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Understand what superhot geothermal energy is, why it sparks global interest, what challenges still need to be overcome, and how projects in development can drive the low-carbon energy transition.
Superhot geothermal energy is at the center of a technological race aiming to expand the supply of clean, continuous, and low-carbon emissions electricity. In 2026, the International Energy Agency (IEA) highlighted this technology in the report State of Energy Innovation, classifying it as a promising source of clean and firm energy to support the reduction of fossil fuel use. At the same time, companies and researchers are intensifying studies to make its commercial application viable.
What is superhot geothermal?
Geothermal energy uses the heat existing below the Earth’s surface to produce electricity or heating. However, the superhot version seeks to reach much deeper layers.
In this case, rocks above 300 °C are reached. Thus, water enters a supercritical state, carrying much more energy than in conventional systems.
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According to the Clean Air Task Force, the exploration of just 1% of these resources could produce more than eight times the current global electricity generation.
Moreover, the technology can expand the use of geothermal energy to regions that do not have intense volcanic activity.
Project in the United States seeks unprecedented milestone
As interest grows, one of the most watched projects is being developed in Oregon, United States.
The startup Quaise Energy intends to build, by 2030, what could be the world’s first superhot geothermal power plant.
Initially, the company will use conventional drilling in the upper layers. Subsequently, a technology developed from research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be employed.
In this process, electromagnetic millimeter waves vaporize and melt the rocks, replacing traditional mechanical cutting.
After that, water will be injected underground. Then, it will be heated by the deep rocks, return as steam to move turbines, and later be recycled within the system itself.
The company estimates producing 50 megawatts of continuous renewable energy. Subsequently, the capacity could reach 200 megawatts, supplying tens of thousands of homes.
Why does the technology face challenges?
Despite the potential, several obstacles still need to be overcome.
Mainly, deep drilling faces extremely high temperatures and pressures. Additionally, costs increase as wells become deeper.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), it will still be necessary to prove that the equipment, rock formations, and electrical infrastructures can operate safely over long periods.
Currently, no super-hot geothermal plant operates commercially.
Advantages and environmental concerns
Unlike solar and wind energy, geothermal can provide electricity continuously, regardless of weather conditions.
Furthermore, its advocates point out that it occupies less area than large solar or wind farms.
Meanwhile, international projects are also advancing. In Iceland, researchers recently received 10 million euros from the European Union to develop similar initiatives. By 2025, New Zealand and Iceland signed a technological cooperation agreement focused on energy security.
On the other hand, experts warn of the possibility of induced seismicity, caused by deep drilling and fluid injection.
In 2017, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake near the geothermal field of Pohang, South Korea, was associated by researchers with this phenomenon.
Even so, according to the Clean Air Task Force, about 2% of the geothermal energy located between three and ten kilometers deep could provide the equivalent of 2,000 times the current energy demand of the United States, reinforcing the strategic potential of this technology for the global energy transition.
