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Geothermal PowerGeothermal power is a renewable energy source that converts the thermal energy trapped beneath Earth's surface into electricity. Steam created from this energy can be funneled into a turbine, which, when spun, produces electricity in an attached generator. The US generated more geothermal power than any other country in 2024, and advances in drilling technology are anticipated to greatly expand its use over the coming decades. Earth's internal thermal energy comes from three sources: leftover from collisions of material during the planet's formation, the decay of radioactive elements, and friction as dense material sinks toward the planet's core. This energy heats underground water reservoirs, which escape to the surface through steam vents, geysers, and hot springs. Harnessing the latter for heating systems represents the earliest example of human use of geothermal energy. The first geothermal power plants were built near natural vents, but subsequent plants have been built near geologically active regions, where wells can be drilled to access water near the surface. Although wells and, by extension, the geothermal plants that use them cost millions of dollars and carry seismic activity risks, they create a system that can run 24 hours a day by reinjecting most of the extracted water back into the Earth.Explore Geothermal Power

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Geothermal power plants can provide large-scale energy storage for other systemsThese facilities can store excess energy from solar and wind power as hot water or steam, which can be used to run turbines to generate electricity when other renewable energy sources are unavailable. Simulations have found efficiencies of 90% during a storage-use cycle, making it comparable to lithium-ion batteries. IEEE Spectrum Wastewater from geothermal power plants helps melt sidewalk snow in IcelandLocated on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart, the nation saw geothermal power meet more than 90% of its heating demand in 2024. After the hot water produced by these plants is used to heat homes and businesses, it is transferred through small pipes beneath Reykjavík's sidewalks. National Geographic Like nuclear power, US geothermal power plant construction stalled for decadesDevelopment and investment into geothermal energy took off in the 1960s. However, by the 1980s, companies repeatedly failed to find reservoirs of hot water when exploring new locations, and investors lost interest in the expensive drilling required. By the 2020s, technological advancements had finally helped mitigate exploration risk and expand viable drilling locations. Catalyst with Shayle Kann Geothermal power can be used beyond heating and energy productionDepending on the depth of the natural vents or artificial wells drilled, the surrounding fluid temperature will vary greatly—from 10 to 371 degrees Celsius (50 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit)—allowing for various applications, including the drying of cement, concrete, and lumber, as well as the processing of pulp and paper. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers The Geysers is the largest geothermal power complex in the worldDespite the Mayacamas Mountains area north of San Francisco lacking geysers, the name given by a grizzly bear hunter stuck after the construction of The Geysers Resort Hotel to accommodate tourists. Natural steam vents in the region are funneled into more than 12 geothermal plants, each capable of powering about 40,000 homes. ABC10 The world's first geothermal power plant was built in 1913 in Devil's ValleyIn Tuscany, Italy, Prince Piero Ginori-Conti of Trevignano established the plant nine years after creating a generator that powered five light bulbs using steam vents in the area. Within three years, a second plant was built with two generators, each with 10 times the energy output of the first. Twelve Year History Geothermal power may meet 15% of global electricity demand growth through 2050According to the International Energy Agency, the estimate would require the construction of geothermal capacity with an annual output equivalent to the combined electricity consumption in the US and India in 2024. The report suggests geothermal investment will reach $2.5T by 2050, with the integration of fracking technologies decreasing costs by 80% by 2035. International Energy Agency Geothermal power can reduce the dangerous mining of rare earth elementsGeothermal brines—mineral-rich underground fluids extracted for use in geothermal plants—contain small concentrations of REEs that can be recovered after energy generation. Although researchers suggest that this retrieval requires complex extraction methods at a significant scale to account for high flow rates, the chemical processes also occur in traditional REE processing. Payne Institute for Public Policy Enhanced geothermal power systems can trigger earthquakesThese systems inject fluid into rock to create cracks that allow deeper reservoirs of fluid to escape or to create networks where water can be deposited for heating. This injection can increase subterranean pressure and potentially trigger earthquakes, necessitating the use of sensors and moderated drilling technologies. Undecided with Matt Ferrell Fracking technology can help make geothermal power possible almost everywhereGenerating electricity from Earth's thermal energy has previously required existing underground reservoirs of hot water and permeable rocks through which the fluid naturally escapes. Today, fractures can be artificially created to form fluid pathways, and surface water can be injected underground and brought back to the surface. US Department of Energy Some geothermal power plants make electricity using a secondary fluidDirect dry-steam systems pull underground steam into a turbine-generator system, while flash and double-flash cycle systems spray extracted liquid water into a low-pressure tank, causing it to rapidly vaporize—"flash"—before moving to the turbine. Binary cycle systems use the extracted steam and water to flash a second fluid that easily boils, which then drives the turbine. State of California Geothermal power can generate electricity and provide direct heating for homesBy drilling several kilometers through penetrable rock, wells can access highly pressurized groundwater warmed by thermal energy trapped beneath Earth's surface. This water can be turned into steam to create electricity in generators. Heating systems several meters deep can pump fluid underground before circulating it through buildings. TED-Ed All clean energy technologies rely heavily on critical mineralsAlthough many of these minerals have been used for decades, such as copper in electrical wiring, the accelerating demand for them has strained existing extraction and processing systems. Supply chain disruptions for these materials may delay and increase the cost of transitioning to solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power. International Energy Agency Explore next-generation geothermal projects worldwideThis tool from the Clean Air Task Force allows users to see the location of geothermal power systems to depths of 12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles), where temperatures reach about 450 degrees Celsius (842 degrees Fahrenheit), including proposed, abandoned, and in-development projects. Clean Air Task Force The continuous decay of radioactive elements regenerates geothermal energy reservesGeothermal power is a renewable energy source derived from Earth's interior, where the core reaches temperatures exceeding 5,000 degrees Celsius (9,000 degrees Fahrenheit). These temperatures result from leftover energy from collisions during planetary formation, with radioactive decay in the core releasing additional energy that travels to the surface. National Geographic As of 2022, just 0.5% of installed renewable energy capacity worldwide is geothermalDespite being able to generate electricity regardless of the weather, solar (28%) and wind (27%) are far more prevalent, primarily because of their lower upfront costs. Geothermal plants use 88% less space than solar farms to produce the same energy, but have been restricted to geologically active regions. Visual Capitalist Among renewable sources, geothermal rivals hydropower in lifetime costAs of 2024, the levelized cost of energy—the average cost per unit of energy over the lifetime of a power plant—for geothermal power is surpassed only by solar photovoltaic and onshore wind. Geothermal's LCOE has remained relatively unchanged since 2007, with significant decreases held back by significant upfront installation costs. Our World in Data

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