Fervo Energy Begins Selling Power From Geothermal Plant After 23 Months

Fervo Energy has started selling electricity from its Cape Station project to the grid, marking a commercial milestone for enhanced geothermal power. The company announced the start on September 30, one day ahead of schedule, according to TechCrunch.

The first block took 23 months from groundbreaking to commercial operation. It is the first third of a plant that is expected to reach 100 megawatts. Fervo said it aims to complete future blocks in as little as 18 months as it refines its process.

The plant synchronized with the grid about a week before sales began. Cape Station could eventually have the capacity to generate as much as 4 gigawatts, a potential figure Fervo had previously shared with TechCrunch.

Enhanced geothermal projects drill deeper than traditional geothermal facilities to reach hotter rock. Developing a site in phases can let electricity generation expand over time. Google, Southern California Edison and other buyers have committed to purchasing power from Cape Station.

Fervo was founded in 2017 and applies drilling techniques and technologies from the oil and gas sector to geothermal development. The company went public in May in an IPO that raised $1.9 billion. As a startup, it raised more than $1.3 billion from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Congruent Ventures and Capricorn Investment Group.