Quaise Energy has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for up to $25 million in funding to advance next-generation geothermal field testing and resource characterization, supporting the commercialization of superhot Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). This money will help with Project Obsidian, a superhot geothermal power station project that is currently under development in Central Oregon, in which Quaise will assess drilling, stimulation, and flow data from its first two wells to fine-tune a third well. The three wells would achieve an average reservoir temperature of more than 300 degrees centigrade with gross power output of over 25 MW. The project will also collect and share field data with research partners to establish a replicable model for future EGS development.
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“This DOE support is a recognition of what we are building at Quaise and the progress we are making in the field, including the confirmation well currently being drilled at Project Obsidian,” said Carlos Araque, CEO and President of Quaise Energy. “Our ambition has always been to make superhot geothermal a commercial reality, and Project Obsidian is where we first deliver on that promise.” The project is expected to deliver first power to the Pacific Northwest grid in 2030, with potential expansion to one gigawatt. Quaise also expects to drill a well exceeding 400°C, while Phase One is projected to produce more than 50 megawatts by 2030.
