Cindy Taff

Cindy Taff is the CEO of Texas-based geothermal energy startup Sage Geosystems. Under her leadership, the company has been working to connect what could be the world’s first geopressured geothermal storage to the grid—a target it hopes to hit by the end of this year. This comes after successfully testing what it has dubbed its “earthen battery” technology, for which it raised $17 million in Series A funding in February. The system works by pumping and storing huge volumes of water underground, where pressure builds up against rocks; when the pressure is released, the force of the water can turn a turbine to generate electricity. In testament to the promise of its technology, Sage Geosystems announced a partnership with Meta in August to develop 150 megawatts of geothermal energy to power the tech company’s data centers beginning in 2027.

What’s one sustainability effort you personally will try to adopt in the next year, and why?

One sustainability effort I personally plan to adopt in the next year is to further reduce my reliance on single-use plastics. While it seems like a small step compared to large-scale energy projects, the cumulative impact of daily choices can’t be underestimated. By making more conscious decisions—whether it's opting for reusable packaging or supporting businesses that prioritize circular economies—I'm hoping to contribute to reducing waste and lowering my carbon footprint. These individual actions, when scaled, can drive broader cultural change and complement the bigger shifts we’re striving for in energy and technology.

What is a climate solution (other than your own) that isn't getting the attention or funding it deserves?

Pumped storage hydropower is a climate solution that’s not getting the attention or funding it deserves. While lithium-ion batteries get a lot of the spotlight, pumped storage hydropower offers long-duration energy storage that can provide stability to the grid for days, not just hours. By storing excess energy during times of low demand and releasing it when renewables like solar and wind are not producing, it can play a critical role in balancing the intermittent nature of renewables. Investing in pumped storage hydropower infrastructure could be a game-changer in achieving a reliable, clean energy future.

What's the most important climate legislation that could pass in the next year?

One of the most crucial legislative actions we could see in the next year is a focus on faster permitting processes for renewable energy projects. This, coupled with speeding up the interconnection queue for renewable assets, would significantly reduce the time it takes for clean energy to come online. Additionally, we need to strengthen the supply chain for renewable technologies to ensure that materials and components are available at scale to meet increasing demand. These three areas—permitting, interconnection, and supply chain—are critical to accelerating the energy transition and achieving meaningful progress on climate goals.