Energy Shift
A Visual Crash Course on Geothermal Energy
A Visual Crash Course on Geothermal Energy
Geothermal is a lesser-known type of renewable energy that uses heat from the Earth’s molten core to produce electricity.
While this unique feature gives it key benefits over solar and wind, geothermal also suffers from high costs and geographic restrictions. Because of this, few countries have managed to produce geothermal energy at scale.
In this infographic, we’ve used a combination of diagrams and charts to give you a high level overview of this sustainable energy source.
How Geothermal Works
Geothermal energy is produced by accessing reservoirs of hot water that are found several miles below the Earth’s surface. In certain parts of the planet, this water naturally breaks through the surface, creating what’s known as a hot spring (or, in some cases, a geyser).
When accessed via a well, this pressurized water rises and rapidly expands into steam. That steam is used to spin a turbine, which then drives an electric generator.
Further along the process, excess steam is condensed back into water as it passes through a cooling tower. Finally, an injection well pumps this water back into the Earth to ensure sustainability.
Where Is Geothermal Energy Being Used?
As of 2021, global geothermal power generation amounted to 16 gigawatts (GW). However, only a handful of countries have surpassed the 1 GW milestone.
| Country | Installed Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 U.S. | 3.7 |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 2.3 |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | 1.9 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | 1.7 |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 1 |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 1 |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 0.9 |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | 0.9 |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | 0.8 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 0.6 |
| 🌎 Rest of World | 1.1 |
To give these numbers context, consider the following datapoints:
- America’s 3.7 GW capacity is split across 61 geothermal plants.
- The world’s largest solar plant, the Bhadla Solar Park, has a maximum output of 2.2 GW
- The world’s largest hydroelectric plant, the Three Gorges Dam, can produce up to 22.5 GW
While geothermal plants produce less power, they have benefits over other types of renewables. For example, geothermal energy is not impacted by day-night cycles, weather conditions, or seasons.
The Big Picture
We now look at a second dataset, which shows the global contribution of each type of renewable energy. These figures are as of April 2022 and were sourced from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
| Type | Installed Capacity (% of total) | Installed Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 40% | 1226 |
| Solar | 28% | 858 |
| Wind | 27% | 827 |
| Others (Geothermal) | 5% (0.5%) | 153 (15*) |
| Total | 100% | 3064 |
*Geothermal’s total capacity in this dataset differs from the previous value of 16GW. This is due to different sources and rounding.
One reason for the slow adoption of geothermal energy is that it can only be built in regions that have suitable geological features (such as places where there is volcanic activity).
To expand on that point, consider the following data from Fitch Solutions, which shows the forecasted growth of geothermal energy capacity by region.
Fitch believes that the majority of new geothermal capacity will be installed in Asia over the next decade. On the flipside, investment in North America and Western Europe (NAWE) is expected to decrease.
Over the coming years, NAWE will experience a gradual slowdown in geothermal capacity additions as we expect that investments will be crowded out by cheaper wind and solar projects.
– Fitch Solutions
The top markets for geothermal are expected to be Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Zealand, which all lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a path along the Pacific Ocean where most volcanic activity occurs.
Energy Shift
Visualizing the Rise in Global Coal Consumption
China remains the largest coal consumer, making up 56% of the global total.
Visualizing the Rise in Global Coal Consumption
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Despite efforts to decarbonize the economy, global coal consumption surpassed 164 exajoules for the first time in 2023. The fossil fuel still accounts for 26% of the world’s total energy consumption.
In this graphic, we show global coal consumption by region from 1965 to 2023, based on data from the Energy Institute.
China Leads in Coal Consumption
China is by far the largest consumer of coal, accounting for 56% of the global total, with 91.94 exajoules in 2023.
It is followed by India, with 21.98 exajoules, and the U.S., with 8.20 exajoules. In 2023, India exceeded the combined consumption of Europe and North America for the first time.
