Zero: The Climate Race cover image

Zero: The Climate Race

The greenest reason to drill: clean geothermal power that's always on

Aug 29, 2024
Tim Latimer, founder of geothermal startup Fervo and former drilling engineer in the oil and gas sector, shares his journey towards clean energy. He discusses Fervo's recent achievements, including a new power plant in Nevada and ambitious plans for expansion in places like Kenya and Indonesia. The conversation highlights the innovative techniques borrowed from fossil fuel drilling to enhance geothermal energy production. Latimer also touches on the financing complexities of large-scale projects and the evolving role of geothermal in the green energy landscape.
38:53

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Geothermal energy provides a consistent, near-zero emissions electricity solution, leveraging advanced drilling techniques to unlock untapped heat sources.
  • The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy facilitates the integration of skilled oil and gas workers into the geothermal sector, enhancing project development.

Deep dives

The Role of Geothermal Power in the Energy Transition

Geothermal power offers a near-zero emissions solution for electricity generation that is available consistently, in contrast to solar and wind energy, which can be intermittent. This energy source has a long history, yet offers significant untapped potential, particularly when utilizing advancements in technology. The innovative approach of using fracking techniques from the oil and gas sector allows geothermal plants to access additional heat sources that were previously unreachable. Countries like Iceland and Kenya show how geothermal energy can transform economies, indicating a similar potential for other developing nations.

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