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The report examines how Tanzania's extractive industries, particularly natural gas and gold, have created economic enclaves and contributed to a 'sub-national resource curse' in regions like Mtwara and Lindi. It analyzes the country's rising debt-to-GDP ratio, which grew from 28% to 40% in four years, and the role of resource-backed loans from China for infrastructure like the Standard Gauge Railway. While Tanzania possesses significant renewable energy potential in solar, wind, and hydropower, the report notes a continued reliance on fossil fuels and a lack of gender-sensitive policies in the energy sector. It concludes with recommendations to diversify the economy, strengthen governance, and develop a domestic downstream sector for critical minerals.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the European Commission to prioritize next-generation geothermal technologies—such as Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS), closed-loop systems (Advanced Geothermal Systems), and superhot rock systems—within the EU Action Plan on Geothermal Energy. These technologies, which access heat from deeper and hotter crustal layers (above 374°C), offer higher energy density and can be deployed more widely than traditional geothermal energy. CATF recommends a bold R&D agenda, the establishment of financial risk-sharing mechanisms via the European Investment Bank, the creation of a standardized permitting template based on Germany's Geothermal Acceleration Law, and the development of an EU-wide geothermal data repository to attract private capital and accelerate deployment by the early 2030s.

Superhot rock energy involves injecting water into deep, dry rock (above 400°C) to extract thermal energy for power, heat, or fuels. It offers higher energy density than conventional geothermal, with single-well potentials of 35 MW or more compared to 3-5 MW. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) aims for commercial demonstration this decade, suggesting that $5+ billion in investment over ten years could prove its commercial potential and lead to 'geothermal everywhere' by mid-century.

The document details the geological composition and tectonic setting of the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, highlighting its location at a divergent plate boundary. It provides statistics on superhot rock (SHR) drilling, specifically the IDDP-2 well, and describes the operations of the existing Reykjanes geothermal power station.

The Japan Supercritical Geothermal Project (SCGP) aims to demonstrate superhot rock (SHR) energy by 2040, with planned drilling between 2021 and 2027. The project targets five locations—Niseko, Yuzawa, Appi, Kuju, and Kakkonda—aiming for depths of 3,000-4,000 meters, temperatures of 350-500°C, and pressures exceeding 22.0 MPa. These sites are characterized by various volcanic and metamorphic basement rocks resulting from the subduction of the Pacific and Philippine Sea plates. The Japanese government has identified supercritical geothermal power generation as a key technology within its Green Innovation Strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The document presents superhot rock (SHR) energy as a high-energy-density, zero-carbon alternative to conventional geothermal systems, which are currently limited to 16 GW globally. SHR targets conditions of 400°C or hotter to produce up to ten times the energy of current geothermal wells. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) identifies key technical hurdles in deep drilling and reservoir development and seeks $12.5 million over three years to drive awareness, map commercial opportunities, and support regulatory frameworks for seismicity and groundwater protection.

Croatia aims for a 45% emission reduction by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050, with the industrial sector contributing 2.76 MtCO2/year (16% of national emissions). The document highlights that cement production, accounting for 62% of industrial emissions, has no viable decarbonization path other than CCS. Croatia possesses a significant storage capacity of 4.2 GtCO2, primarily in saline aquifers (4 Gt) and depleted hydrocarbon fields (175 Mt), which is sufficient to store 693 years of the country's annual point-source emissions. To optimize deployment, the document proposes three industrial clusters: the Adriatic, Central, and Eastern clusters. Current initiatives include the Croatian Geothermal CCS project, which plans to store CO2 from the Našice cement plant and a plant in Beremend, Hungary, at the Bočkovci-1 site. Other projects in development include Petrokemija Kutina (190,000 tCO2/year), Biorafinerija Sisak (55,000 tCO2/year), and a cement plant in Koromač (400,000 tCO2/year). Collectively, these could capture 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Economically, implementing CCS in the Eastern cluster could save 1.2 billion euros in EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) costs. The document recommends simplifying permitting processes, developing a comprehensive carbon management strategy, and investing in storage site characterization and cross-border cooperation.

The document examines the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), highlighting the region's shift away from Russian energy dependence toward a diversified 'all-of-the-above' approach. It identifies significant potential for the region to lead in clean tech manufacturing and innovation, particularly in batteries, small modular reactors (SMRs), and carbon capture, while leveraging the EU's Just Transition Fund to reskill coal workers and build innovation hubs.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the EU must adopt a diversified, options-based climate strategy to reach its 2050 net-zero goal, as relying on a single pathway increases risk. The document emphasizes the necessity of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, noting that no operational CO2 storage sites currently exist in the EU. CATF recommends a portfolio of zero-carbon fuels, nuclear fission, fusion, and superhot rock energy to ensure energy security and a reliable 24/7 carbon-free electricity grid. It specifically proposes separate targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, nature-based removals, and industrial removals to ensure transparency and durability. Additionally, the document advises against including methane in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to avoid disincentivizing CO2 reductions, suggesting instead separate initiatives like an EU Import Standard for oil and gas.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EU Governance Regulation be revised to formally define and incentivise 'clean firm' electricity generation—dispatchable, low-emission sources that do not rely on weather. The brief argues that relying solely on renewable penetration metrics is inadequate for decarbonisation, citing the difference in carbon intensity between Germany and France. CATF proposes three main actions: establishing a legal definition of clean firm generation, setting an EU-wide installed capacity target, and requiring Member States to report on these targets within their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to ensure system adequacy and energy security.