Regionally, North America and Europe have seen a decline in coal consumption since the 1990s, while the Asia-Pacific region experienced a surge in demand during the same period.
| Year | Asia Pacific (Exajoules) | North America | Europe | Rest of the World | Total World |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 114.14 | 19.48 | 15.86 | 11.47 | 160.95 |
| 2014 | 115.74 | 19.39 | 14.88 | 11.68 | 161.62 |
| 2015 | 115.00 | 16.89 | 14.24 | 11.11 | 157.25 |
| 2016 | 113.21 | 15.55 | 13.74 | 11.35 | 153.85 |
| 2017 | 115.67 | 15.30 | 13.29 | 11.23 | 155.50 |
| 2018 | 119.05 | 14.50 | 12.98 | 11.34 | 157.87 |
| 2019 | 121.94 | 12.49 | 11.06 | 11.45 | 156.95 |
| 2020 | 121.91 | 9.97 | 9.57 | 10.82 | 152.27 |
| 2021 | 127.75 | 11.24 | 10.44 | 11.12 | 160.56 |
| 2022 | 129.80 | 10.54 | 10.02 | 11.18 | 161.53 |
| 2023 | 135.70 | 8.83 | 8.39 | 11.11 | 164.03 |
Coal Production on the Rise
In addition to consumption, global coal production also reached its highest-ever level in 2023, at 179 exajoules.
The Asia-Pacific region accounted for nearly 80% of global output, with activity concentrated in Australia, China, India, and Indonesia.
China alone was responsible for just over half of total global production.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you want to learn more about fossil fuel consumption, check out this graphic showing the top 12 countries by fossil fuel consumption in 2023.
Energy Shift
Visualized: Global Coal Consumption by Region
For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Range ETFs to explore world coal consumption in 2023 and find out who consumed the most coal.
World Coal Consumption by Region in 2023
Despite many nations transitioning away from fossil fuels, in 2023, world coal consumption reached a staggering 164 exajoules (EJ) of energy, a record high for any year.
For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Range ETFs to explore the role coal plays in the global energy mix and determine which regions still consume large quantities of coal.
The Role of Coal in Global Energy
Coal is a significant player in the global energy mix, contributing 26% of the world’s energy in 2023, more than all non-fossil fuel sources combined. The only energy source that contributed more to the global energy mix was oil.
Here’s how that consumption breaks down by region:
| Region | Consumption (EJ) | Share % |
|---|---|---|
| China | 91.9 | 56.1% |
| Asia Pacific (excluding China) | 43.8 | 26.7% |
| Americas | 10.0 | 6.1% |
| Europe | 8.4 | 5.1% |
| CIS* | 5.5 | 3.4% |
| Africa | 4.1 | 2.5% |
| Middle East | 0.4 | 0.2% |
| Total | 164.0 | 100% |
Coal consumption has decreased in many regions. For example, both North America and Europe reduced their energy consumption from coal by 16% in 2023. However, a heavy reliance on coal in the Asia Pacific region has led to global coal consumption remaining essentially the same over the past 10 years.
In 2023, China increased its coal consumption from 88 EJ to nearly 92 EJ—totalling 56% of global coal consumption. This contributed significantly to Asia Pacific leading the world with a staggering 83% of global coal consumption.
The Importance of Coal
Easy access to existing infrastructure and reasonable prices have not only sustained global coal consumption over the last 10 years, but also paved the way for potential growth. Many developing nations are now expanding their coal consumption, presenting potential opportunities in the coal market.
For example, as per the Statistical Review of World Energy 2024, between 2022 and 2023, Bangladesh and Colombia saw double-digit percentage increases in year-over-year coal consumption: 41% and 53%, respectively.
Coal continues to play a critical role in the global energy mix, especially in the developing world, where its affordability makes it the current energy source of choice.
Learn more about the Range Global Coal Index ETF (COAL)
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