Fervo Energy has announced the launch of the Geothermal Sustainable Development Pact, a new framework designed to establish top-tier standards for how geothermal projects are planned, constructed, and operated.
The Pact outlines 37 commitments across six key pillars: community engagement, workforce development, land use, water conservation and well integrity, induced seismicity, and emissions.
As geothermal energy scales rapidly to meet global clean energy needs, the Pact provides a detailed roadmap to ensure that growth occurs responsibly, protecting ecosystems, supporting local communities, and advancing the transition to reliable, carbon-free power. Many of these commitments exceed current regulatory standards, setting a new industry benchmark for responsible geothermal growth.
The Pact also builds upon the Principles for Responsible Geothermal Development, co-developed by the Sierra Club and endorsed by both the Sierra Club and the NW Energy Coalition. Together, these documents form a shared vision for responsible geothermal development, translating it into actionable and measurable steps.
“The Geothermal Sustainable Development Pact was born out of a belief that the future of energy demands not just better technology, but better practices,” said Tim Latimer, CEO and Co-Founder of Fervo Energy. “We’re proud to have worked with the Sierra Club on the Principles and look forward to continued collaboration as we strengthen the Pact.”
“As energy demand continues to grow and our communities face rising costs every month, it is crucial that we consider all our options to meet this demand growth without sacrificing our health or environment,” said Sierra Club Principal Advisor Jeremy Fisher. “We are proud to endorse Fervo’s Statement of Principles for Sustainable Geothermal Development that recognizes geothermal energy’s role in the clean energy transition while prioritizing the environmental and social impacts of geothermal development. We look forward to our future collaboration as we work together towards a cleaner, healthier, and more reliable future.”
Fervo highlighted that the Pact is designed as an open industry standard, encouraging developers, operators, policymakers, and community partners to become signatories and contribute to its evolution. By fostering a shared set of best practices, the Pact seeks to build a unified foundation for responsible geothermal development across the United States.
“NW Energy Coalition is pleased to see the launch of a conversation on responsible development of geothermal power moving forward,” said Fred Heutte, Senior Policy Analyst. “The Principles for Responsible Geothermal Development provide a strong starting point. With geothermal’s rapidly expanding potential to help meet our clean energy and affordability goals here in the Northwest and beyond, it is important to have the geothermal industry, communities, and Tribes at the table.”