Geothermal Could Power Nearly All New Data Centers Through 2030 (techcrunch.com) 26
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: There's a power crunch looming as AI and cloud providers ramp up data center construction. But a new report suggests that a solution lies beneath their foundations. Advanced geothermal power could supply nearly two-thirds of new data center demand by 2030, according to an analysis by the Rhodium Group. The additions would quadruple the amount of geothermal power capacity in the U.S. -- from 4 gigawatts to about 16 gigawatts -- while costing the same or less than what data center operators pay today. In the western U.S., where geothermal resources are more plentiful, the technology could provide 100% of new data center demand. Phoenix, for example, could add 3.8 gigawatts of data center capacity without building a single new conventional power plant.
Geothermal resources have enormous potential to provide consistent power. Historically, geothermal power plants have been limited to places where Earth's heat seeps close to the surface. But advanced geothermal techniques could unlock 90 gigawatts of clean power in the U.S. alone, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. [...] Because geothermal power has very low running costs, its price is competitive with data centers' energy costs today, the Rhodium report said. When data centers are sited similarly to how they are today, a process that typically takes into account proximity to fiber optics and major metro areas, geothermal power costs just over $75 per megawatt hour. But when developers account for geothermal potential in their siting, the costs drop significantly, down to around $50 per megawatt hour.
The report assumes that new generating capacity would be "behind the meter," which is what experts call power plants that are hooked up directly to a customer, bypassing the grid. Wait times for new power plants to connect to the grid can stretch on for years. As a result, behind the meter arrangements have become more appealing for data center operators who are scrambling to build new capacity.
Geothermal resources have enormous potential to provide consistent power. Historically, geothermal power plants have been limited to places where Earth's heat seeps close to the surface. But advanced geothermal techniques could unlock 90 gigawatts of clean power in the U.S. alone, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. [...] Because geothermal power has very low running costs, its price is competitive with data centers' energy costs today, the Rhodium report said. When data centers are sited similarly to how they are today, a process that typically takes into account proximity to fiber optics and major metro areas, geothermal power costs just over $75 per megawatt hour. But when developers account for geothermal potential in their siting, the costs drop significantly, down to around $50 per megawatt hour.
The report assumes that new generating capacity would be "behind the meter," which is what experts call power plants that are hooked up directly to a customer, bypassing the grid. Wait times for new power plants to connect to the grid can stretch on for years. As a result, behind the meter arrangements have become more appealing for data center operators who are scrambling to build new capacity.
Disaster Recovery (Score:4, Funny)
When you build your datacenter on a volcano it gives a new meaning to the term "disaster recovery."
build your datacenter on a volcano (Score:4, Interesting)
Just make sure its the hot-spot (Hawaiian type) rather than the rhyolite (subduction zone like Mt St Helens )
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Oh, c'mon, everyone knows you build your lair in a volcano. Datacenters go in either your arctic or ocean secret base.
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Shame about the Earthquakes (Score:4, Informative)
These hydraulic injection type geothermal projects are unlikely to succeed ... one more Pohang and the concept will be dead.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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According to that wikipedia page, the epicenter was " 7 km above the surface". Gotta love wikipedia.
the epicenter was " 7 km above the surface" (Score:3)
Sounds a bit like Tunguska
Pushing your agenda before researching (Score:1)
Too bad you didn't check for existing geothermal plants in the US before writing your rant.
With 3,900 MW of installed geothermal capacity as of 2023, the US remains the world leader with about 25% of the online capacity total.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy_in_the_United_States [wikipedia.org]
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There is beyond ample amounts of heat energy inside the earth. The problem is there is yet no truly practical way to get to that heat. The main problems of geothermal are 1. open loop systems experience significant drop off of output over their lifetimes, 2. venting excess heat into the environment causes significant damage to the environment, and 3. since drilling is expensive, finding locations where heat is close to the surface is not easy. Thats why you
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I am quite tired of people that claim I got things wrong and then explain how I got things right.
I stated little to nothing that would be supportive of geothermal energy so your statements on how geothermal power is impractical does not follow. I was pointing out how we could, and should, use floating nuclear power plants to meet our energy needs, at least in the near future. Long term geothermal might contribute some small portion of our total energy needs. Long term we will need nuclear fission for ene
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We still have a Department of Energy? (Score:4, Insightful)
This statement was made just seconds before Elon Musk marched right up onto the stage, slapped the DOE across the face, and shouted, "You get 'clean energy' out of your mouth!" The problem was resolved with the Musk administration re-branding the agency "Department of Petroleum."
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It's important to include all the corporate entities and oligarchs who own the government and country.
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You are literally hallucinating.
No, SethJohnson was being satirical. Your satire meter is broken,
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And after that they the went on to tell Americans not buying a Tesla is unamerican. Oh wait that last bit is actually true.
Hard to tell where fiction and farce and and reality begins these days.
This is how you get multiple Skynets (Score:1)
Or maybe (Score:2)
Gee, instead of data centers built to run AI to replace people, maybe we could use that power in the grid, and lower the cost of electricity for the rest of us.
drilling (Score:2)
In the past, geothermal power was economically feasible only in areas where magma was near the surface, such as The Geysers in Norcal.
There are currently some outfits who claim they can drill deep enough in other areas. It remains to be seen whether or not that is vaporware.