Google Cloud announced a collaboration with SLB and Project Innerspace to drive the adoption of global geothermal energy. This collaboration will combine Project Innerspace’s extensive geothermal dataset from its GeoMap tool with SLB’s GeothermEx geothermal consulting services to accelerate the identification and development of geothermal resources worldwide.
Energy demand is increasing due to economic growth and industrialization. A recent IEA report, produced in partnership with Project Innerspace, indicates that geothermal energy has the potential to meet global electricity demands 140 times over, second only to solar photovoltaic among clean energy technologies. This collaboration between established energy technology companies such as SLB and organizations like Project Innerspace will provide insightful information about geothermal potential to various ecosystem stakeholders.
The tool in use throughout the collaboration – GeoMap – was developed by Project Innerspace with the support of a global team of more than 100 researchers and scientists and is hosted on Google Earth Engine. The tool also leverages Google Cloud’s scalable infrastructure, BigQuery, and Vertex AI. GeoMap integrates diverse datasets, allowing users to visualize and analyze geothermal potential across different regions, effectively pinpointing promising locations for development. By combining Project Innerspace’s mapping technology, SLB’s geothermal expertise, and Google Cloud’s powerful computing resources, the collaboration aims to simplify the process of identifying, developing, and deploying geothermal energy solutions globally.
This work builds on Google’s leadership to support the development of advanced geothermal technologies that can provide around-the-clock clean energy. In 2024, Google announced a new model to commercialize this technology in partnership with electric utilities.
Irlan Amir, Vice President, Renewables and Energy Efficiency at SLB
SLB’s deep geothermal expertise, combined with Project Innerspace’s advanced visualization and analysis, can significantly accelerate the development of geothermal assets worldwide. This synergy empowers industry players to leverage the available data and SLB’s GeothermEx team’s expertise to rapidly assess project viability and drive faster deployment of this critical clean and firm energy source.
Jamie Beard, Executive Director, Project Innerspace
A central component of our theory of systemic change at Project Innerspace is the conviction that leveraging the technologies, capabilities, speed, and scale of the oil and gas industry is necessary to grow geothermal into a thriving global powerhouse. Indeed, should the oil and gas industry engage in geothermal at scale, it would be transformational for global economic growth, stability, and prosperity. It is our ambition as we build on this collaboration that we shift the massive potential of geothermal from the abstract into high-impact reality. It’s time to get boots on the ground.
Kyle Jessen, Managing Director, Energy Sector, Google Cloud
This collaboration paves the way for widespread geothermal deployment on a global scale and will help meet future energy needs. By bringing Project Innerspace’s GeoMap, built on Google Cloud’s AI and data technologies, and SLB’s expertise in geothermal energy, businesses will have access to the tools and experience needed to grow geothermal energy programs around the world.