Fact Sheet: Renewable Energy - Geothermal

The BLM has the delegated authority for leasing public lands — including U.S. Forest Service lands — with geothermal potential in 11 Western States and Alaska. The BLM presently manages 818 geothermal leases, with 59 geothermal leases in producing status, with a total capacity of 1,500 megawatts of geothermal energy on public lands. This amounts to over 40 percent of U.S. geothermal energy capacity and supplies the electrical needs of about 1.5 million homes. The BLM’s geothermal leases provide not only electrical power generation but also alternative heat sources for direct-use commercial endeavors.