Google’s massive data centres are some of the most energy-intensive ones on the planet. To offset some of the carbon it emits, the company is now harnessing the power of geothermal energy to run some of its data centers, the company announced on Tuesday.
Google revealed that it has partnered with Fervo, a clean energy company, to build a first-of-its-kind geothermal project in Nevada.
Geothermal energy uses the heat from the Earth’s core to generate electricity. Fervo’s technology involves pumping cold water deep underground, where it turns into steam. The steam then drives a turbine, producing energy that can power Google’s cloud and artificial intelligence operations in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno, as shared by Gizmodo.
The project is part of Google’s ambitious goal to become carbon-free by 2030. “We set an ambitious goal to operate our data centers and office campuses on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) on every grid where we operate by 2030, with the ultimate aim of accelerating the decarbonization of the world’s electricity systems,” wrote Google.
Geothermal energy being more stable and predictable than wind or solar, which depend on weather conditions, is likely the reason Google went with it. It is also more scalable and efficient than other renewable energy sources.
“We see our efforts as part of a bigger picture. As we continue on our journey to 24/7 CFE, we’ll keep pushing boundaries, testing new ideas and working with others to transform the power sector globally,” wrote Google.
Check out Google’s blog post here.
Image credit: Google
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