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🗞️ Driving the news: Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has partnered with Sage Geosystems to power its data centers using next-generation geothermal energy by 2027
• The deal represents a major shift towards clean energy, as Meta commits to 150 megawatts of geothermal power, marking the first significant deployment of this technology east of the Rockies.
🔭 The context: Unlike traditional hydrothermal energy, which relies on natural underground water sources, next-gen geothermal energy uses advanced drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques to access the Earth’s heat
• Sage Geosystems aims to develop energy storage solutions that use underground cavities as batteries, capable of storing energy longer than lithium-ion alternatives
• This partnership is a substantial expansion from Sage's recent 3 megawatt pilot project in Texas
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Utilizing next-generation geothermal energy helps companies like Meta meet climate commitments by providing a reliable, zero-carbon energy source
• This technology could play a critical role in stabilizing power grids that increasingly depend on variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar
⏭️ What's next: The U.S. Department of Energy projects that next-gen geothermal could power up to 4 million households by 2030, with potential to support up to 260 million homes by midcentury
• The energy sector will need up to $25 billion in investment over the next six years to scale these technologies, far less than the cost of building a single nuclear power plant
💬 One quote: “Geothermal methods [are] a game-changer as we work to grow our clean power supply,” said Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk
📈 One stat: The next-gen geothermal power deal with Meta will provide 150 megawatts of energy, fifty times the capacity of a pilot project Sage Geosystems has in Texas
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