Cleaner Tech

Khosla-Backed Geothermal Startup Taps ‘Superhot’ Rocks for Energy

Mazama Energy has finished a project that drills into the hottest rocks ever accessed by an enhanced geothermal company.

Mazama Energy’s drill site in Oregon.

Photo courtesy of Mazama Energy

A startup backed by billionaire Vinod Khosla says it has successfully drilled into the hottest rock ever reached by an enhanced geothermal energy system.

Geothermal energy companies have seen an uptick in investment as tech companies look to power the artificial intelligence boom. That includes startups like Mazama Energy Inc., which is developing unconventional techniques to tap new sources of energy. The project is the first step to harnessing what are known as superhot rocks to generate continuous carbon-free energy.