Eavor has the potential to play a major role in solving Germany’s heating difficulties
Described as an under utilized yet nearly endless source of clean baseload energy, the WirtschaftsWoche’s article written by Stefan Hajek describes Eavor’s closed-loop system as the means to break away from niche technology that’s only been used in minimal regions. The article sets the scene at the Geretsried drilling site. Following Fabricio Cesário, project manager of the construction site, insights are given into the intense labour that goes into drilling more than 4500 meters deep into the foothills of the Alps. Penetrating limestone rock, 280 kilometres of horizontal wellbores are connected together to form a massive subsurface heating system. With drilling beginning in August, the two vertical wells could potentially be connected as early as November.
Advanced notice about Chancellor Olaf Scholz learning more about Eavor
On August 24, 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is to learn more about Eavor’s operations, technology, and construction site in Geretsried, Bavaria. He will be joined by Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder, Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger, an assortment of political decision-makers, Canadian government politicians, and other invited guests. Scholz has been expressing great interest in transitioning Germany’s energy landscape in order to distance the country from its reliance on fossil fuels, which was exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Global Cleantech Top 100 has listed Eavor as one of the top global companies that are “fighting the good fight against worldwide carbon emissions
Eavor’s achievements have been recognized by the world-renowned CleanTech Group, and has made the Global Cleantech Top 100 list of 2023. As one of the twelve Canadian companies to make the list, the Government of Canada’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) department has stated in a LinkedIn post that it “backs Eavor’s efforts to make reliable geothermal power more available. The company is helping advance Canada on the path to net zero by 2050.”
Eavor’s Neil Ethier featured on Norton Rose Fulbright’s Currents podcast to discuss Eavor-Loop as disruptive technology
Eavor VP of business development Neil Ethier was featured in an episode of the Currents podcast to discuss Eavor’s innovative and cost-competitive approach to globally scaling clean energy. Ethier was interviewed by host Todd Alexander to introduce Eavor’s approach to extracting energy, what is being done to make Eavor-Loop™ technology more accessible worldwide, and why greater interest is being generated for geothermal than ever before. Eavor-Loop™ technology is gaining more attention as Eavor’s first commercial power plant drills its wellbores. The country has been impacted by the energy crisis sparked by geopolitical tensions, and German municipalities are now more inclined to invest money in clean tech start-ups. While initial investments may be high, the more power plants Eavor distributes, the more likely it is that the cost will come down– much like how it did for wind and solar.
Calgary has been chosen to host World Geothermal Congress 2026
The World Geothermal Congress’ tender committee has chosen Calgary as the host city for the World Geothermal Congress 2026 (WGC2026). Held every three years, the WGC is a global event organized by the International Geothermal Association (IGA). It serves to bring together industry leaders, academic experts, finance professionals, government officials, NGOs, and communities to foster collaboration and devise sustainable solutions for future generations.
Eavor’s and Turboden’s closed-loop technologies move forward in Geretsried
Eavor and Turboden have a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) that allows the companies to optimally couple their technology systems for cost-effective energy distribution. This agreement is an integral part of Eavor’s endeavour to scale its technology and to reduce manufacturing costs. The first stage of the JDA created an integrated Eavor-Loop™ and Turboden ORC techno-economic optimization workflow for baseload power. Last July, Turboden was announced as the supplier for Eavor’s power plant in Geretsried, Bavaria, Germany. This commercial agreement has Turboden building a heat-to-power facility, transforming energy extracted from the Earth into electricity for local energy distribution.
Recent models of Canadian isotherms could map where next-generation geothermal projects are viable in Canada
A collaborative investigation between Clean Air Task Force, geo-data modelling company Seequent, and the University of Twente have mapped depths up to 450°C temperature in Canadian subsurfaces. An in-depth research paper presented at Geoconvention 2023 showed new models about “Earth’s lithosphere and the geodynamic environment thermal anomalies occur.” The intent behind these investigations is to harness a better understanding of where future next-generation geothermal operations could be most promising. According to the abstract, “…geothermal energy has seen an intensification of interest because it may provide cost-competitive, carbon-free, always available renewable energy, while requiring significantly less land than other energy sources. Increased exploration of geothermal resources is occurring along with a boom in technological innovations, with an eye towards exploration of deeper and hotter geothermal resources.”
Why drilling expertise is the bridge between oil and gas and Geoenergy
An opinion piece written by Andrew Howell and Karine Kleinhaus urges oil and gas companies, who have cut back on their reduction ambitions in the last year, to leverage their drilling expertise and expand into Geoenergy. “Large oil and gas operators can also play an important role in Geoenergy development, bringing technological expertise, a skilled workforce, and access to capital. There are signs that the industry is starting to wake up to the opportunity,” said Howell and Kleinhaus. The article highlights that venture capital leaders bp and Chevron have a combined investment of $40 million in Eavor, which is helping to expand a renewable energy source that is “always on” and occupies up to 88 percent less land per KWh than other sources of clean energy.
Geothermal prospects are gaining momentum in Japan: one power plant at a time
To provide clean energy for future generations, CEO and founder of supermarket chain Kobe Bussan, Shoji Numata is building a geothermal power plant on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. The plant is scheduled to be completed within a year, and has potential to provide electricity to approximately 8,000 homes. “It’s a stable power source 24 hours a day, and it has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions among renewable energies,” Numata said in an interview with ABC News Australia. “I am determined to spend all the money I have for the sake of the next generation.”
Studies discover great geothermal potential in Singapore for district cooling opportunities
A site near the Sembawang hot spring in Singapore has recently been discovered to harbour water temperatures of 60°C to 90°C at a depth of 1.1km. This is hotter than water found at similar depths in many European countries. Furthermore, the geological landscape under Singapore contains suitable conditions for rock to retain a substantial amount of heat. This site and the Sembawang hot spring are located in the geological region called the Simpang Granite Pluton, where granite is found. Granite is rich in elements like uranium, thorium, and potassium, making it highly effective in both heat transfer and storage. Singapore’s demand for geothermal extraction from hot rock, for example, can be met with Eavor-Loop™ technology, as it harnesses underground heat through a closed-loop system. Furthermore, the very low land footprint makes these systems exceptionally compatible with high-density populated areas.
Estonian city set to explore earth-based energy for heating
Eavor’s proprietary closed-loop technology will be deployed in an exploratory district heating project in the Estonian city of Narva. Carlos Cariaga, reporter for energy news outlet ThinkGeoEnergy, covered the announcement of an agreement between Geothermal Baltic OÜ and Eesti Energia, otherwise known as Enefit, to develop a next-generation geothermal project using Eavor-Loop™ technology. Published on February 15, Cariaga’s article cites sustainability and energy affordability as major motivating factors driving the project.
Geothermal energy will soon provide direct heating to Salisbury District Hospital in the UK
GT Energy, a UK-based geothermal heat developer, has been selected by the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF), to provide direct heating for the Salisbury District Hospital NHS Trust in Wiltshire, England. According to ThinkGeo, the main objective of this project is to meet the hospital’s complete heat requirements (which currently exceed 20GWhth per year) through a long-term energy supply agreement. Additionally, while the project aims to seek funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) in the future, its progress is not dependent on receiving a grant from the PSDS. GT Energy will undertake the responsibility of de-risking and developing the geothermal project, such as initial geological feasibility studies to obtain necessary consents and overseeing the construction of wells and the energy centre. It’s anticipated that heat supply will begin as early as 2026, which is subject to regular planning processes, regulatory permits, and procurement cycles. Upon completion, GT Energy is expected to assume ownership and operation of the facility.
