Geothermal Resources

Just as solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower gather energy from naturally occurring events such as light wavelengths, atmospheric pressure, and gravitational force for conversion to electricity, geothermal does the same by funneling underground steam (or injecting water which is then boiled) into a turbine. As pressure builds, the turbine spins rotating a connected shaft within an electric generator ultimately yielding usable energy. Despite its shared similarities, geothermal differs such that it can be used in several ways with majority of services using direct applications such as pool, spa, pond, and residential structure heating in addition to household cooking and industrial efforts [1].

While net usage is far from its potential*, recent advancements have allowed for further integration. Currently, consumer heat pumps work in a sealed cycle such that a central unit extends piping underground and eventually returns it to a secondary port. During winter months, cold water flows through the outlet port, gains warmth from the Earth, and is then pumped back through the inlet port [1]. In the summer months, this process. repeats with hot water such that it flows through the outlet, cools, and is then pumped back through the inlet. For both cases, the water can be used both directly (washing/drinking) and indirectly (passed through an air exchange for ambient temperature control). As an extension of this, next-generation EGS (enhanced geothermal systems) serve to provide greater accessibility, efficiency, and affordability.

Unlike modern closed-loop systems (outlet to inlet), EGS works by open-loop technologies such that a drill creates hydraulic access which then fractures underground rocks [2]. Rather than targeting oil (fracking), this process isolates thermal-rich deposits for heat capture. Once fragmented, a one-way pipe is inserted into the rock, water drains down and sits until reaching its intended temperature. Once achieved, the water is pumped back up and channeled to a production area for use. Currently limited to experimental testing, researchers are also prototyping super-heated closed-loop systems capable of reaching temperatures far greater than consumer units and can therefore provide significantly more energy but require deeper drilling with advanced machinery.

In consideration of all efforts, geothermal is by far the most versatile and stable form of renewable energy with significant promise for future applications. If properly implemented, both open and closed-loop systems will be able to provide cleaner energy to populations around the globe and help reach net-zero emissions.

*According to [1], "estimated energy that can be recovered and utilized on the surface [of Earth] is 4.5 x 10^6 exajoules, or about 1.4 x 10^6 terawatt-years, which equates to roughly three times the world’s annual consumption of all types of energy.” While such calculations do inspire a net-zero emission future, it should be noted that exercising all global surface area for geothermal energy systems simply isn't viable. In addition to implementing more renewable energy capturers, there should be concurrent emphasis on reducing individual electrical usage. As of last reporting in 2023, countries including the United States, Canada, Greenland, France, and Spain all averaged an annual per-person energy consumption of 30,000 kWh to 100,000 kWh [3]. To exemplify this, peak usage is equivalent to fully charging a modern laptop 6,000 times per year.


[1]     J. Lund. “Geothermal energy.” https://www.britannica.com/science/geothermal-energy (accessed February 02, 2025).

[2]     J. Jaeger, K. McLaughlin, L. Bird, and K. Hausker. “Next-Generation Geothermal Can Help Unlock 100% Clean Power.” https://www.wri.org/insights/next-generation-geothermal-energy-explained accessed (February 02, 2025).

[3]     “Primary energy consumption per capita.” https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/per-capita-energy-use (accessed February 02, 2025).

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