Expanding Geothermal Beyond Traditional Boundaries
The United States has long relied on geothermal energy from a limited set of western states with ideal underground conditions. Traditional geothermal power depends on specific natural rock, heat, and water formations along with nearby infrastructure and buyers. However, a new wave of advanced geothermal startups is challenging these limitations by applying innovative drilling, exploration, and AI technologies borrowed from the oil and gas sector to discover human-made geothermal reservoirs across broader regions.
Zanskar’s Breakthrough Discoveries and Rapid Development
Utah-based Zanskar is among the pioneers leveraging AI-driven assessment tools and geoscience modeling to uncover hidden geothermal resources previously undetectable with conventional methods. After successfully upgrading the Lightning Dock site in New Mexico—one of the most productive pumped geothermal wells in the U.S.—Zanskar recently announced a major discovery at the Pumpernickel geothermal field in Nevada. This discovery is considered one of the most significant U.S. geothermal finds of the past decade and is on track to become Nevada’s largest geothermal power plant.
The company aims to deliver operational power within just three years—an unprecedented timeline in the geothermal sector.
Competing with Fossil Fuels on Cost and Reliability
Zanskar’s vertically integrated, AI-native approach dramatically lowers the cost and development time for geothermal projects, positioning geothermal as a competitive source of firm, carbon-free baseload power.
Another Utah startup, Rodatherm, recently raised a $38 million Series A round to deploy its modular, closed-loop geothermal system. Operating similarly to a heat pump, the technology boasts roughly 50% higher efficiency than traditional designs. Rodatherm plans to scale toward a 100 MW pilot, aiming for cost parity—or superiority—over fossil fuel plants, along with extended operational lifetimes.
Hybrid Solutions and New Opportunities
Innovators such as Germany’s Factor2 Energy are developing geothermal systems that use stored CO₂ as a working fluid, combining geothermal energy with carbon capture and storage. This eliminates the need for water cycling, reduces parasitic energy loads, and simplifies system operations.
Such hybrid solutions expand geothermal’s appeal while linking clean power generation with climate mitigation strategies.
Outlook
These advancements position geothermal energy as a strong contender to replace fossil-fueled power plants with reliable, clean electricity. Although widespread commercial deployment remains years away, startups like Zanskar and Rodatherm demonstrate that geothermal can scale faster and more cost-effectively than previously expected—offering promising momentum for a fossil-free power future in the U.S. and beyond.