Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in the United States with 1.2 GW planned by end of term

The briefing highlights the bipartisan support and technological advancements, particularly in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), that are driving geothermal growth in the U.S. It notes that 1.16 GW of capacity is expected by 2028 and that the Trump administration's policies, including permitting exclusions and support from Energy Secretary Chris Wright, favor the sector. However, the author argues that geothermal cannot replace wind and solar, which are necessary to meet a projected 128 GW increase in demand by 2030.

• Geothermal energy is expected to see significant growth under the Trump administration, with 1.16 GW of capacity anticipated to come online by 2028.
• Bipartisan support and specific policy changes are accelerating geothermal deployment, including the expansion of the Inflation Reduction Act to cover geothermal through tax credits in January 2025 and a Bureau of Land Management categorical exclusion that could reduce permitting time by up to a year.
• Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are becoming more competitive due to hydraulic fracturing techniques from the oil and gas industry, with over 2 GW of EGS power plants currently in development in the U.S.
• Fervo Energy is a major developer in the U.S., accounting for half of the 4.3 GW of geothermal capacity currently in development and demonstrating the use of wells as underground batteries.
• Geothermal power is positioned as a critical 24/7 energy source to meet the rising electrical demands of artificial intelligence data centers, with companies like Google and Meta pursuing power purchasing agreements.
• Despite geothermal's growth, the U.S. requires the rapid rollout of 218.4 GW of prospective wind and utility-scale solar capacity to meet a projected electrical demand increase of 128 GW by 2030.
• The U.S. Department of Energy's Liftoff program aims for 5 GW of geothermal capacity by 2030 and 90 GW by 2050, while the Enhanced Geothermal Shot initiative seeks to reduce costs per megawatt hour by 90% by 2035.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2025). Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in the United States with 1.2 GW planned by end of term. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-GGPT-brief-March-2025_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in the United States with 1.2 GW planned by end of term. 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-GGPT-brief-March-2025_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in the United States with 1.2 GW planned by end of term |date=March 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-GGPT-brief-March-2025_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2025trump, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{Trump administration’s policies support rapid growth of geothermal power in the United States with 1.2 GW planned by end of term}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-GGPT-brief-March-2025_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }