A Technology Road Map for Next-Generation Geothermal

The report outlines a structured path to commercialize superhot rock (SHR) geothermal energy—defined as rock hotter than 400°C—which could produce five to ten times more energy per well than conventional geothermal. It proposes a six-phase road map: establishing governance and a Steering Committee, identifying existing resources, filling technical gaps, iterative testing (modeling, lab, and field), deployment of pilot and commercial projects, and creating a continual improvement life cycle. The report identifies critical technology gaps in well construction, drilling, and heat extraction, noting that addressing these gaps independently would cost approximately $1.4 billion (USD), a figure that could be reduced through shared infrastructure and joint investment. It emphasizes the need for a global information-sharing platform and standardized protocols to avoid duplicating failures and accelerate the learning curve.

• Superhot rock (SHR) geothermal, targeting rock temperatures exceeding 400°C, has the potential to produce five to ten times more energy per well compared to conventional geothermal systems.
• The road map is organized into six coordinated phases: (1) Establish Coordination Structure and Governance, (2) Identify Resources, (3) Fill Technical Gaps, (4) Iterate, Refine, and Reexamine, (5) Deploy, and (6) Facilitate Continual Improvement Life Cycle.
• A critical component of the road map is the establishment of an international Steering Committee and a global information-sharing platform to prevent project silos and avoid repeating avoidable mistakes.
• The report identifies high-criticality, high-effort technology gaps that are essential for first-of-a-kind (FOAK) SHR plants, specifically in the areas of zonal isolation systems, high-temperature sensors, and advanced drilling tools.
• Addressing the identified technology gaps is estimated to cost $1.4 billion (USD) if pursued via standalone projects, but this cost can be significantly lowered through coordinated investment and shared facilities.
• Drilling is the primary cost driver for SHR innovation; in enhanced geothermal projects, drilling and subsurface engineering can exceed 75% of total project costs.
• The report proposes specific short-term KPIs (0-2 years), including bringing five countries into a shared collaboration within the first year and achieving 30 monthly users of a shared data repository.
• Long-term KPIs (3-10 years) include a three-fold increase in global SHR projects and the operation of three SHR power plants achieving commercial output above 30 megawatts within five years.

APA

Hill, J. (2025). A Technology Road Map for Next-Generation Geothermal. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CATF_SHRTechRoapMapReport_Digital_09.18.25.pdf

Chicago

Hill, Jenna. A Technology Road Map for Next-Generation Geothermal. Clean Air Task Force, 2025. https://www.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CATF_SHRTechRoapMapReport_Digital_09.18.25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hill |first1=Jenna |title=A Technology Road Map for Next-Generation Geothermal |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=September 2025 |url=https://www.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CATF_SHRTechRoapMapReport_Digital_09.18.25.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hill2025technology, author = {Hill, Jenna}, title = {{A Technology Road Map for Next-Generation Geothermal}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://www.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/CATF_SHRTechRoapMapReport_Digital_09.18.25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }