Facebook owner Meta Platforms has signed a deal with Sage Geosystems to purchase geothermal energy to power its U.S. data centers, the company said on Monday. The company is currently building out infrastructure to support its massive investments in energy-hungry artificial intelligence.
First reported by local media ReutersMeta’s announcement was part of a U.S. Department of Energy event on geothermal energy development. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is calling on major technology companies to invest in new clean power generation to meet its growing electricity needs.
The rapid adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as generative AI requires large amounts of electricity to power data centers. If not addressed in a targeted manner, this development could jeopardize the U.S. goal of decarbonizing the energy sector by 2035.
Once the first phase is completed by 2027, the 150-megawatt geothermal project is expected to significantly increase geothermal energy use in the U.S. Further details on the exact location have yet to be determined, but the companies said it will be east of the Rocky Mountains. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that uses the earth’s internal heat to generate electricity and heat water. For comparison, 150 megawatts is enough to power approximately 38,000 homes.
This deal represents an important step for Meta in its efforts to develop more sustainable data centers while accelerating the growth of its generative AI division.
