Quaise Energy is taking a major step toward commercializing next-generation geothermal power with Project Obsidian, an initiative aimed at building the world's first power plant based on superhot geothermal energy. Located in Central Oregon, the project is designed to unlock geothermal resources at temperatures between 300°C and 500°C, enabling a new class of high-density, zero-carbon baseload power plants capable of delivering utility-scale electricity around the clock.
Unlike conventional geothermal systems, which are largely limited to naturally occurring hydrothermal reservoirs in geologically favorable regions, Project Obsidian seeks to access much deeper and hotter rock formations. These superhot resources can increase the energy output of individual wells by a factor of 10 to 100 compared with traditional geothermal wells, significantly improving power density while reducing the number of wells required for large-scale electricity generation.
At the core of the project is Quaise's proprietary millimeter-wave drilling technology, developed from more than a decade of research originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The technology employs high-power gyrotrons to generate millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy that thermally ablates rock without physical contact. Unlike conventional drill bits, which experience severe wear and operational limitations under extreme temperatures and pressures, the non-contact approach enables penetration into hard crystalline basement formations where the highest geothermal resources exist.
Quaise Energy describes millimeter-wave drilling as the first major breakthrough in drilling technology since the introduction of rotary drill bits nearly a century ago. Using focused electromagnetic energy delivered through a waveguide, the system effectively melts and vaporizes rock, eliminating many of the mechanical constraints associated with traditional drilling methods and enabling access to ultra-deep geothermal resources.
Project Obsidian adopts a hybrid drilling strategy that combines established oil and gas drilling techniques with millimeter-wave technology. Conventional rotary drilling is used through the upper geological layers, after which millimeter-wave drilling is employed to penetrate the hard basement rock and reach superhot conditions. This approach allows the project to leverage existing drilling infrastructure and industry expertise while extending achievable drilling depths beyond current limitations.
According to analyses presented by Quaise at the 2026 Stanford Geothermal Workshop, the first phase of Project Obsidian is expected to generate approximately 50 MW of continuous renewable electricity from only a handful of wells. The facility will consist of two independent geothermal well systems, each comprising three wells. Water will be injected through one well, heated as it passes through the hot rock formation, and recovered through adjacent production wells to generate steam for power production.
The two systems are designed to target different thermal regimes. One system will access rock with average temperatures around 315°C, representing a relatively lower-risk configuration close to the limits of existing geothermal technology. The second system will target average temperatures approaching 365°C, providing valuable operational experience for future deployments involving even higher-temperature resources.
Following the initial phase, Project Obsidian is planned to expand to 250 MW in Phase II, with long-term development targeting more than 1 GW of generation capacity. The project is intended to establish the technical and economic foundation for gigawatt-scale geothermal power plants capable of supplying firm, dispatchable renewable energy to future electricity grids.
A key advantage of superhot geothermal systems lies in their ability to deliver constant power independent of weather conditions. Unlike solar and wind resources, which are inherently intermittent, geothermal plants provide 24/7 electricity generation while requiring relatively small land areas. Quaise notes that the surface footprint of the first phase will occupy only about 20 acres, highlighting the high energy density of the technology.
Project Obsidian also serves as the first commercial deployment of millimeter-wave drilling technology. The company believes that successfully demonstrating the approach could dramatically expand the geographical availability of geothermal energy. While conventional geothermal resources are largely concentrated around volcanic regions and the Pacific Ring of Fire, superhot geothermal systems enabled by deep drilling could eventually make clean, firm power accessible to more than 90% of the world's population.
Quaise's broader development roadmap includes three categories of geothermal resources based on geothermal gradients. Project Obsidian represents a Tier I site, where superhot temperatures can be reached at depths of roughly five kilometers. Future Tier II and Tier III locations would involve progressively deeper drilling, with the most challenging sites requiring depths approaching 20 kilometers and temperatures as high as 500°C.
By combining ultra-deep drilling with high-temperature geothermal energy extraction, Quaise aims to create a scalable pathway toward abundant, always-on, zero-carbon electricity capable of supporting growing demand from industrial electrification, AI data centers, and next-generation energy systems.
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About Quaise Energy
Quaise Energy is a Houston-based developer of superhot geothermal technologies founded as a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The company is pioneering gyrotron-based millimeter-wave drilling systems that enable access to deep geothermal resources previously beyond the reach of conventional drilling technologies. Through Project Obsidian and its broader superhot geothermal roadmap, Quaise is working to establish a globally deployable source of clean, high-density, and dispatchable renewable energy.
