Which country is the largest producer of geothermal electricity?

The United States is the world’s largest producer of geothermal electricity. Its leading position comes from extensive high-temperature resources, especially in the western states, where heat from Earth’s interior can be used to produce steam and drive turbines.

The country’s best-known geothermal development is The Geysers in northern California, the world’s largest geothermal field for electricity generation. Commercial production began there in 1960, and the complex eventually grew into a large group of power plants. Other significant facilities operate in Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Oregon, Idaho and New Mexico.

Geothermal power differs from solar and wind power because it can operate continuously, provided underground heat and fluids are managed sustainably. The United States has remained the capacity leader, while Indonesia and the Philippines are major competitors because both sit along the volcanically active Pacific Ring of Fire. Those countries possess enormous geothermal potential, but installed capacity and total generation are not the same as potential.

The United States does not obtain most of its electricity from geothermal sources. Geothermal power is a relatively small part of its national electricity mix, despite its global leadership in the technology.