Google goes geothermal to power some datacenters
Google goes geothermal to power some bitbarns The Register
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Google Partners with Fervo Energy to Bring Geothermal Power Online
Google has added a novel form of geothermal power to the list of carbon-free energy sources fueling its data-crunching empire.
Introduction
This week, Google, in collaboration with startup Fervo Energy, launched a “first-of-its-kind” enhanced geothermal power plant in Nevada. This plant supplements more traditional carbon-free energy sources like wind power and solar energy, which have been a cornerstone of Google’s move away from fossil fuels.
Enhanced Geothermal Power Plant
The geothermal plant built with Fervo has been under development since 2021. It utilizes heat generated by the Earth’s crust to produce steam, which is then converted into power.
Geothermal Power Generation Process
The process involves techniques developed for the oil and natural gas industry. Two wells are bored 8,000 feet below the surface and extended laterally in parallel to each other. The rock between the lateral sections is fractured to create channels for water flow. Cold water is pumped down one well, heated through the cracks, and forced out the other well. Fervo claims to have observed temperatures as high as 191˚ Celsius using this technique.
Electricity Generation and Grid Connection
The heat is converted to electricity using steam generators. Unlike other power plants, this geothermal plant is connected back to the local grid, serving the local community and offsetting the power requirements of Google’s data centers near Reno and Henderson, Nevada.
Power Output and Future Potential
The geothermal plant currently generates about 3.5 megawatts of power, which is enough to power approximately 750 homes. However, it is not sufficient to meet the demands of a typical data center campus. Fervo and Google are exploring larger deployments, with the potential to produce upwards of 400 megawatts of power in Utah. The Department of Energy reports that the US could unlock over 120 gigawatts of geothermal capacity by 2050, contributing to about 16 percent of the nation’s energy needs.
Geothermal Power and Water Consumption
While geothermal power offers a steadier supply of renewable energy, water consumption is a growing concern among data center operators. The amount of water consumed or lost by these plants is unclear. It is likely that a significant portion of the water is recycled back into the system to make the technology viable in arid climates like Nevada and Utah.
Other Tech Giants’ Alternative Energy Initiatives
Google is not the only tech giant exploring alternative energy sources to support its sustainability goals. Microsoft is seeking partners to deploy small modular nuclear reactors, and it has signed a power purchase agreement with fusion startup Helion Energy. Colocation providers like Equinix are investigating the use of green hydrogen fuel cells to power their facilities.
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