Architecture
Global Energy Monitor’s Global Geothermal Power Tracker uses a two-level system for organizing information, consisting of both a database and wiki pages with further information. The database tracks individual geothermal power plant units and includes information such as project owner, status, installation type, and location. A wiki page for each project is created within the Global Energy Monitor wiki. The database and wiki pages are updated annually.
Inclusion Criteria
The Global Geothermal Power Tracker covers electricity generating projects. Geothermal projects for electricity in captive industry are also included. The Global Geothermal Power Tracker aims to comprehensively track all project phases larger than 30 MW globally. Geothermal heat plants that do not also generate at least 30 MW of electricity are not included.
Status Categories
Announced: Proposed projects that have been described in corporate or government plans but have not yet taken concrete steps such as applying for permits.
Pre-construction: Projects that are actively moving forward in seeking governmental approvals, land rights, or financing.
Construction: Site preparation and equipment installation are underway.
Operating: The project has been formally commissioned; commercial operation has begun.
Shelved: Suspension of operation has been announced, or no progress has been observed for at least two years.
Cancelled: A cancellation announcement has been made, or no progress has been observed for at least four years.
Retired: The project has been decommissioned.
Mothballed: The project is disused, but not dismantled.
Research Process
The Global Geothermal Power Tracker data set draws on various public data sources, including:
- Government data on individual power geothermal projects (such as Mexico’s Sistema de Información Energética database and the U.S. EIA 860 Electric Generator Inventory), country energy and resource plans, and government websites tracking project permits and applications;
- Reports by power companies (both state-owned and private);
- News and media reports;
- Local non-governmental organizations tracking geothermal projects or permits.
A list of major data sources can be found here.
Global Energy Monitor researchers perform data validation by comparing our dataset against proprietary and public data such as S&P Global’s World Electric Power Plant Database (WEPP) and the World Resource Institute’s Global Power Plant Database, as well as various company and government sources.
Wiki Pages
For each geothermal project, a wiki page is created on Global Energy Monitor’s wiki. Under standard wiki convention, all information is linked to a publicly-accessible published reference, such as a news article, company or government report, or a regulatory permit. In order to ensure data integrity in the open-access wiki environment, Global Energy Monitor researchers review all edits of project wiki pages.
Mapping
To allow easy public access to the results, Global Energy Monitor worked with GreenInfo Network to develop a map-based and table-based interface using the Leaflet Open-Source JavaScript library. In the case of exact coordinates, locations are either specifically identified on a mapping service such as Google Maps, Open Street Maps, etc., or gathered from company or government documentation. If the location of a geothermal project or proposal is not known, Global Energy Monitor identifies the most accurate location possible based on available information.
Global Geothermal Power Tracker Change Log
January 2023
- The Global Geothermal Power Tracker has replaced the word “development” in the status domain with the term “pre-construction” to support consistent language across all of Global Energy Monitor’s trackers. The definition of “pre-construction” is consistent with the tracker’s previous definition of “development.”
- Global Energy Monitor has transitioned to using the United Nations” region and subregion definitions.
- Global Energy Monitor has adopted the name “Türkiye” as a replacement for “Turkey.”