One of the problems with the data center boom is its use of fresh water. How does geo-thermal plants use water and how much?
To clarify, our 400' water source is the same aquifer that supplies drinking water to the state.
The water management districts will rubber-stamp permits for these wells. No one else gets off that easy.
Baring leaks, ground source heat pump geo will consume no water at all. Water is pumped from one layer of the aquifer and is returned to a slightly higher layer.
How do you cool the steam off enough to condense so it can go and be boiler feed water again?
Lots of power plants use cooling towers for this which are typically evaporative. Some are dry, sure, but most are wet.
Our method is open on both ends. It draws from one layer of the aquifer and then returns the water to an adjacent layer.