a scalable, renewable energy source with negligible emissions of CO₂.

Superhot Rock Enhanced Geothermal System Demonstration

Mazama Energy began operations for the initial feasibility testing of several technologies in October 2024 in one of the existing geothermal wells at the Newberry Volcano. These operations will continue through the end of February 2025. The SHR EGS Demonstration project, funded by the DOE award, will formally begin in January 2025 in collaboration with three DOE national laboratories: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and two universities: University of Oklahoma and Oregon State University. These operations mark a crucial step in creating the first SHR EGS. For additional information and updates on the preliminary operations schedule and the SHR EGS Demonstration Project, please visit www.mazamaenergy.com.

About Mazama Energy

Mazama Energy is a geothermal operator and development company dedicated to advancing technologies and methods for extracting heat from superhot rocks to generate utility-scale, carbon-free, baseload energy. The company’s capabilities are derived from its founders AltaRock Energy and Blade Energy Partners.