A Review of Geothermal Potential of the World

Abstract

Geothermal energy is a reliable and sustainable source of renewable energy. This source of energy makes use of the Earth’s natural heat that is largely continuous under the surface, as opposed to solar or wind energy, which are intermittent and reliant on the weather. Although geothermal energy resources of many regions of the world can satisfy their energy demands, their potentials are not well-known and not fully utilized. This study is an investigation of the world’s geothermal potential. The study aimed to review recent works on the world’s geothermal energy capacity, specifically, in the geothermally active regions. Secondary data were used for the study and were collected from international energy agency reports, specialized research, and geological surveys. The key sources of data include the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Geothermal Association (IGA), and regional databases like the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) geothermal potential maps. The study revealed that the world’s installed geothermal capacity has been growing over the years and reached 17.173 GW at the end of 2025. The study also revealed that currently, six continents (North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia) have high geothermal energy potentials. While Indonesia has the highest geothermal potential in the world, the U.S. remains the world’s largest geothermal power producer. It was recommended that the world’s geothermally promising areas, as revealed in this work, opt for proper harvesting and maximum utilization of their geothermal energy.