As Big Tech pushes forward with new data centres, there is a growing need for reliable, clean power. Geothermal has emerged as a solution, enabled by next generation energy technologies which are unlocking new geographies.

Delivery of these technologies looks familiar – much of the physical build-out of new geothermal systems relies on traditional oil and gas expertise and equipment. Some oil and gas wells may be repurposed, and new wells will lean on previous learnings.

The opportunity is significant; investment in geothermal projects is forecast to reach $2.5tn by 2050, and geothermal could offer a cleaner pivot for traditional hydrocarbon infrastructure. However, questions remain around risk-sharing and delivery timelines.

Drilling down into the detail is Florent Rousset, vice president of new energy at Baker Hughes.

Eve Thomas, associate editor of GlobalData’s energy titles, is the host and producer of this episode.

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(00:00) Intro

(01:57) Geothermal for data centre power demand

(02:32) Oil and gas’ opportunity

(03:12) Infrastructure and know-how carry over

(04:06) Translating unconventional experience

(04:42) Repurposing technology for geothermal

(05:48) Challenges for geothermal compared to oil and gas

(06:47) Repurposing vs drilling new wells

(07:37) Planning for geology

(08:30) Risk-sharing with hyperscalers

(09:23) Timeline for delivering power

(10:00) Outro