China has great potential for geothermal energy development, as it is home to an estimated one-sixth of the world’s geothermal resources. But, as of 2015, the nation had only produced a mere 15 percent of Iceland’s annual geothermal power output.
Instead of Iceland’s high-temperature geothermal veins, China’s resources are largely low-temperature, falling below 300°F. This temperature range is better suited to direct-use applications, such as direct heating, rather than electricity generation. Only one high-temperature region has been discovered: the Himalayan geothermal zone, so China has only a handful of geothermal electricity plants, primarily supported by the Yangbajing Geothermal Field in Tibet.
The greatest potential for Chinese geothermal progress is via low-temperature sources, primarily for the direct heating applications Iceland-based Arctic Green Energy Corporation (AGEC) is pioneering.
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