By Anders Lorenzen

The large US power utility, Southern California Edison (SCE), one of the largest utilities in the country is to buy geothermal energy from one of the most exciting new technologies to emerge, optimising the use of energy from below the surface of the Earth.

The US start-up company, Fervo Energy, is to sell geothermal energy to the utility from its 400 megawatts (MW) Cape Station project which is currently being constructed in southwestern Utah. The first 70 MW phase of the project is expected to be operational by 2026 with the remaining by 2028.

The two companies have signed an agreement to last for 15 years totalling 320 MW.  It will see Fervo Energy delivering enough clean energy to power 350,000 homes.

The technology

Fervo Energy, which has also partnered with the internet giant Google, has developed a breakthrough drilling technology that allows the energy to flow 24/7. Its horizontally oriented geothermal system increases efficiency as, instead of drilling vertical bores that deliver water into the hot rocks lying beneath the Earth’s surface, it uses techniques from the oil and gas industry to break up rocks.  

The bores drive water horizontally, and the resultant steam drives turbines at the surface. According to the company, they have adapted these techniques for further commercial development. The early drilling results released by the company in February this year showed faster drilling times and cost reductions at the Utah project. These results allow them to pursue further commercialisation, paving the way for the agreement with SCE. 

Fervo Energy is bullish about the potential for geothermal energy and the role it could play in addressing the climate crisis. Dawn Owens, VP, Head of Development and Commercial Markets for the company said: “Geothermal stands as the dependable and adaptable solution essential for California’s journey towards a fully decarbonised grid. As electrification increases and climate change burdens already fragile infrastructure, geothermal will only play a bigger role in US power markets.”

The enormous potential of harnessing geothermal energy has long been singled out as a promising technology. But with several obstacles, not least in commercialisation and scalability, it has not looked attractive in a clean energy landscape dominated by solar and wind.

If Fervo Energy has anything to say about it, that will soon change.