The next generation leader in geothermal power, Fervo Energy, today announced to design and engineer a fully integrated DAC facility to capture carbon dioxide through multiple methods and use geothermal energy at economical cost for generating electricity. Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support DAC geothermal plant by Fervo.
In the Direct Air Capture facility (DAC), large fans move air over materials that hold carbon dioxide. This captured CO2 is heated and concentrated and then in various instances, it is pumped underground. To operate sustainably and economically, DAC needs a reliable carbon-free heat and electricity source. An innovative solution to these challenges is the newly designed geothermal and direct air capture facility by Fervo. It will also reduce the carbon removal cost.
Tim Latimer, CEO of Fervo said, “Geothermal can deliver the carbon-free power and heat needed to make DAC a viable means for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. With robust expertise in geosciences and new support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Fervo is well positioned to drive innovation in carbon removal and demonstrate the natural alignment between geothermal and DAC.â€
With this new funding, Fervo gained support for its geothermal resources to provide 24 by 7 heat and carbon-free power to its DAC system. With this project, the company is exploring the potential of their geothermal reservoirs for local and subsurface carbon sequestration.
Founded in 2015 by Dr. Priscilla Chan and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) funds support organizations working to develop promising solutions for climate change, along with the removal of carbon dioxide.
Fervo has adapted to existing innovations like distributed fiber optic sensing and horizontal drilling in its pioneering next-generation geothermal technology. Together with these innovations, their aim is to fight climate change by converting hot rock reservoirs beneath the earth into economically viable clean energy resources.
With leading experts in carbon removal, Doug Hollett, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy, and Dr. Vikram Rao, Technical Reviewer for the Stripe Frontier Climate Initiative & former CTO of Halliburton, the company established a Technical Advisory Board to guide the project.
Caitlyn Fox, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, CZI said, “Carbon removal technologies are a critical tool for addressing climate change. In order to scale carbon removal, costs need to come down dramatically. Fervo’s unique integration of next-generation geothermal technology with direct air capture creates exciting opportunities to develop rigorous carbon removal at a lower cost while providing a reliable, abundant, carbon-free source of power and heat.â€
Also Read: Solar Energy VS Geothermal Energy: Which is Right For You?
Limiting warning to 1.5° Celsius issued by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) requires the net removal of 100 to 1000 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2100. In the future, electric grid geothermal energy will have an important role. Key advancements in drilling and sub surfacing analytics by the company bring in modern technology to make geothermal cost competitive.
CZI also aims to solve societal challenges like improved education, eradicating diseases, along with addressing other needs of communities. Soon after the announcement another news flashed, that a $25 million DAC Center is being established at the Pittsburgh campus of the lab by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Energy Department. With this Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support DAC geothermal plant by Fervo begins.
Source: Fervo Energy
