DOE Awarded Quaise Energy Millions for Geothermal
The Department of Energy provided $25 million to help Quaise Energy advance its superhot geothermal power development.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Energy
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The U.S. Department of Energy awarded up to $25 million to Quaise Energy to support the company's efforts in deep-earth geothermal power. This funding follows the company's successful $180 million Series B financing round closed in September 2026.
Why it matters
The award accelerates the development of technologies intended to harness energy from extreme depths that traditional drilling methods cannot reach. This project aims to unlock superhot geothermal potential to produce consistent, clean electric power.
The current confirmation well is drilling to a depth of 15,000 feet to reach rock temperatures of 750 degrees F. Quaise Energy uses millimeter wave energy to vaporize rock for its Project Obsidian in Oregon.
The players
Quaise Energy
This company develops deep geothermal drilling technology using millimeter wave energy to access superhot subterranean heat.
U.S. Department of Energy
This federal executive department is responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety, including the funding of renewable energy research.
Trenton Cladouhos
He is an industry professional who received the Geothermal Pioneer Award at the 2026 Geothermal Rising Conference.
Daniel Dichter
He is a technical expert who received the Young Professional Technical Award at the 2026 Geothermal Rising Conference.
The details
At Project Obsidian, the company plans to pump water into an injector well to reach hot rock, capturing it through two production wells. The site design occupies a 20-acre surface footprint with a 200-acre subsurface area for the total seven-well configuration.
Timeline
In early 2025, Quaise Energy leased land and started site preparation.
In July 2026, the company began drilling its first confirmation well.
In late September 2026, the company attended the Geothermal Rising Conference.
By 2030, Project Obsidian is expected to provide grid power.
The Big Picture
The funding supports the Department of Energy's geothermal energy development initiatives by pushing the industry toward tapping heat at depths previously deemed unreachable. This shift moves the field away from traditional oil and gas drilling limitations to leverage high-temperature rock.
This project aims to provide a source of base-load renewable power that could eventually reduce reliance on conventional fuel sources for the electrical grid. Successfully tapping into these heat sources could lead to lower long-term energy costs and increased domestic clean power generation.
The takeaway
Advancements in millimeter wave drilling technology could revolutionize how we harvest energy from the earth's crust. Developing these deep-earth heat resources provides a pathway to generating continuous power that does not rely on intermittent sun or wind.
What happens next
Project Obsidian is expected to reach an output capacity of more than 50 megawatts of electric power by the year 2030.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Energy research.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Renewable Energy Magazine, at the heart of clean energy journalism.
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Should the federal government provide large financial awards to support experimental geothermal energy projects?
