More Geothermal Energy, Faster, From US Startups

The article discusses the emerging potential of advanced geothermal energy systems developed by U.S. startups, particularly highlighting the work of Utah-based company Zanskar. Traditional geothermal energy in the U.S. has been limited to a few western states with naturally optimal conditions, constraining its contribution to the national energy mix. However, new techniques adapted from the oil and gas industry, combined with artificial intelligence and modern geoscience modeling, are enabling the identification and development of geothermal resources in previously untapped areas. Zanskar’s AI-driven, vertically integrated approach aims to accelerate the discovery and deployment of geothermal power, offering a scalable, reliable, and carbon-free baseload energy source. Zanskar has demonstrated success with two key projects: upgrading the Lightning Dock site in New Mexico, now considered one of the most productive pumped geothermal wells in the U.S., and a recent major discovery at the Pumpernickel geothermal field in northern Nevada. The Pumpernickel site, initially explored unsuccessfully in the