Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in United States

Geothermal energy in the U.S. is positioned for rapid growth due to bipartisan support and advancements in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), with 1.16 GW of capacity expected to come online by 2028. While the Trump administration has deprioritized wind and solar, geothermal has benefited from new categorical exclusions in permitting and expanded tax credits. EGS technology, leveraging oil and gas drilling techniques, allows for expansion beyond traditional geological constraints and is increasingly viewed as a viable 24/7 power source for AI data centers. However, the report notes that geothermal alone cannot meet 2030 electrical demand without the continued rollout of prospective wind and solar capacity.

• The U.S. is the global leader in operating geothermal capacity with 3.7 GW, representing 23% of the world's total capacity as of 2025.
• Bipartisan support and specific policy changes in January 2025 have accelerated geothermal development, including the expansion of the Inflation Reduction Act's investment and production tax credits and a new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) categorical exclusion that may reduce permitting time by up to one year.
• Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are expanding geothermal's reach by using hydraulic fracturing techniques from the oil and gas industry to access deeper heat reservoirs, removing the need for naturally permeable rocks and water sources.
• Geothermal power is identified as a critical asset for meeting the 24/7 electricity demands of AI data centers, with companies like Google and Meta entering power purchasing agreements (PPAs) to secure green energy.
• Global Energy Monitor data indicates that 1.16 GW of geothermal capacity could be operational by the end of President Trump's current term, and there are currently more than 2 GW of EGS power plants in development in the U.S.
• Despite geothermal's growth, the report argues that a robust energy policy requires the rapid rollout of 218.4 GW of prospective wind and utility-scale solar capacity to meet 2030 electrical demand, as geothermal is best suited for a peaker plant role.
• The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set a target of 5 GW of geothermal capacity by 2030 through its Liftoff program, with a long-term goal of 90 GW by 2050 and a target to reduce costs per megawatt hour by 90% by 2035.

APA

Bauer, S. (2025). Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in United States. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/trump-administrations-policies-support-rapid-growth-geothermal-power-united-states-12-gw

Chicago

Bauer, Sophia. Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in United States. Global Energy Monitor, 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/trump-administrations-policies-support-rapid-growth-geothermal-power-united-states-12-gw.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bauer |first1=Sophia |title=Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in United States |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=29 March 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/trump-administrations-policies-support-rapid-growth-geothermal-power-united-states-12-gw |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bauer2025trump, author = {Bauer, Sophia}, title = {{Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in United States}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/trump-administrations-policies-support-rapid-growth-geothermal-power-united-states-12-gw}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }