It is heating up in the land Down Under as an abundance of geothermal potential lies under the surface – potential that Google wants to harness in order to meet its 2030 energy goals.
Already in a prosperous position in terms of renewables, with 9% of the country’s electricity consumption in 2022-2023 being produced by green sources according to the Government, there is still a long road ahead, but Google believes the geothermal potential within the region can aid in meeting global electricity demand sustainably.
As part of Google’s Digital Future Initiative – a US$1bn investment in Australian infrastructure, research and partnerships in order to build a more reliable and stronger digital future for Australians – Google has partnered with the University of Newcastle and its research institute Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) to conduct new research into geothermal development within the country.
Geo goes global
The advanced research initiative builds on Google’s goal to aid in the development and scaling of geothermal technologies across the globe. In 2021, the company partnered with next-gen geothermal technology supplier Fervo Energy in the US on the world’s first corporate agreement to develop an enhanced geothermal power project in Nevada. In 2023, the project broke new ground and began supplying power to the local grid which supplies Google’s data centres in the state.
Google has also undertaken a partnership with Project InnerSpace, an organisation dedicated to the rapid global development of geothermal energy, to collaborate on GeoMap technology: a free online tool which provides subsurface data and analytics to assess geothermal potential worldwide.
Revelling in the success geothermal deployment is having in the States, Google is turning its attention to the other side of the world, but in order to do so, several barriers have to be overcome – namely high upfront costs and technical economic and regulatory limitations.
Fortunately, in light of recent technological advancements regarding geothermal utilisation, the extraction and production of geothermal energy is becoming more accessible with new approaches to drilling, innovation such as fibre-optic sensing and advanced analytics to help experts explore new potential sites more cost effectively.
Now, the new research study conducted by Associate Professor Elham Doroodchi at the University of Newcastle aids in determining Australia’s role within the geothermal sector by analysing and unlocking the region’s full potential scope. The study will analyse the feasibility of geothermal energy on the East Coast, with help from Solution Energy, a leader in geothermal development in Australia, who will support the execution of the study.
Looking further ahead, if these studies aid in the development and understanding of geothermal energy, Google Australia will continue to explore collaboration opportunities with Solution Energy and other operators to work towards its 2030 objectives. Success with the studies could also help map out the country’s national geothermal resources and aid in the development of GeoMap Australia.