Ten countries produce over 90 percent of global geothermal electricity. Most sit on active tectonic boundaries with easy access to natural steam. A handful got there through deliberate policy despite modest natural resource. This guide covers the leaders, their strategies, and how enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) may add new leaders in the next decade.
Geothermal is uniquely concentrated among renewables. Solar and wind spread across every continent, but geothermal deployment tracks the geology of subduction zones, rift valleys, and volcanic arcs. Understanding which countries lead reveals both the resource story and the policy story of how a slow moving technology finally scales.
Ranked by installed capacity 2025
| Rank | Country | Installed MW | Share of national electricity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | ~3,700 | ~0.4% |
| 2 | Indonesia | ~2,400 | ~5% |
| 3 | Philippines | ~1,900 | ~11% |
| 4 | Turkey | ~1,700 | ~3% |
| 5 | New Zealand | ~1,000 | ~18% |
| 6 | Mexico | ~1,000 | ~1.5% |
| 7 | Kenya | ~950 | ~46% |
| 8 | Italy | ~800 | ~1.5% |
| 9 | Iceland | ~750 | ~30% |
| 10 | Japan | ~600 | ~0.3% |
United States
The US leads absolute installed capacity thanks to The Geysers in California (the world largest single geothermal field, over 700 MW), plus fields in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Hawaii. US geothermal has grown slowly since 2000 but is poised to accelerate under the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and the emerging EGS pilots from Fervo Energy and others. Federal land access and permitting reform are the current constraints.
Indonesia
Indonesia has the largest theoretical geothermal potential globally, roughly 24 GW. Actual deployment lags at 2.4 GW because of land access, permitting, and financing. The government targets 8 GW by 2030 with a national roadmap. Java hosts most operational fields; Sumatra and Sulawesi have significant undeveloped resource. Government owned Pertamina Geothermal Energy is the largest developer.
Philippines
Philippines is the second largest geothermal producer relative to system size, providing about 11 percent of national electricity. The country has been developing geothermal since the 1970s and has one of the most mature workforces globally. Recent capacity additions have been slow but the state is targeting revitalisation as coal is phased out.
Turkey
Turkey has grown from under 100 MW in 2010 to over 1,700 MW today, one of the fastest growth trajectories in the world. Growth was driven by feed in tariffs and streamlined permitting in western Anatolia where the resource is concentrated. The IEA Turkey report tracks the transition.
Kenya
Kenya is the geothermal leader in Africa, producing about 46 percent of national electricity from geothermal, principally from the Olkaria fields in the East African Rift. State owned KenGen has been the primary developer. Kenya rift geology is similar to that of Ethiopia and Tanzania, both of which have significant undeveloped resource.
Iceland
Iceland runs on roughly 30 percent geothermal electricity plus 70 percent hydro, an entirely renewable grid. Beyond electricity, geothermal district heating supplies over 90 percent of Icelandic building heat. The country hosts the largest per capita geothermal deployment globally.
New Zealand
New Zealand geothermal comes from the Taupo Volcanic Zone in the North Island. Contact Energy, Mercury, and Genesis operate the major fields. Iwi (Maori) co ownership is embedded in modern developments, and community consent has become a stronger influence on project development than in some other markets.
Countries with rising deployment
| Country | Current MW | Notable projects or pipeline |
|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | ~10 | Aluto Langano, Corbetti and Tulu Moye planned for over 1000 MW |
| Chile | ~50 | Cerro Pabellon, active exploration |
| Croatia | ~20 | Velika Ciglena, next projects in Slavonia |
| Germany | ~50 | Bavaria expansion; EGS pilots in Rhine Graben |
| France | ~20 | Fonroche and Storengy Soultz sous Forets EGS |
| Japan | ~600 | Restart of Fukushima aftermath moratorium |
How EGS could change the map
Enhanced geothermal systems remove the geographic constraint of natural reservoirs by injecting water into hot dry rock. If EGS scales, geothermal becomes viable in most tectonically stable continental interiors. Early pilots by Fervo Energy in Nevada and Utah, plus Eavor in Alberta, are showing commercially relevant performance. The US DOE Enhanced Geothermal Systems programme targets 90 GW of EGS deployment in the US by 2050.
Cost by region
Permitting and public consent
Geothermal projects need drilling, land access, and often surface rights. Permitting timelines vary from 3 years (Iceland) to 8 years or more (some US federal lands). Community consent is increasingly a critical factor, especially for indigenous land in New Zealand, Kenya, and the US.
Future outlook
The IEA net zero scenario projects 150 to 300 GW of geothermal by 2050. Most of that growth is expected to come from EGS in the US, China, and Europe. Existing natural geothermal markets (Indonesia, Kenya, Turkey) will continue steady expansion. The IEA Renewables 2024 report tracks the pipeline.
Global workforce
Geothermal workforce is concentrated in the same countries: US, New Zealand, Iceland, Philippines, Indonesia. Kenya has built its own expertise from the KenGen programme. Scaling to 10x deployment by 2050 requires workforce development in emerging markets and technology transfer from established leaders.
Frequently asked questions
Which country produces the most geothermal electricity?
The United States, by absolute MW installed. Kenya leads on share of national electricity.
Why does the US have more capacity than Iceland?
Absolute grid size. US has 3,700 MW on a much larger grid; Iceland has 750 MW on a much smaller grid.
Is geothermal really renewable?
Yes at sustainable extraction rates. Overexploitation can deplete reservoirs; managed properly they are indefinitely renewable.
Can geothermal work anywhere?
Natural geothermal needs specific geology. EGS could work almost anywhere on Earth with deep enough drilling.
How much of a country grid can geothermal supply?
Kenya achieves 46 percent; Iceland 30 percent. Theoretical limits are much higher.
What is holding back geothermal in the US?
Permitting on federal land, financing, and workforce. Not resource or technology.
How do Indonesia and the Philippines compare?
Indonesia has more capacity but Philippines has higher share of national grid.
Are new countries entering geothermal?
Yes: Ethiopia, Chile, Croatia, Djibouti all have projects underway.
Does climate change affect geothermal?
Not directly. The resource is subsurface heat. Some indirect effects on cooling water supply for binary plants.
Where can I see specific plants?
The UtilityRadar directory lists geothermal plants globally.
Summary
Geothermal leadership is concentrated in ten countries producing over 90 percent of global geothermal electricity. The US leads absolute capacity, Kenya leads share of national grid, and Turkey leads recent growth. Enhanced geothermal systems could reshape the ranking in the next decade by removing the geographic constraint. For countries watching this space, the ones to track are US (EGS pilots), Ethiopia (rift potential), Indonesia (scale up), and China (early EGS ambitions).
Next reading
- Geothermal energy explained
- Renewable energy complete guide
- Countries running on 90 percent renewable
- Browse the UtilityRadar directory
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