Khosla-Backed Geothermal Startup Taps ‘Superhot’ Rocks

A startup backed by billionaire Vinod Khosla says it has successfully drilled into the hottest rock ever reached by an enhanced geothermal energy system.

Geothermal energy companies have seen an uptick in investment as tech companies look to power the artificial intelligence boom. That includes startups like Mazama Energy Inc., which is developing unconventional techniques to tap new sources of energy. The project is the first step to harnessing what are known as superhot rocks to generate continuous carbon-free energy.

Mazama’s demonstration system near Newberry Volcano in Oregon has accessed an area underground using a proprietary hydraulic fracturing technique. It created an enhanced geothermal ...