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🗞️ Driving the news: Geothermal energy is gaining momentum as U.S. companies like Fervo Energy and Eavor adapt oil and gas drilling techniques to unlock near-limitless clean power deep underground
• Fervo is building the world’s largest next-generation geothermal plant in Utah, while others, such as Quaise Energy, push futuristic concepts to drill even deeper and hotter
• Advocates hail geothermal as a clean, reliable “baseload” energy source to complement solar and wind, but high costs, engineering challenges, and seismic risks remain significant hurdles
🔭 The context: Humans have used geothermal energy for centuries, yet it accounts for less than 1% of global electricity due to geological constraints
• Next-generation “enhanced geothermal” overcomes these limits by fracturing hot rock deep underground to create artificial reservoirs
• The U.S. Department of Energy has funded experimental projects like Utah FORGE since 2014, with commercial players now scaling up
• Unique among clean energy options, geothermal has bipartisan U.S. support and leverages existing oil-and-gas expertise, easing the transition for workers and supply chains
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Geothermal energy offers constant, zero-carbon power that can displace fossil fuels and stabilise grids increasingly dependent on intermittent renewables
• Its small land footprint and potential scalability make it an attractive climate solution if technical and financial barriers can be addressed
• However, concerns about water use, land impact, and induced seismicity highlight the need for careful deployment and monitoring to ensure sustainability.
⏭️ What's next: Fervo plans to deliver its first 100 megawatts in Utah by 2026, with an additional 400 MW by 2028, supplying utilities and tech giants like Google
• Eavor is constructing its first commercial plant in Germany, while Quaise targets a demonstration of its ultra-deep drilling technology by 2028
• Policymakers and the U.S. Energy Department signal continued support, though the scale of investment required to make geothermal cost-competitive remains a key debate
• Commercial viability and public acceptance, especially around seismic risks, will shape how quickly geothermal can scale in the next two decades
💬 One quote: “You could meet humanity’s energy needs for 17 billion years based off just what’s in the heat of the Earth,” said Tim Latimer, CEO of Fervo Energy.
📈 One stat: According to the International Energy Agency, next-generation geothermal has the potential to supply 140 times current global electricity demand.
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