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BEAVER — Southwest Utah will soon be home to the world's largest next-generation geothermal energy project that will deliver 400 megawatts of 24/7 carbon-free electricity.
Texas-based Fervo Energy — a leader in next-generation geothermal technology — on Monday broke ground on its exploration drilling campaign at Cape Station in Beaver County.
Unlike existing geothermal projects, this one is different in the sense that it doesn't require the presence of hot springs or geysers to deliver carbon-free energy to the grid. With Fervo calling the project a new era of enhanced geothermal energy, some may wonder what exactly that means.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an enhanced geothermal system is a man-made reservoir, created where there is hot rock but insufficient or little natural permeability or fluid saturation. Fluid is then injected into the subsurface under carefully controlled conditions, which cause pre-existing fractures to reopen, creating permeability.
Estimates from the department say that these unique energy systems have the potential to power more than 65 million homes and businesses throughout the nation.
"Today's event highlights the Biden-Harris administration's all-of-government approach to helping usher in a legacy of clean and sustainable energy that will live on far beyond our tenures," Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Laura Daniel Davis said in a statement. "At the Interior Department, we have been moving quickly to meet President Biden's goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. The Cape Station geothermal energy project we are celebrating today is an important milestone in our effort to make that goal a reality."
The Cape Station project will begin delivering around-the-clock, clean power to the grid in 2026 and reach full-scale production in 2028, all while providing a significant boost to Beaver County's economy along the way, according to Fervo.
The company added that during its construction, Cape Station will provide around 6,600 jobs and 160 full-time jobs during its operation, generating over $437 million in earned wages.
The Utah Bureau of Land Management in February approved the project's first environmental assessment when it issued a finding of no significant impact pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, allowing Fervo to begin exploration activities at the Cape Station site.
"Utah is no stranger to energy leadership. For decades, oil and gas workers in the Uinta Basin have produced energy vital to the growth of not just our state but our nation," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at the groundbreaking. "Geothermal innovations like those pioneered by Fervo will play a critical role in extending Utah's energy leadership for generations to come."
Utah's no stranger to energy leadership, and there's no better place to build the next-generation geothermal energy industry than our state!
— Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) September 26, 2023
Cape Station, the world's largest commercial next-generation geothermal project, broke ground yesterday in Beaver County. This project… pic.twitter.com/sJIHMkp6Dp
According to the Utah Geological Survey, the Beehive State is home to one of the most abundant geothermal resources in the world — a fact that certainly drew Fervo to the southwest reaches of the state. Researchers estimate that the southwest portion of the state contains more than 10 gigawatts of high-quality geothermal reserves, Fervo says.
"Beaver County, Utah is the perfect place to deploy our next-generation geothermal technology," Tim Latimer, Fervo Energy CEO and co-founder said in a statement. "The warmth and hospitality we have experienced from the communities of Milford and Beaver have allowed us to embark on a clean energy journey none of us could have imagined just a few years ago. Thanks to cutting-edge research and data collection from FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy), Fervo can accelerate the production of the region's geothermal resources."
The U.S. Department of Energy's Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy is a dedicated field site in Milford, Beaver County — led by the University of Utah, Energy and Geoscience Institute and other organizations — where scientists and engineers can develop, test and accelerate breakthroughs in enhanced geothermal systems technologies and techniques.
In total, Cape Station is positioned to channel $1.1 billion to supply chains and local businesses in the area, according to Fervo.
"Fervo's Cape Station will be a tremendous asset to the Milford Valley, breathing life into the local economy and providing jobs to our hard-working residents," Milford Mayor Nolan Davis said in a statement.
