Khosla-backed Mazama Energy just raised $135M to drill deeper into super-hot-rock geothermal

techcrunch.com Sep 18, 2026

Khosla-backed Mazama Energy just raised $135M to drill deeper into super-hot-rock geothermal

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 18, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Khosla‑backed Mazama Energy announced a $135 million financing round led by Centaurus Capital and Doerr Capital, with participation from ConocoPhillips, Shell Ventures and several new backers. The capital will fund horizontal drilling of super‑hot‑rock geothermal wells that can reach 15,000 feet and tap 750 °F (400 °C) reservoirs, creating supercritical water that delivers up to ten times the power of conventional geothermal. Mazama expects each well to generate roughly 15 megawatts, and its first Oregon project, now projected to produce 10 gigawatts of capacity, aims to deliver electricity by next year and reach 200 megawatts by 2030. The company revised its site potential from 5 gigawatts last year to 10 gigawatts, and has already secured land for a second development. The round included Khosla Ventures and Gates Frontier returning as.

💡 Why It Matters

· By unlocking supercritical geothermal at unprecedented depths, Mazama could supply cheap, carbon‑free power for energy‑intensive AI workloads, reducing reliance on natural‑gas peaker plants.

Read full article on techcrunch.com

PacWave Opens—A Giant Leap for Marine Energy

On August 27, the nation’s first grid‑connected, pre‑permitted open‑ocean wave‑energy test facility, PacWave South, opened on Oregon’s coast. The ribbon‑cutting, hosted by Oregon State University, was attended by leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy, Congress, and the Oregon Legislature. PacWave South, managed by OSU and funded in part by DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office, can host up to 20 wave‑energy converters, each linked to a 5‑MW subsea cable, and is licensed for 25 years under FERC. The site offers developers a turnkey platform to test commercial‑scale devices and transmit up to 20 MW to the grid, bypassing lengthy regulatory hurdles.

💡 By providing a fully licensed, grid‑connected test bed, PacWave South eliminates a major barrier that has stalled wave‑energy commercialization, accelerating the transition from laboratory prototypes to market‑ready technologies.

ijr.com · Sep 18

‘This Is The Test’: Energy Experts Say America Must Ramp Up Power…

Energy and industry leaders warned that the United States risks losing the artificial‑intelligence race if it cannot expand its power supply. At a Daily Caller Live event, Christopher Johnson of the American Energy Leadership Institute and Mark Bednar of Monument Advocacy argued that without a massive build‑out of reliable, clean electricity and domestic data‑center capacity, AI workloads will shift to China, where coal‑fired plants are proliferating. China is constructing 94.5 GW of new coal capacity in 2024, accounting for 93 % of global coal starts, according to a Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air report. U.S. data centers used 4.4 % of national electricity in 2023 and could consume up to 12 % by 2028, per a DOE study, underscoring the urgency of expanding domestic energy infrastructure to support AI, manufacturing and climate goals.

💡 Without a domestic power surge, the U.S. could cede critical AI and high‑tech manufacturing to rivals whose energy mix is far more carbon‑intensive.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 17

Farm Electrification Should Start With The Work, Not The Tractor

A new framework argues farm electrification should prioritize the specific work tasks—such as dairy cooling, irrigation, greenhouse heating, and grain drying—rather than focusing solely on replacing diesel tractors. The approach, detailed in a TFIE Strategy Briefing, evaluates when to electrify equipment, when to upgrade machinery, and when existing diesel assets remain sensible. Case studies from Ireland and India illustrate that stationary loads like heating and pumping often offer clearer, cost‑effective electric alternatives than mobile power units.

💡 By aligning electrification with actual farm operations, producers can target the most impactful energy shifts, reducing costs and emissions where the return is strongest. This task‑first strategy reshapes investment priorities, ensuring resources address the most pressing energy needs first.

energy-storage.news · Sep 17

IHA’s Delhi Declaration calls for policy overhaul to unlock India’s 288GW pumped…

The International Hydropower Association released the Delhi Declaration, outlining five policy priorities to unlock India’s estimated 288 GW of pumped‑hydro energy storage (PHES) potential. It urges faster project clearances, stronger revenue mechanisms, and tighter coordination between central and state bodies to meet the 100 GW PHES target by 2035‑36. The declaration calls for parallel approval processes, single‑window clearances, dedicated development zones, and market reforms that compensate PHES for ancillary services. It aligns with the Central Electricity Authority’s roadmap and the growing storage demand driven by expanding renewables.

💡 By streamlining approvals and securing revenue, the declaration could transform India’s grid flexibility and energy security, positioning PHES as a cornerstone of the country’s renewable integration strategy.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 17

Solar Energy Industries Association to Combine with Coalition for Community Solar Access,…

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) announced their merger, effective early October, after board approvals. CCSA’s team, resources, and policy work will be integrated into SEIA, creating the sole national trade association covering all solar and storage segments—utility‑scale, commercial, residential, and community. The combined entity will strengthen advocacy at state and federal levels, leveraging SEIA’s long‑standing influence and CCSA’s recent growth in community solar. The merger aims to unify the industry’s voice and accelerate market expansion.

💡 By consolidating the two largest trade groups, the merger eliminates fragmented lobbying, enabling a single, coordinated push for policies that support the rapid growth of solar and storage across the U.S.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 17

Sierra Club Strongly Opposes Bill to Give Legal Immunity to Fossil Fuel…

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is set to markup H.R. 8330, a bill that would grant fossil‑fuel companies blanket legal immunity from lawsuits related to climate change and associated disasters. The Sierra Club, citing the industry’s awareness of climate impacts since the 1950s and a study projecting U.S. climate costs to exceed $1 trillion this year, issued a coordinated statement condemning the proposal. Representatives from the Club’s national office and state chapters in Vermont, Colorado, California, and Texas warned that the legislation would shift cleanup costs onto taxpayers while protecting corporate donors. The Committee’s action follows similar immunity bills passed in Republican‑led states, including Utah’s recent enactment, and comes amid ongoing cuts to disaster relief and climate‑resilience funding.

💡 By insulating Big Oil from liability, the bill could lock billions of taxpayer dollars into climate recovery, undermining accountability for decades‑long emissions.