Unlocking Europe’s underground battery: a blueprint for the geothermal revolution

Today, over 70% of EU energy demand is still met by fossil fuels, much of it imported, exposing the continent to price volatility and geopolitical risk. Closing this gap requires technologies that can deliver reliable baseload power, industrial heat, and system flexibility without compromising affordability.

Recent analysis by Ember finds that, with continued technological progress, geothermal could replace up to 42% of Europe’s fossil-based electricity generation by 2050 at costs comparable to coal and gas, while also meeting at least 25% of heating and cooling demand—a sector that accounts for roughly half of total energy use in Europe.

Realizing this opportunity will depend on a coherent policy framework built around five priorities:

1. risk-sharing mechanisms to unlock early-stage investment,
2. stable revenue models,
3. faster and more transparent permitting and subsurface data access,
4. supply chain mobilization from the oil and gas sector, and
5. strong community engagement to ensure local acceptance and benefit-sharing.

Read the full article, including global success stories and tangible pathways for Europe