The United States is undergoing a geothermal energy revolution, with multi-level technological breakthroughs—from shallow geothermal exchange systems to deep enhanced geothermal techniques—reshaping the nation’s energy industry. This transformation includes innovative applications in urban high-rise buildings as well as cutting-edge drilling technologies backed by tech giants such as Bill Gates and Google.

Last month, The Riverie, the largest high-rise geothermal exchange system in the U.S., became operational in Brooklyn. This residential building features 320 boreholes beneath it, utilizing the Earth’s natural constant temperature to provide heating and cooling. According to reports, the system is projected to reduce carbon emissions from heating and cooling by 53% annually compared to conventional residential buildings.

At the same time, enhanced geothermal technology is advancing rapidly. The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that by 2050, enhanced geothermal projects could supply approximately 90 gigawatts of carbon-free energy—enough to power at least 65 million households. This emerging sector has received clear support from the Trump administration, a rare instance of bipartisan backing within American clean energy technology.

The surge in energy demand driven by the artificial intelligence boom is becoming a key catalyst for geothermal investment. With deep involvement from tech giants and dual drivers of technological innovation, the U.S. is positioned to become a global leader in this emerging field.

Shallow geothermal systems are making breakthroughs in urban construction. The Riverie project represents a practical application of geothermal exchange technology in an urban setting. Using relatively shallow and easily drilled boreholes, the system transfers warmer underground temperatures into the building during winter, and reverses the process in summer by pumping heat back into the ground.

Because the system only moves heat rather than generating it, its energy efficiency is significant. Although upfront costs and regulatory barriers may hinder the replication of such projects elsewhere, the economic and environmental benefits often outweigh the costs in many scenarios. The Riverie could well become a pioneer in a broader movement, with such systems becoming increasingly common in urban areas across the U.S. and globally.

In contrast to shallow geothermal exchange systems, enhanced geothermal technology follows a different path—developing new methods to drill to unprecedented depths. Traditionally, geothermal energy systems were only feasible where heat from the Earth’s core naturally reaches the surface, such as at geysers and hot springs.

To make geothermal energy a viable alternative almost anywhere on the planet, startups worldwide are developing enhanced geothermal technologies capable of drilling to extreme depths. These companies are drawing on techniques from fields like hydraulic fracturing and even nuclear fusion, seeking more advanced ways to fracture and melt bedrock to access the Earth’s heat.

Enhanced geothermal startups, such as Houston-based Fervo Energy, have gained support from tech industry heavyweights and investors like Bill Gates and Google. As one industry expert noted last year, the U.S. possesses unique capabilities in drilling and extraction, performing these tasks more economically and efficiently than almost anywhere else in the world.

The AI boom is proving to be a double-edged sword for geothermal energy. While AI is creating energy demand that geothermal may help meet, it is also driving investment in geothermal research and development, serving as a significant catalyst for technological progress. AI tools are increasingly being used to identify optimal locations for geothermal systems.

However, the expansion of geothermal energy still faces key challenges, including high upfront costs and a shortage of skilled workers in this emerging and relatively unfamiliar industry. Yet, even as enhanced geothermal technology attracts most of the attention and faces major bottlenecks, smaller, lower-profile projects like The Riverie continue to break ground, changing how cities heat and cool their buildings. Though incremental, these breakthroughs may accumulate into substantial gains in energy efficiency in the years ahead.