Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram—has taken a bold step toward decarbonizing its AI-driven infrastructure with the help of California-based clean energy firm XGS Energy, inc. The companies have agreed to develop 150 MW of geothermal power in New Mexico, a move that will support Meta’s expanding data center operations in the region. While the deal is U.S.-based, its implications are global—especially for Africa, where data infrastructure is growing, but energy access remains uneven and often carbon-heavy.
XGS Energy is developing what it calls “next-generation geothermal,” using a closed-loop system that harvests heat from deep, high-temperature rock formations without relying on large volumes of water. This model: efficient, low-footprint, and deployable in dry environments, could revolutionize geothermal energy deployment in parts of Africa previously overlooked by conventional methods.
Meta’s deal comes as AI infrastructure demands spike globally. Training large language models and operating vast data centers is an energy-intensive undertaking. If not backed by clean, reliable energy sources, such expansion risks entrenching fossil fuel dependence or worsening grid instability in developing regions.
Africa stands at a digital crossroads. As countries race to localize data, expand cloud capacity, and roll out AI solutions across agriculture, healthcare, and finance, the continent must also ask: What will power all of it?
Meta has already met 100% of its operational energy needs from renewable sources since 2020 and aims to achieve net-zero emissions across its full value chain by 2030. The company expects to contribute nearly 10 GW of clean energy to U.S. grids by the end of 2025.
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For Africa, this is a challenge and an opportunity. Geothermal, already a cornerstone of Kenya’s electricity mix, could scale up dramatically if next-gen models like XGS’s are adopted. Crucially, these systems are better suited to arid zones—broadening the potential beyond East Africa’s Rift Valley to countries in West, North, and Southern Africa.
As the world’s largest tech firms map out their green energy futures, Africa must ensure it’s not left out of the innovation loop or the investment flows. Meta’s geothermal pivot is more than just corporate climate strategy; it’s a preview of the infrastructure race shaping tomorrow’s global digital economy. 
