# Earth's heat

Heat from the Earth's interior, kept up by radioactive decay deep underground.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/

Natural sources · Earth, gravity and atoms · No. 17

- Natural sources
- Origin: Geothermal
- Renewable: Yes, if managed well
 Natural sources · Earth, gravity and atoms · Foundation · Energy

The Earth leaks about 47 TW of heat, around 2.5 times world energy use, but only hot spots are easy to tap.

Chart: Illustration: Earth's heat

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Heat left over from the planet's formation, topped up by decaying uranium, thorium and potassium, seeps out slowly and is tapped where hot water sits near the surface.

##### Three things to know

1. China leads direct use of geothermal heat by far, with an estimated 603 PJ in 2024, mostly for heating and bathing.
2. At Wairakei in New Zealand, the ground sank 15 m after 50 years of fluid extraction.
3. The US lists 4.0 GW of geothermal nameplate capacity but had only 2.7 GW actually operable at the end of 2024.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Deep Earth**Formation heat plus radioactive decay
2. 2 **Hot rock**Heat stored in rock and fluids
3. 3 **Hot spots**Plate boundaries and volcanic zones
4. 4 **Wells**Bring hot water or steam up
5. 5 **Power and heat**99 TWh electricity, 245 TWh heat, 2024

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/correlation/index.md)
- [How energy resides](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/resides/index.md)
- [Abundance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/abundance/index.md)
- [Fluctuation in time](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/time/index.md)
- [Across the Earth](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/geography/index.md)
- [Impact on nature](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/nature/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_geoheat/links/index.md)