DOE selects Quaise for up to $25M to advance Project Obsidian

Quaise Energy/Millimetre-wave drilling

The US Department of Energy selected Quaise Energy for up to $25 million from a $99 million geothermal funding program to support Project Obsidian south of Bend, Oregon. The money helps complete the project's first three-well set: data from the first two wells will be used to optimise the third, and field data will be shared publicly.

• The three wells target rock averaging above 300 °C, with drilling planned to reach over 400 °C, and more than 25 MW gross.
• Quaise expects the first phase of Obsidian to produce over 50 MW and deliver power to the Pacific Northwest grid in 2030.
• Partners are Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Oregon State University.
• Being 'selected' means funding is subject to final negotiation with DOE.