Energy Unplugged by Aurora EP.239 Dawn Owens on Geothermal Power in the US
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Apr 15, 2025 Dawn Owens, Head of Project Development at Fervo Energy and an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford, dives deep into the fascinating world of geothermal power. She contrasts traditional methods with innovative enhanced geothermal systems, illustrating their vast potential. The discussion explores the challenges of commercialization, market incentives for flexibility, and the engineering complexities involved in developing geothermal projects. With her extensive experience, Dawn sheds light on how geothermal energy can evolve as a crucial player in the U.S. power landscape.
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Drilling Drives Geothermal Costs
- Drilling and well stimulation comprise 50-60% of EGS capital costs while power conversion is 20-40%.
- Operating costs are low due to free geothermal fuel and minimal moving parts, emphasizing drilling efficiency for cost reduction.
Adopt Modular Development for Scale
- Treat enhanced geothermal as a modular technology to enable standardization and faster deployment.
- Focus R&D on drilling performance to reduce costs and increase competitiveness below $60 per MWh.
Geothermal as Flexible Baseload Power
- Geothermal provides stable baseload power but can also be flexible and load-following with innovations like FervoFlex.
- This flexibility turns geothermal into a low-cost, long-duration energy storage akin to hydro pumped storage.
