Quaise Energy uses a gyrotron‑driven millimeter‑wave drilling system to vaporize rock and create deep, super‑hot geothermal wells beyond the reach of conventional rotary drilling. By combining traditional drilling to basement rock with high‑power wave drilling, the company enables high‑density, baseload geothermal power plants that can be built using existing fossil‑fuel drilling workforce and supply chains, offering utilities and power developers a scalable low‑carbon energy source.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Current geothermal extraction relies on shallow drilling and conventional technologies that cannot reach the super‑hot, deep reservoirs needed for high‑density power generation, limiting geothermal’s contribution to large‑scale clean energy supply.
Solution
Quaise Energy has created a gyrotron‑powered drilling platform that vaporizes rock using high‑power millimeter‑wave energy to drill deeper, hotter boreholes than traditional rotary methods. The system first employs conventional drilling to reach basement rock, then switches to millimeter‑wave drilling to access super‑hot geothermal resources without complex downhole equipment. By leveraging existing fossil‑fuel drilling workforce, assets, and supply chains, the technology can be deployed rapidly and at scale. The resulting deep, high‑temperature wells enable multi‑terawatt geothermal power plants with a power density comparable to fossil fuels, providing a low‑carbon, baseload energy source. This approach aims to deliver equitable, large‑scale clean electricity to meet global energy demand.
Target Audience
Primary customers are large‑scale power producers, utilities, and energy developers seeking baseload renewable capacity, as well as governments and agencies pursuing net‑zero energy strategies.
Features
- Gyrotron‑driven millimeter‑wave drilling that vaporizes rock to achieve unprecedented depth and temperature access
- Hybrid drilling process: conventional rotary drilling to basement rock followed by high‑power wave drilling for super‑hot zones
- Utilizes existing fossil‑fuel industry workforce, equipment, and supply chains, avoiding the need for new infrastructure
- Enables high‑density, baseload geothermal power generation comparable to fossil‑fuel plants
- Designed for rapid deployment and scalability to multi‑terawatt capacity