SUNYA SCOOP

Geothermal goes Meta

August 27, 2024

Sage Geosystems and Meta announce agreement for next-generation geothermal power generation

  • Sage Geosystems and Meta have announced an agreement to significantly expand geothermal power use in the U.S.  

  • This partnership represents the first use of next-generation geothermal power east of the Rocky Mountains.  

  • The agreement highlights the role of clean power in meeting increasing electricity demands driven by the tech sector.  

  • The collaboration aims to deliver up to 150 MW of new geothermal baseload power to support Meta's data center growth.  

  • Sage will use its proprietary Geopressured Geothermal System to provide carbon-free power to Meta’s data centers.  

  • The GGS technology, validated in early 2022, marks a significant advancement in clean energy capabilities.  

  • Sage's approach utilizes abundant hot dry rock resources, making it highly scalable for rapid expansion.  

  • The first phase of the project is expected to be operational by 2027.

DOE invests $31 million to reduce costs and expand geothermal energy

  • The U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of six projects receiving up to $31 million to advance geothermal energy in the country.  

  • These projects will improve the construction of enhanced geothermal systems and demonstrate reservoir thermal energy storage to reduce industrial energy needs.  

  • The selected projects include initiatives from Clemson University, Innovative Downhole Solutions Inc., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Schlumberger Technology Corporation, and Project Development Solutions, Inc.  

AM Green Ammonia reaches FID on green ammonia project located in Kakinada, India

  • FID for one of the world's largest green ammonia projects has been achieved.

  • The project targets production of 1 million tons annually by 2026, with a long-term goal of 5 million tons by 2030.

  • The company partners with John Cockerill for advanced pressurized alkaline electrolyzers to ensure lowest-cost green molecules through continuous renewable energy.

  • Most of the production will be exported to Europe, supporting green hydrogen goals in both India and Europe while aiding global decarbonization.

  • The project will include a green hydrogen generation unit and its conversion to green ammonia at an acquired Kakinada urea plant, with production starting in the second half of 2026.

  • Offtake term sheets have been executed with major companies for green hydrogen applications.

  • The company has secured 1300 MW of round-the-clock carbon-free power through a combination of 4500 MW solar and wind hybrid capacity and 950 MW of pump storage capacity.

LS Power closes oversubscribed Fund V at $2.7 billion

  • LS Power Group has successfully closed its latest fund, LS Power Equity Partners V, at approximately $2.7 billion.  

  • This amount exceeded its initial target of $2.5 billion.  

  • Fund V will focus on investing in power and energy infrastructure across renewables, conventional generation, and distributed energy resources.  

  • LS Power has raised a total of $60 billion in debt and equity capital and developed over 47 GW and 160 power generation projects.  

  • LS Power Grid has developed 16 transmission projects that serve 185 million people, totaling over 780 miles of high voltage transmission.  

  • Fund V has already committed around $1.6 billion to renewable and gas-fired generation, renewable fuels, and green hydrogen projects.  

  • One recent investment involved acquiring Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.'s North American renewable energy business, which has a pipeline of 8 GW across various states.  

Vitis Energy acquires 200MW energy storage project from Black Mountain Energy Storage

  • Black Mountain Energy Storage announced the closure of the Apache Hill project with Vitis Energy on July 24th.  

  • Vitis Energy, launched in 2022, focuses on the ownership of solar, battery, and hydrogen-ready power plants.  

  • The Apache Hill project is located in Hood County and will expand Vitis Energy's presence in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.  

  • The 200MW Apache Hill project is near the 2.4GW Comanche Peak nuclear plant, enhancing ERCOT's grid reliability.  

  • The project will utilize flexible battery technology to support the reliability and sustainability of the Texas electric grid.  

  • Construction is set to begin imminently, with commercial operations expected by late 2026.  

EDP collaborates with Microsoft on largest solar energy portfolio in Singapore

  • Microsoft will purchase 100% of the renewable energy from EDP Renewables' SolarNova 8 project in Singapore.

  • This is the second agreement between EDP and Microsoft in Singapore, building on a collaboration that began in 2018.

  • EDPR's SolarNova 8 project will provide up to 200MWp of capacity, aimed at decarbonizing Microsoft's operations through a 20-year agreement.

  • The SolarNova program includes the installation of solar capacity on over 1,000 public housing buildings and more than 100 government-owned buildings in Singapore.

  • This initiative is the largest solar project in Singapore and the biggest under the government’s SolarNova program.

  • The program has set a new solar target of 540 MWp by 2030, contributing to the national solar targets of 1.5 GWp by 2025 and 2 GWp by 2030.

Sunly raises €300 million for renewable projects across the Baltics and Poland

  • Sunly has raised €300 million in debt financing to accelerate the construction of 1.3 GW of renewable energy projects in the Baltics and Poland.  

  • This investment is led by Rivage Investment and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, with participation from Kommunal Landspensjonskasse.  

  • Sunly plans to develop integrated hybrid parks combining wind, solar, and energy storage to optimize production and lessen reliance on fossil fuels.  

  • The initial projects to benefit from the financing include the 244 MW Risti solar park in Estonia and four solar parks in Latvia with a combined capacity of 553 MW.  

  • Sunly's total renewable capacity will increase to 1.6 GW with a goal of reaching 4.6 GW by 2030 following this investment.  

  • The company has backed its expansion with €765 million in debt and equity capital from various investors, including the EBRD.  

CleanCapital invests in Arena Renewables

  • CleanCapital has formed a solar development partnership with Arena Renewables, founded in 2023.  

  • This partnership aims to advance solar energy development in the U.S. and expand the clean energy ecosystem.  

  • Together, they will finance and develop a portfolio of distributed solar projects focusing on community solar and corporate offtake.  

  • The company's development pipeline now includes nearly two gigawatts of solar and over eight gigawatt-hours of energy storage.  

  • CleanCapital has invested over $1 billion in renewable projects and firms.

  • Arena Renewables has established a pipeline of over 500 megawatts of projects across the United States.

Nuclear startup, Deep Fission, emerges with $4mm in backing led by 8VC

  • Deep Fission Inc., a nuclear energy startup, has emerged from stealth mode with a $4 million pre-seed funding round led by 8VC.  

  • The company aims to redefine nuclear power by placing reactors one mile underground to enhance safety, sustainability, and efficiency while reducing costs.  

  • Founded in 2023 by Elizabeth and Richard Muller, Deep Fission uses traditional pressurized water reactor designs in an innovative underground environment.  

  • The underground approach eliminates the need for large pressure vessels and containment structures, allowing the use of conventional low-enriched uranium fuel.  

  • The new funding will help accelerate hiring, regulatory approval, and the commercialization of Deep Fission's technology.  

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.