A clean energy source is buried under the desert, but it takes water to use it

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Grist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A surge in demand for reliable, low-carbon electricity from data centers is accelerating investment in geothermal energy across the US West. But many next-generation geothermal systems require water, creating a challenge in drought-prone states where both power generation and data centers compete for limited resources.

🔭 The context: Traditional geothermal relies on naturally occurring underground water, while newer systems inject and circulate water through hot rocks
Technologies such as XGS Energy’s closed-loop system aim to minimise water losses, while enhanced geothermal systems can lose significant amounts underground
Fervo has reported a 30% water loss rate at its Nevada Project Red site

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Geothermal can provide firm electricity around the clock, potentially reducing reliance on fossil-fuel generation as data-center demand grows
However, water-intensive projects could add pressure to already stressed Western water resources, making water efficiency important for the technology’s broader environmental footprint

⏭️ What’s next: Developers and researchers are testing ways to reduce water losses and improve geothermal economics, including better well spacing and water-recovery techniques
The outcome will influence geothermal’s ability to expand for data centers and broader clean-energy needs, including California’s target of 100% clean electricity by 2045

💬 One quote: “This is a real problem that the industry absolutely needs to try to figure out.” — Kristie McLin, Utah FORGE

📈 One stat: 42 million gallons per day — estimated water consumption if a proposed 2 GW renewable buildout in New Mexico were supplied entirely by enhanced geothermal, according to calculations cited by Grist

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