Sage Geothermal, which inked a deal last year to provide geothermal power to tech giant Meta, has preliminarily partnered with ABB to develop low carbon energy storage and power generation, according to a Feb. 4 news release.

As part of the memorandum of understanding, ABB said it will support Sage’s agreement with Meta for the project east of the Rocky Mountains. ABB’s work scope will include investigating how its automation, electrification and digital technology can be deployed at geothermal sites to maximize energy efficiency and reliability.

“To be able to exploit the potential of geothermal energy to enable a low-carbon society, we need cross-industry collaborations to drive advancements in the technology,” said Per Erik Holsten, president of ABB Energy Industries.

ABB said it could also develop solutions for Sage’s energy storage technology. As explained in the news release, Sage’s Geopressured Geothermal Systems technology pumps fluid at pressure into a manmade subsurface reservoir. The stored water is then heated and released back to the surface using pressure or mechanical energy. From there, the water moves through heat exchangers and turbines to generate electricity.

“We are focused on scaling our proprietary Geopressured Geothermal Systems (GGS) technology and our partnership with ABB will advance the widespread deployment of next-generation geothermal,” said Sage Geosystems CEO Cindy Taff. “Unlike traditional renewable energy sources, geothermal solutions, including energy storage and baseload power generation, can provide an on-demand source of clean energy that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

Sage agreed in 2024 to deliver up to 150 megawatts of geothermal energy to Meta to help meet growing data center electricity needs. The project’s first phase is expected to be operational by 2027, the release stated.

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