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Fervo Energy, Hosted by EESA, Receives New Funding from DOE2 min read

by Christina Procopiou on September 19, 2018

GC-Sustainable Earth Geothermal Systems

Jack Norbeck and Timothy Latimer, cofounders, of Fervo Energy, a Cyclotron Road company at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

A Cyclotron Road company hosted by EESA was part of a new $4.45 million award from the Department of Energy in support of its work to improve enhanced geothermal systems. Founded in 2017, Fervo Energy set out to overcome the technical challenges keeping geothermal energy from becoming a commercially viable form of clean energy in the United States.

The DOE projects that geothermal energy can make up 100 GW or 15 to 20percent of U.S. electricity capacity by 2050. In enhanced geothermal systems, which are man-made geothermal reservoirs, heat acquired from water circulating in rock fractures deep in the Earth’s subsurface is extracted and converted to electricity.

Right now, geothermal energy makes up less than one half of one percent of the nation’s electricity – largely because researchers working to adapt tools and techniques used in oil and gas production to EGS technologies are challenged to find commercially viable resources and to consistently produce sufficient amounts of energy from geothermal drilling.

DOE’s recent award to Fervo Energy will support the company’s efforts with Schlumberger to upgrade Schlumberger’s proven zonal isolation technology with expanded reservoir capacity and materials capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures. Fervo Energy CEO Tim Latimer said that while initially these techniques would be applied towards increasing production at existing geothermal facilities, they had the potential to transform an industry.

“The mindset that geothermal can only amount to a small player in the energy world needs to change,” Latimer said. “Geothermal environments, like the Geysers in Northern California, are extremely cost-effective energy producers, but they are also extremely uncommon.

“Our goal is to develop enhanced geothermal systems technologies capable of replicating this powerful energy source in a wide variety of geologic settings across the country. The recent support from DOE helps us move closer to realizing that goal.”

 

News & Events

New EESA research explores impact of land-use policy on California’s terrestrial carbon and greenhouse gas budget3 min read

January 12, 2021

The 28 million acres of natural and working lands across California provide a unique opportunity to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals through various land-use strategies, such as expanding urban forest areas or restoring woodlands. However, the need to mitigate wildfire severity is also a critical priority for California, and one that can increase emissions…

Impacts of Climate Change on Our Water and Energy Systems: It’s Complicated5 min read

January 11, 2021

As the planet continues to warm, the twin challenges of diminishing water supply and growing energy demand are intensifying. But because water and energy are inextricably linked, as we try to adapt to one challenge – say, by getting more water via desalination or water recycling – we may be worsening the other challenge by…

New Study: Are Drylands Getting Drier?1 min read

January 5, 2021

EESA visiting postdoctoral fellow Sha Zhou led a recent study exploring why climate models do not project drylands will become substantially drier with climate change as scientists have long believed. A paper published yesterday in the journal Nature Climate Change, “Soil moisture-atmosphere feedbacks mitigate declining water availability in drylands,” describes the importance of long-term changes…

Stunning Visuals Tell a Fluid Story of Water in the Upper Gunnison River Basin1 min read

December 23, 2020

As part of a DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI), Jeremy Snyder authored “Rocky Mountain Water: The stories of Natural, Impacted, and Managed water in the Upper Gunnison River Basin”. Using the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform and stunning visuals, the story focuses on the Colorado Upper Gunnison River Basin—home to the Watershed Function SFA’s study site, the…

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