Meta and Sage Geosystems have announced a partnership to use geothermal energy to power Meta’s U.S. data centers, a first-of-its-kind project aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
The agreement, unveiled at a U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) summit, will deliver up to 150 MW of new geothermal baseload power and is expected to be operational in 2027.
Sage will use its patented Geopressured Geothermal System (GGS) technology, which uses heat and pressure beneath the Earth’s surface to generate energy, demonstrating significant potential for broad application in the U.S. and globally.
Self-financed
This project represents a significant advancement for geothermal energy, particularly in regions where it was previously unviable. The energy produced will be fed into the electricity grid rather than directly feeding Meta’s data centers, aligning with the tech giant’s broader goal of supporting the transition to a cleaner, more reliable electricity grid.
The announcement was made during a DoE summit on geothermal energy, where six other projects were presented, receiving a total of $31 million in funding.
While no financial details were released, the Meta-Sage initiative is not slated to receive any money from the U.S. government. This partnership is reportedly a small part of Meta’s extensive renewable energy efforts, which include more than 12,000 MW of contracted projects, making it one of the largest corporate buyers of renewable energy globally.
Urvi Parekh, Head of Renewable Energy at Meta, emphasized the importance of this partnership, saying: “Meta thanks the Department of Energy’s leadership in promoting and supporting the exploration of new energy sources such as geothermal. That leadership supports Meta’s goal of enabling the addition of reliable, affordable, and carbon-free energy to the grid with this geothermal energy deal.
“We are pleased to partner with an innovative company like Sage Geosystems, a proven leader in geothermal development for this project and beyond.”
“This announcement is the perfect example of how the public and private sectors can work together to make the clean energy transition a reality,” said Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems.
“As energy demand continues to grow, the need for reliable, resilient and sustainable energy is paramount. Our partnership with Meta underscores the urgent need for innovative and sustainable energy solutions like ours.”