Meta has signed an agreement with XGS Energy to supply 150 MW of geothermal power to power a data center in New Mexico, The Verge reports.
XGS Energy is developing next-generation geothermal technologies that enable the use of energy sources in places where it was previously impossible. One of the goals of this agreement is also to add carbon-free energy.
"Advances in AI require continued energy to support infrastructure development. With next-generation geothermal technologies like XGS ready for scale, geothermal can be a major player in supporting the advancement of technologies like AI as well as domestic data center development," said Urvi Parekh, Global Head of Energy at Meta.
XGS Energy uses geothermal power plants, which generate electricity using the Earth's heat, collecting hot liquids or steam from natural reservoirs to turn turbines. While this method is carbon-free, it is geographically limited, with only 0.5% of the U.S. electricity coming from geothermal energy.
In addition to XGS Energy, Meta also signed a deal with Sage Geosystems last year, also for 150 MW. Under the previous contract, the companies will develop new geothermal power plants, for which Sage uses hot, dry rock by drilling and injecting water underground.
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, large technology companies like Meta need much more electricity, including nuclear power. Meta previously announced that it had signed an agreement with a nuclear power plant in Illinois to supply electricity for its data centers.