“There’s No Substitute for Trust”: Communication and Community Engagement Best Practices for Next-Generation Geothermal Development

The report argues that community trust is a critical lever for the success of next-generation geothermal development in the U.S., as public awareness of the technology remains low and concerns regarding seismicity and water use are prevalent. Based on research including focus groups, surveys, and developer interviews, the document outlines five core best practices: proactive and consistent communication, tailoring messages to the public's needs, addressing local priorities, maintaining transparency, and utilizing trusted messengers. It emphasizes that 'boots on the ground' in-person interaction is superior to virtual tools and that developers must be willing to adjust project designs based on community input to avoid the opposition currently facing other renewable energy projects.

• The general public has a low level of awareness regarding geothermal power generation, often confusing it with heat pumps or surface hydrothermal features, which necessitates that developers explain the basic concept of the industry alongside specific project details.
• While geothermal energy offers benefits such as job creation, tax revenue, and a small land footprint, it faces specific community concerns regarding induced seismicity, water usage in drought-prone regions, and costs.

APA

Garth, A. (2026). “There’s No Substitute for Trust”: Communication and Community Engagement Best Practices for Next-Generation Geothermal Development. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/resource/theres-no-substitute-for-trust-communication-and-community-engagement-best-practices-for-next-generation-geothermal-development/

Chicago

Garth, Ann. “There’s No Substitute for Trust”: Communication and Community Engagement Best Practices for Next-Generation Geothermal Development. Clean Air Task Force, 2026. https://www.catf.us/resource/theres-no-substitute-for-trust-communication-and-community-engagement-best-practices-for-next-generation-geothermal-development/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Garth |first1=Ann |title=“There’s No Substitute for Trust”: Communication and Community Engagement Best Practices for Next-Generation Geothermal Development |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=3 April 2026 |url=https://www.catf.us/resource/theres-no-substitute-for-trust-communication-and-community-engagement-best-practices-for-next-generation-geothermal-development/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{garth2026theres, author = {Garth, Ann}, title = {{“There’s No Substitute for Trust”: Communication and Community Engagement Best Practices for Next-Generation Geothermal Development}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://www.catf.us/resource/theres-no-substitute-for-trust-communication-and-community-engagement-best-practices-for-next-generation-geothermal-development/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }