0% of global electricity is generated from Geothermal in 2025/2026

From July 2025 through June 2026, geothermal generated 143 TWh globally, equivalent to about 0.46% of global electricity consumption, or 17 kWh per person. Generation has risen from around 82 TWh in 2016—an increase of roughly 61 TWh, or almost three-quarters, over the decade. Its global electricity share has also edged upward, from about 0.3% to just under half a percent. This is welcome growth in clean electricity, although geothermal remains a small contributor to the worldwide electricity supply.

Indonesia leads geothermal generation with around 17 TWh and also recorded the largest five-year increase, adding nearly 3 TWh; the United States follows in total output with about 16 TWh. New Zealand stands out across several dimensions: it generates over 9 TWh, supplies almost 22% of its electricity from geothermal, and leads per-person generation at nearly 1,800 kWh. Kenya has the highest national share at around 42% and, alongside New Zealand, added roughly 1.3–1.4 TWh over five years. El Salvador gets around one-sixth of its electricity from geothermal, while Costa Rica ranks second per person at about 275 kWh. Among US states, California produces the most at nearly 11 TWh, but Nevada has a higher geothermal electricity share, about 8%, and substantially higher output per person at almost 1,200 kWh.

Geothermal’s IPCC lifecycle carbon intensity is 38 gCO2eq/kWh, compared with 820 gCO2eq/kWh for coal, 490 gCO2eq/kWh for gas and 650 gCO2eq/kWh for oil—roughly 92–95% lower than these fossil-fuel benchmarks. Its expanding generation therefore offers a valuable route to reducing electricity-related climate emissions when it displaces fossil generation, while also reducing reliance on combustion that contributes to air pollution. Together with wind, nuclear and solar, geothermal contributes to a low-carbon electricity supply that can grow to support electrification and rising electricity demand.