"Rodatherm Energy, a new geothermal startup, emerged from stealth Monday with $38 million in funding and a plan to build a pilot plan in Utah. The startup differentiates itself by plumbing its boreholes with a closed loop, likely made of steel, that's filled with a refrigerant. That contrasts with other enhanced geothermal companies, which tend to use water to transport heat from deep within the Earth."
"Rodatherm says that its closed-loop, refrigerant-based approach is 50% more efficient than a typical water-based system. Air-source heat pumps, commonly called minisplits, use hydrocarbon-based refrigerants to shift heat between indoors and out. The startup's patent on the technology says that the closed-loop design will eliminate the need for filters to screen grit and debris that open-loop systems might suck up as the water flowing through the ground breaks bits of rock loose."
"Fervo is considered the frontrunner in the space having raised nearly $1 billion. The company is on track to complete a 100-megawatt first phase of its Cape Station power plant next year with an additional 400 megawatts coming online in 2028. It also has a deal to supply Google with electricity for its data centers. XGS Energy also has a data center deal, one with Meta, to develop a 150-megawatt power plant in New Mexico to power the tech company's data centers."
Rodatherm Energy secured $38 million in Series A funding to build a pilot geothermal plant in Utah using closed-loop, refrigerant-filled boreholes likely made of steel. The closed-loop design avoids circulating groundwater and is claimed to be 50% more efficient than water-based systems while reducing water use and eliminating filter needs for grit and debris. The technology resembles refrigerant-based heat transfer used in air-source heat pumps and is covered by a patent. The approach may raise drilling and installation costs compared with simpler systems. Rodatherm enters a competitive field including well-funded firms with large power projects and data-center contracts.
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