Discover Sustainable Energy Solutions
Geothermal Energy Networks
Learn how geothermal energy networks work and discover the benefits and cost for your household, community, and the planet.
Explore where individual and shared geothermal energy networks have been in operation or proposed for different building and neighborhood profiles across The United States.
What are Geothermal Systems?
Geothermal energy systems use the earth’s stable underground temperature to heat and cool buildings efficiently. Instead of producing heat by burning fuel, they rely on heat pumps and underground loops to move heat in and out of buildings—reducing emissions, improving comfort, and lowering long-term energy costs.
Why Geothermal Systems?
Energy Cost Savings
Geothermal systems move heat instead of generating it. Communities benefit from more stable long-term energy bills, lower maintenance needs, and less exposure to fuel price spikes. Over time, shared networks can make clean heating affordable at scale.
Neighborhood & Campus Friendly
Geothermal Energy Networks connect multiple buildings through underground piping, making them ideal for neighborhoods, campuses, downtowns, and mixed-use areas. They can be built in phases—starting small and expanding over time—while improving comfort and reliability for every connected building.
Most building emissions come from burning fossil fuels for heat. Geothermal replaces on-site combustion with efficient electric heat pumps, helping communities cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve local air quality. As the electricity grid becomes cleaner, geothermal becomes even cleaner too.
Cleaner Air & Lower Emissions
How it Works
Geothermal systems use the earth as a stable source and sink for heat—because underground temperatures stay much more consistent than outdoor air. Buildings use heat pumps to move thermal energy: in summer they push heat out of the building, and in winter they pull heat in. For communities, geothermal can scale beyond a single building into a district network. Instead of one centralized plant supplying heat, a “fifth-generation” system can connect many buildings so they can act as both sources and sinks—sharing heating and cooling through a network, also known as a Geothermal Energy Network (GEN).
How its Funded
The cost of building a community geothermal system depends on system size, local geology, the number of buildings connected, and the ownership/financing approach. In many places, a utility can design, build, and operate the system, and households pay through a subscription model—similar to how people pay for gas service today. A NYSERDA study found that many district energy systems include some level of public-sector involvement, ranging from partial to full ownership, depending on local goals and governance priorities, demonstrating that communities themselves can contribute to the funding.
Where its Applicable
While geothermal systems can be adapted to many environments, their viability and design depend heavily on local climate, geological conditions, and available heat sources. These systems become especially powerful at the district scale, where thermal load diversity allows multiple buildings to share and balance heating and cooling loads across a common network. Communities can identify strong starting points by building coalitions across neighborhoods, civic facilities, and commercial areas. Geothermal applications can also expand beyond the ground itself, heat pumps can utilize ponds, lakes, rivers, or wastewater as stable thermal sources and sinks, creating even more options for municipalities. Ultimately, the most successful projects thoughtfully match local thermal resources and load profiles with strong community engagement and planning.