Have you ever imagined taking a nice, relaxing bath in an Icelandic hot spring and then wondered how it is hot so close to the North Pole? Well, Icelandic hot springs are warmed by geothermal energy, which is heat generated from the Earth’s interior. Geothermal energy is a sustainably-sourced, renewable resource that provides heating, cooling, and electricity generation ranging from residential to commercial-scale buildings. It is a reliable, predictable energy source in comparison to wind and solar power which are dependent on the day and season (EnergySage).

There are three types of geothermal heating technologies: Ground Source Heat Pumps, generally used for homes and buildings, where a pump is buried a few hundred feet below the Earth’s surface, using the naturally occurring difference between above-ground and subsurface temperature to transfer heating and cooling (EPA); Direct Use, where groundwater is heated directly from the ground, often found in volcanic and tectonic areas such as Icelandic hot springs and Yellowstone National Park; and Deep and Enhanced Geothermal Systems, where steam derived deep below the Earth’s surface that is several hundred degrees is used to spin turbines and generate electricity (EPA.gov).