Here’s an overview of Europe’s geothermal energy installed capacity:

Electricity generation:

• Total installed capacity: As of 2021, Europe’s total installed capacity for geothermal electricity generation is around 1.1 gigawatts (GW). This represents just over 0.3% of the continent’s total electricity generation capacity.
• Top countries: Italy, Iceland, and Turkey are the leading European countries in terms of geothermal electricity generation capacity, with Italy having the most at around 940 MW.
• Growth prospects: While geothermal electricity generation is still a relatively small source of energy in Europe, it is expected to grow in the coming years, driven by factors such as increasing awareness of its environmental benefits and technological advancements. The European Commission has set a target of increasing the share of renewable energy in the EU’s energy mix to at least 40% by 2030, and geothermal energy is seen as one of the technologies that can help achieve this goal.

Heating and cooling:

• Installed capacity: Geothermal energy is also used for heating and cooling buildings, and the installed capacity for this purpose is much higher than for electricity generation. In 2021, the EU had a total installed capacity of 2.2 GWth for geothermal district heating and cooling.
• Top countries: Sweden, Germany, and Finland are the leading European countries in terms of geothermal district heating and cooling capacity.
• Growth prospects: The use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling is also expected to grow in the coming years, as it is a clean and efficient way to heat and cool buildings. The European Commission has set a target of increasing the use of renewable energy in heating and cooling to 50% by 2030, and geothermal energy is seen as one of the technologies that can help achieve this goal.

Challenges:

• Exploration and development costs: The high costs of exploration and development can be a barrier to the deployment of geothermal energy.
• Public perception: There is some public concern about the potential environmental impacts of geothermal energy, such as the risk of induced seismicity. However, these risks are generally low and can be mitigated through careful planning and engineering.

Geothermal energy has the potential to play a significant role in Europe’s transition to a low-carbon future. However, overcoming the challenges mentioned above will be important for realizing this potential.

Here’s a table showing the top geothermal energy (electricity and heating/cooling combined) installed capacity by country in Europe, 

Notes:

• This table includes both geothermal electricity generation and geothermal district heating/cooling capacity.
• The data source is the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC).
• The EU total installed geothermal capacity in 2021 was approximately 23,000 MWth.