UNTAPPED RESOURCE

This heat map of the United States shows the relative favorability for EGS based on temperatures at 3 to 10 kilometers (2 to 6 miles) below the surface. Though geothermal power plants are currently few and far between, there is plenty of heat to tap, especially in the West. If engineers can work out the technical and economic challenges, geothermal energy could become a major national resource.

The United States is a leader in geothermal energy, but we are not alone in the pursuit of EGS development. Other countries such as Australia and France are also experimenting with enhanced geothermal projects.