Largest Geothermal Development in America Taking Shape in Utah

Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station in Iceland (Photo: Steve_Allen/Depositphotos)

Shifting to clean energy is a priority for fighting the steady march of catastrophic climate change. Despite the proliferating options for cleaner power, mankind remains quite dependent on coal and oil. Solar, wind, and even ocean wave-generated power are all renewable, clean options for powering our lives and homes. Another super promising source of energy is Earth itself.

Geothermal power is a very underutilized source of power in the United States, but it offers incredible potential. Texas-based Fervo Energy is an expert in the field building the largest geothermal power development in the United States in southwest Utah. The project calls for 125 wells to tap into the Earth's underground heat reserves.

In a victory for the development, one of the nation’s largest utility companies, Southern California Edison, has agreed to purchase electricity from the development. The 15-year agreement will power the equivalent of 350,000 and begin when the development's first part is operational in 2026.

Curious about how geothermal power works? Our planet packs a lot of heat left over from its formation and the decay of elements within. This energy passes through the planet's layers outward in a continual stream. Engineers can produce energy by harnessing steam or hot water from geothermal reservoirs below the surface. Weather does not impact production as with solar or wind.

“As electrification increases and climate change burdens already fragile infrastructure, geothermal will only play a bigger role in U.S. power markets,” says Dawn Owens, VP, Head of Development & Commercial Markets for Fervo Energy. “Fervo looks forward to continuing to meet these needs, providing firm, clean power to help balance California’s energy portfolio.”

When the 400 MW Cape Station is fully operational in 2028, it will be the largest in America. Yet, it still provides less than a percent of our nation's energy. As drilling techniques improve, taking examples from oil and gas drilling to allow deeper penetration, there is optimism that geothermal will grow rapidly.

“If these purchases help to get this technology off the ground, it could be massively impactful for global decarbonization,” says Wilson Ricks, an energy systems researcher at Princeton University.

Fervo's experiments with horizontal drilling in heat reservoirs open new possibilities for mining the Earth's heat. Reversing the climate crisis will require harnessing our planet's reusable resources above and below ground.