To kick off Climate Week NYC, SOSV hosted a powerful conversation with Tim Latimer, CEO & Co-Founder of Fervo Energy moderated by SOSV General Partner Duncan Turner,.

The discussion ranged from Tim’s personal journey (including turning down a cushy corporate job to bet it all on geothermal and finding new inspiration as a dad determined to build a better future). Along the way, he shared the bold moves that have made Fervo one of the most exciting companies in the energy sector today. With more than $1B in funding and partnerships with global leaders like Google, Fervo is showing why geothermal is finally having its moment.

📺 Watch the full recording here.

One of the most striking parts of the conversation centered on global competition in clean energy. While China continues to dominate the production of solar, wind, and batteries, Tim highlighted a domestic “bright spot” or rather, hot spot that could give the US a leg up: geothermal energy.

Unlike solar panels or batteries, geothermal can’t simply be manufactured more cheaply overseas. It’s inherently location-based, which gives the U.S. a unique edge. As Tim put it:

“One thing that makes geothermal a little bit different than solar or battery installation is the percent of the project cost that’s actually on-site value at work is really high. We put a hole into the ground, which by definition, you get into right there at that spot.”

Fervo’s approach extends advanced oil and gas drilling techniques to geothermal, tapping into decades of domestic expertise. Tim noted that the U.S. has a “multi-decade enduring cost advantage” in this area, one that is very difficult to replicate in China.

With geothermal’s center of gravity being in the US, Latimer said that Fervo’s goal is to become “the biggest electricity company in the world,” and do so within the next 15 years.