Geothermal Energy

This 2006 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute provides an overview of geothermal energy, detailing its capacity in the United States and globally, the technologies used for electricity and heating, and the associated environmental benefits and challenges.

• The United States is the global leader in geothermal energy production. As of 2003, geothermal energy represented 7 percent of US electricity generated from renewable sources, ranking as the third largest renewable source behind biomass and hydropower. The US has approximately 2,800 MW of geothermal electrical capacity connected to the grid, while the global total is 8,000 MW.
• The US Geological Survey (USGS) has identified geothermal resources in the United States sufficient for 22,000 MW of electrical power generation, alongside low-temperature resources for heat pumps and direct-use applications.
• The Geysers in California is the world's largest geothermal development. Operating since 1960 with a capacity exceeding 850 MW, it provides nearly 70 percent of the average electrical demand for the Californian North Coast region. Electricity from this plant is priced between $0.03 and $0.035 per kWh, which is lower than the $0.05 to $0.08 per kWh cost of newer plants.
• Geothermal energy offers significant environmental advantages, including providing non-intermittent base load power and reducing pollution. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a geothermal steam plant emits 35 times less carbon dioxide (CO2) than the average US coal power plant per kilowatt produced, preventing 4.1 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.
• Geothermal energy production faces several technical and environmental issues, including land subsidence caused by the removal of water or steam from underground reservoirs and induced seismicity. These induced earthquakes are typically small, registering 2 to 3 on the Richter scale.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2006). Geothermal Energy. https://www.eesi.org/files/geothermal_0506.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Geothermal Energy. 2006. https://www.eesi.org/files/geothermal_0506.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Geothermal Energy |date=May 2006 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/geothermal_0506.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2006geothermal, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Geothermal Energy}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2006}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/geothermal_0506.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }