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The report outlines the technological requirements and current Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) for superhot rock (SHR) energy, highlighting critical gaps in reservoir stimulation, casing materials, and surface equipment. It categorizes advancements by criticality, ranging from essential for first-of-a-kind projects to those needed for cost reduction, and identifies key research and industry entities capable of bridging these gaps.

The study assesses three geofluid scenarios and three power generation models, concluding that an unwashed open cycle plant is the most efficient pathway for superhot rock energy. It identifies a technology gap in steam turbine design, which is rated at TRL 5-6, while other surface equipment is rated TRL 8-9. The report recommends dry cooling (Air-Cooled Condensers) to minimize water consumption and estimates the surface facility capital cost at $1,988.50 USD/kW.

The report evaluates the technical feasibility of drilling superhot rock (SHR) geothermal wells—defined as depths >5 km and temperatures >374°C. It concludes that while the necessary technologies exist or are emerging, significant gaps remain in rate of penetration (ROP) for hard rock, high-temperature electronic tool durability, and temperature management. The analysis categorizes rock-destroying equipment into conventional rotary, hybrid, and direct energy methods, assigning Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to each. It emphasizes that the primary barrier to progress is a lack of access to SHR conditions in both laboratory and field settings, which prevents the iterative testing needed to reduce costs and risks.

The report provides a comprehensive survey of subsurface characterization technologies for superhot rock (SHR) geothermal systems, defined by temperatures above 374°C. It categorizes methods by spatial scale: exploration (100s-10s km), reservoir (10s-1 km), and monitoring (1 km-1 m). Key findings highlight that while many geophysical tools are mature, they lack validation in SHR-specific environments. The authors emphasize the need for integrated data analysis, such as joint inversion and machine learning, to reduce exploration risk and improve the accuracy of temperature and stress models. The report concludes that advancing SHR energy requires standardized data sharing, increased investment in high-temperature sensors, and the development of SHR-specific play fairway analyses.