Geothermal Energy Soars as Tech Giants Fund Clean Power

California proved solar and wind could power millions of homes, but the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow when we need it most.

Enter geothermal energy, the steady workhorse of clean power that's been quietly humming along since the 1960s. The Geysers, a massive geothermal plant north of San Francisco, has delivered electricity nonstop for over 60 years, powering more than 1 million homes from steam rising through volcanic rock.

Now this reliable renewable is getting a major upgrade. Tech companies desperate to power AI data centers are investing hundreds of millions in next-generation geothermal projects across the American West.

Meta just signed deals for 300 megawatts of geothermal power using technology that doesn't require new water resources. Google partnered with Nevada Energy for 150 megawatts of geothermal capacity that also captures waste heat from data centers.

The breakthrough is called Enhanced Geothermal Systems, or EGS. It uses the same drilling expertise developed for oil and gas to create underground reservoirs in hot, dry rock. Water circulates through these man-made fractures, returns as steam, and spins turbines to generate electricity.

Think of it as fracking for steam instead of oil. The controversial technique is finding unexpected allies across the political spectrum because it puts experienced drilling crews and engineers to work on clean energy.

California's oil-rich Kern County stands to gain jobs and investment as the geothermal buildout accelerates. Old oil wells could even store thermal energy, giving new life to tapped-out drilling sites.

The economics are improving fast. Since 2015, next-generation geothermal costs have dropped from over $120 per megawatt-hour to below $70, with projections approaching $50 in some areas.

Southern California Edison signed a contract for 320 megawatts from Fervo Energy's Utah project. Fervo raised $462 million last December, including investment from California's massive teachers' pension fund.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about keeping AI servers running. The technology and infrastructure being developed today could eventually provide abundant public energy that runs day and night, regardless of weather.

Companies like Sage Geosystems are engineering geothermal systems you can turn on and off as needed, matching the grid's rhythm. That flexibility could help replace natural gas, which still supplies 40 percent of California's electricity during evening peaks and heat waves.

The Trump administration fast-tracked geothermal permitting on federal lands, while announcing plans for tech companies to fund grid expansion through a "ratepayer protection pledge." The details remain fuzzy, but the principle is sound: the companies creating massive new electricity demand should help pay for clean solutions.

Meanwhile, drilling expertise that once extracted fossil fuels is now tapping into virtually unlimited heat beneath our feet, creating jobs and clean power in communities that know energy work best.

The planet's molten core has been waiting 4 billion years to help us solve our energy crisis.