Latest Tech News

Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more

Filtered by: geothermal Clear Filter

Geothermal is too expensive, but Dig Energy’s impossibly small drill rig might fix that

On a farm near Manchester, New Hampshire, I was recently treated to a gusher of dirty water, not exactly the sort of thing that most startups will show a reporter. But for Dig Energy, the mud is a feature, not a bug, of its compact drilling rig. The startup, which has been operating in stealth for the last five years, developed the water-jet drilling rig in an effort to make geothermal heating and cooling so inexpensive that it will displace fossil fuel boilers and furnaces. The rig is central

Advanced geothermal startups are just getting warmed up

When Congressional Republicans took a sledgehammer to the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, advanced geothermal startups were largely spared. Drilling for renewable energy appears to be one of the few things that engenders bipartisan support. Now, with the uncertainty settled, geothermal companies are announcing deals that promise to pave the way for broader deployment of their technology. Houston-based Fervo Energy said on Tuesday it has picked a supplier for key parts of its power plants,

Superhot geothermal energy could unearth big power boost for the AI era

Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years, powering heating systems as early as the 14th century. It's getting a big upgrade. Beyond geothermal, there's superhot geothermal, which uses ultra-deep drilling to access extremely hot rocks, extracting 5 to 10 times more power per well. Quaise Energy, a Massachusetts-based startup, is in the market developing the technology, which involves an electromagnetic beam that vaporizes rock. The company's systems are able to reach superhot geot

This startup wants to use beams of energy to drill geothermal wells

This rock-melting drilling technology from the geothermal startup Quaise is certainly unconventional. The company hopes it’s the key to unlocking geothermal energy and making it feasible anywhere. Geothermal power tends to work best in those parts of the world that have the right geology and heat close to the surface. Iceland and the western US, for example, are hot spots for this always-available renewable energy source because they have all the necessary ingredients. But by digging deep enoug

Meta is helping to fund geothermal energy projects in New Mexico

Meta has entered into an agreement with XGS Energy to develop "next-generation geothermal energy" projects in New Mexico. The plan is for these projects to connect directly into the electrical grid that Meta's data centers draw from, feeding the growing energy needs of the company's AI development. Both companies claim the new deal will add 150-megawatts of carbon-free energy to the grid "with zero operating water use." New Mexico is apparently uniquely suited for geothermal energy production b

Meta inks a new geothermal energy deal to support AI

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. Meta’s geothermal ambitions are growing with a new agreement to support projects in New Mexico. It announced the deal with XGS Energy today, a company developing next-generation geothermal technologies that make it possible to use this energy source in places where it was unf

Meta teams with XGS Energy to build a 150 MW geothermal power plant

Meta is the latest tech company to warm to geothermal energy, announcing on Thursday a deal with startup XGS Energy to develop a 150 megawatt geothermal power plant in New Mexico. XGS Energy has yet to say where it’ll be building the power plant, and Meta wouldn’t disclose specifics about the deal other than to say it’s not yet a contract to purchase power, but rather an agreement “to advance geothermal energy development” in the state, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. Recently, tech compa

Fervo Energy lands $206M in financing to build massive geothermal power plant

Geothermal frontrunner Fervo Energy said Wednesday that it had secured $206 million in financing to continue work on a new power plant in Utah. The startup is developing what promises to be the largest enhanced geothermal power plant in the world. The initial phase of Cape Station is expected to come online next year and produce 100 megawatts of electricity, and a subsequent expansion set to open in 2028 will add another 400 megawatts. Enhanced geothermal, which runs deeper and hotter than tra