Bill Gates is backing 15,000-ft geothermal project
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is investing in a groundbreaking 15,000-foot deep geothermal project in Utah. The initiative, spearheaded by Fervo Energy, a company backed by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy, aims to generate electricity from heat deep underground. Fervo plans to supply nearly 400 MW of geothermal power to Google, with the first 70 MW of electricity set to be delivered by 2026, and full capacity to be achieved by 2028.
This project will be able to power approximately 350,000 homes in Southern California. Unlike traditional geothermal plants that rely on naturally occurring reservoirs, Fervo uses enhanced geothermal systems, drilling deep into hot rock and creating pathways for water to circulate and generate steam. The company has already made significant progress, with one of its wells reaching 15,765 feet deep, with temperatures estimated to be around 520°F.
Bill Gates has provided $100 million in project-level financing for Fervo as part of a $206 million financing package, highlighting his commitment to exploring clean-energy technologies that can provide reliable electricity without fossil fuels.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
