Partnerships key to scaling geothermal energy
Sage Geosystems‘ Geopressured Geothermal System (GGS) energy storage facility (source: Sage)
Alexander Richter
9 Jun 2025
Building on its work with Sage Geosystems, ABB highlights how advanced technologies and industry partnerships can unlock geothermal’s full global potential.
Following the February 2025 announcement of its partnership with Sage Geosystems on geopressured geothermal systems, ABB has shared further insights on how such collaborations can support the global scale-up of geothermal energy.
In commentary by Vijay Rengaraju, Global Industry Business Manager for Power Generation at ABB Energy Industries, the company emphasizes geothermal’s potential role in addressing rapidly growing electricity demand – particularly from data centers, AI, and digital infrastructure.
Read the original article: Sage and ABB partner on developing geopressured geothermal systems
The case for geothermal in the energy transition
While geothermal has long played a niche role, accounting for less than 1% of global power generation, new technologies and rising energy needs are shifting the equation. According to the IEA, geothermal could meet up to 15% of global electricity demand growth by 2050 – equivalent to 800 GW of additional capacity.
Geothermal energy offers:
- Baseload and grid-stabilizing power
- Minimal greenhouse gas emissions
- Applications beyond electricity, such as district heating and industrial use
ABB believes that scaling geothermal is not just possible, but essential – particularly as energy-hungry sectors seek reliable, low-carbon supply options.
Technology transfer and digitalization
ABB’s work with Sage Geosystems exemplifies the role of strategic partnerships in unlocking complex geothermal systems. The two companies are collaborating to deploy ABB’s automation, electrification, and digital tools at geothermal sites, including those using Sage’s geopressured geothermal and energy storage technologies.
Geopressured systems, which extract both thermal energy and pressure-driven flow, offer a new pathway for geothermal development in sedimentary basins.
ABB’s broader contribution lies in its ability to transfer knowledge from other sectors—such as oil and gas, power, and industry – into geothermal. This includes:
- Subsurface analysis and project design
- Industrial automation and instrumentation
- AI, digital twins, and cloud-based operations
These capabilities are especially important for emerging geothermal technologies like engineered (EGS) and advanced geothermal systems (AGS), which depend on precise modeling, controls, and efficiency optimization.
Meeting future power demand – sustainably
The ABB–Sage partnership is part of a wider push to ensure that data centers and digital infrastructure adopt low-carbon energy solutions. In 2024, Sage signed a deal to supply Meta with up to 150 MW of geothermal baseload power, with first power expected by 2027.
As ABB notes, meeting future power needs sustainably will require:
- Significant public and private investment
- Favorable permitting and policy conditions
- Integrated solutions across the energy value chain
ABB sees its role not only as a supplier of equipment, but as a technology partner helping the geothermal industry scale more efficiently and cost-effectively.
A collaborative energy future
“The new energy future will not build itself,” says Rengaraju. “But with the right partnerships, the right technology innovation and stable policy frameworks, we can unlock geothermal energy’s full potential.”
By combining ABB’s technical expertise with the entrepreneurial innovation of companies like Sage Geosystems, the geothermal sector may be well-positioned to grow from niche to mainstream in the decades ahead.
Source: press release
