Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. supports geothermal energy and has even reduced backing for wind and solar power.The administration prioritizes fossil fuels, nuclear, and hydropower, but recognized enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) as a key resource to meet growing energy needs, including those from technology sectors like artificial intelligence.
Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright, a former oil executive with geothermal experience, the Department of Energy promoted geothermal development on public and private lands.
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) focuses on realizing the potential to generate electricity and produce heating and cooling for U.S. homes from domestic geothermal resources,” read part of DOE statement.
The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) works with industry, academia, DOE national laboratories, and other partners on research, development, and demonstration projects. They focus on enhancing the commercial viability of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), which are human-made geothermal energy sources.
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GTO also advances technologies to expand electricity generation from naturally occurring geothermal resources, including value-added opportunities such as lithium extraction.
What is Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal energy is heat derived from the Earth: geo meaning “earth” and thermal meaning “heat.” It comes from underground reservoirs of naturally hot water or artificially created systems at varying depths and temperatures.
Why Geothermal Energy Matters to the U.S.
Reliable and Flexible – Geothermal power plants generate electricity continuously, 24/7, regardless of weather, and can adjust output to meet fluctuations in demand.
Domestic Resource – The U.S. can use its geothermal resources for electricity and heating or cooling without relying on imported fuels.
Low-Impact and Innovative – Modern geothermal plants produce little to no greenhouse gases. Their life cycle impact is four times lower than solar PV and six to 20 times lower than natural gas. They also use less water over their lifetime than most conventional power sources.
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Compact Footprint – Geothermal facilities and heat pumps occupy relatively little space. Geothermal power plants use 404 m² per gigawatt-hour, compared with 3,642 m² for coal, 1,335 m² for wind, and 3,237 m² for solar PV. Geothermal heat pumps can be retrofitted into existing buildings or included in new construction.
Sustainable – The Earth continually produces heat from the decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements, ensuring a virtually limitless supply for billions of years.
Geothermal energy taps heat from beneath the Earth to generate electricity, provide heating and cooling, and support industrial processes.
It runs 24/7, produces minimal greenhouse gases, and uses less land than coal, wind, or solar.
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Technological advances, including EGS, allow energy extraction even in areas without natural reservoirs, expanding U.S. geothermal potential.
Programs like DOE’s FORGE and companies such as Fervo Energy and Eavor are improving efficiency and reducing costs.
By 2050, geothermal could supply hundreds of gigawatts of electricity, enough to meet the combined needs of the U.S. and India
