Hamed Soroush on Turning the Subsurface Into Clean Energy Batteries cover art

Hamed Soroush on Turning the Subsurface Into Clean Energy Batteries

Hamed Soroush on Turning the Subsurface Into Clean Energy Batteries

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The Green Impact Report

Quick take: Hamed Soroush reveals how subsurface thermal energy storage can cut data center cooling power by 80% while creating 6-month energy batteries from underground rocks—plus the mindset shift that transformed his oil & gas expertise into breakthrough clean energy solutions.

Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion

Hamed Soroush is a subsurface engineering expert and entrepreneur who has led over 350 consulting projects across seven countries. As founder of Teverra, he's pioneering technologies that transform underground formations into long-term energy storage systems. A former SPE Distinguished Lecturer, Hamed bridges oil & gas innovation with clean energy solutions, focusing on geothermal energy, carbon storage, and thermal energy systems that can store energy for months without significant loss.

🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building

In this episode, Hamed revolutionizes traditional energy approaches:

Key Insight #1: Subsurface Rocks Are Nature's Ultimate Batteries

  • The Challenge: Current battery technologies offer only 4-10 hour storage while renewable energy needs long-term solutions
  • The Solution: Heat rocks underground using excess renewable energy, storing thermal energy for 6+ months with only 5-6% loss
  • ROI: Creates "artificial geothermal reservoirs" that provide baseload renewable energy without the limitations of traditional batteries

Key Insight #2: Data Centers Can Cut Cooling Power by 80%

  • The Challenge: 40% of data center power consumption goes to cooling, limiting Georgia's ability to add new facilities
  • The Solution: Use subsurface formations and groundwater for district cooling systems
  • ROI: 80% reduction in cooling power consumption plus 70% cut in CO2 emissions, enabling more data centers with existing grid capacity

Key Insight #3: Transfer Oil & Gas Innovation to Clean Energy

  • The Challenge: Clean energy lacks the advanced subsurface technologies already proven in oil & gas
  • The Solution: Apply geomechanics, drilling expertise, and reservoir engineering to geothermal, carbon storage, and energy storage
  • ROI: Accelerates clean energy deployment by leveraging decades of subsurface innovation instead of starting from scratch

Sustainable Soundbite

"We are wasting almost half of the energy that we spend a lot of time, effort, and money to generate. And by saving this energy that's wasted, we can actually lift many country's people from poverty."

– Hamed Soroush

Your Green Building Action Plan

Transform your next project with these steps:

  1. This Week: Assess your building's cooling loads and explore subsurface cooling potential for energy efficiency gains
  2. This Quarter: Connect with local geothermal professionals to evaluate thermal energy storage opportunities for your portfolio
  3. This Year: Investigate district-scale thermal systems that can share energy between heating-dominant and cooling-dominant buildings

Connect & Learn More

  • 🌿 Learn about Teverra: Teverra.com
  • 🔗 Connect with Hamed Soroush: LinkedIn
  • 📚 Recommended reading: The Future is Faster Than You Think
  • 🗒️ Read the transcript [Link]

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