The document highlights that just 1% of Iceland's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 411 GW of energy capacity, far exceeding the country's 2021 electricity consumption of 19,612 GWh. It argues that this technology offers a low land-use footprint and can provide 24/7 firm power, potentially replacing all coal imports used for electricity. Iceland is positioned as a leader in this field through projects like the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) in Reykjanes, the Krafla Magma Testbed, and a planned third IDDP well in Hengill.

The document argues that Poland must adopt a 'technology-optionality approach' to decarbonise its coal-dependent power system without compromising reliability or industrial competitiveness. It recommends a diverse portfolio including nuclear energy (targeting over 8 GW), expanded onshore wind (up to 70 GW), and the integration of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for energy-intensive industries. The brief calls for the update of national strategies—including the Polish Nuclear Power Programme (PPEJ) and the National Hydrogen Strategy—by 2025-2026 to provide investment certainty. Additionally, it advocates for the exploration of next-generation geothermal energy, the implementation of EU methane regulations, and the development of a clean hydrogen roadmap that balances low-carbon and renewable production pathways.

The document argues that Poland must adopt a 'portfolio approach' to decarbonization, integrating renewables, nuclear power, carbon capture, and hydrogen to ensure energy security and industrial competitiveness. It emphasizes the need to harmonize national strategies—such as the Polish Nuclear Energy Program and the National Energy and Climate Plan—within the next 12 months to attract private capital. Key recommendations include expanding onshore wind to 70 GW, establishing a nuclear fleet of at least 8 GW, creating a national CCUS strategy by early 2026, and updating the Polish Hydrogen Strategy by the first half of 2026. The brief also highlights the importance of next-generation geothermal energy and strict adherence to EU methane emission regulations for the oil, gas, and coal sectors.

The Utah FORGE project, a partnership between the University of Utah and the U.S. Department of Energy, utilized a diverse range of outreach tactics to establish community trust and transparency in rural Beaver County. Strategies included early consultation with local officials, educational programs for youth, and the installation of real-time seismic and water usage monitoring in public libraries to address environmental concerns. The document argues that leveraging trusted local institutions and creative engagement—such as song contests and science modules—can facilitate the success of geothermal projects and pave the way for subsequent commercial developments like Fervo Energy's Cape Station project.

The report assesses California's path to a net-zero carbon economy by 2045, specifically examining the necessity of 'clean firm power'—zero-carbon electricity that is available on demand regardless of weather. Using three different optimization models (RESOLVE, urbs, and GenX), the authors find that relying solely on wind, solar, and batteries would require nearly 500 GW of capacity and increase wholesale electricity rates by approximately 65%. In contrast, integrating 25-40 GW of clean firm power—such as nuclear, geothermal, or gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS)—can maintain costs similar to today's levels (around 9 cents/kWh) while significantly reducing the land and transmission infrastructure needed. The report concludes that a diverse portfolio of clean firm resources is the most cost-effective way to ensure grid reliability during extended periods of low renewable output, known as 'dunkelflaute'.

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.

The document advocates for the deployment of next-generation geothermal systems in Central and Eastern Europe to provide baseload carbon-free electricity and heat. It highlights superhot rock (SHR) geothermal as a high-temperature resource that can deliver 5-10x more power per well than traditional methods. The author calls for a comprehensive EU Geothermal Action Plan by Q1 2026 and increased R&D funding to reduce project costs, which are projected to fall by 80% over the next decade. It specifically identifies Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Hungary as countries well-positioned to benefit from combined high-temperature heat and power projects.

The document outlines three primary geothermal heat extraction methods: conventional hydrothermal systems, Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), and Closed Loop/Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS). It clarifies that Superhot Rock (SHR) is a resource characterized by temperatures at or above the supercritical temperature of water (374°C for de-ionized water), which can be accessed using either EGS or AGS methods.

The document identifies critical engineering gaps for superhot rock (SHR) geothermal wells, emphasizing that temperatures above 400°C cause severe cyclic thermal strains, material microstructural degradation, and cement failure. It proposes a hybrid design approach combining Working Stress Design (WSD), Reliability-Based Design (RBD), and Low-Cycle Fatigue (LCF) to manage these loads. Key findings highlight the risk of 'cold collapse' during quenching, the potential for high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) in low-carbon steels, and the lack of downhole tools and thermohydraulic simulators capable of handling supercritical water flows.

The report evaluates alternative financing for California's high-voltage transmission expansion needed for its 2045 clean energy goals. It finds that a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)-Lease model could save ratepayers up to $3 billion annually, or $123 billion over 40 years, by utilizing low-cost public debt and competitive procurement.