"It has to start somewhere; it has to start sometime. What better place than here, what better time than now?"

Whenever I hear the 2026 battle cry for geothermal power, "Geothermal Anywhere," my Gen X brain instantly queues up that line from classic Rage Against the Machine track "Guerilla Radio." We are aiming for mass global deployment, but a revolution of this scale requires a starting line.

That line was drawn this week at the World Geothermal Congress in Calgary, Alberta. The opening ceremony was nothing short of exhilarating. Looking around the packed hall of nearly 2,000 delegates from 88 countries, the collective energy was undeniable, and the message was clear: geothermal is officially out of the niche.

The surging demand for 24/7 grid stability, rapid industrialization, and booming digital infrastructure has positioned geothermal as a foundational baseload solution. But to meet this global mandate, we have to shatter our traditional geographic comfort zones. It is time to make "Geothermal Anywhere" a reality.

"What better place than here"

If we need a launchpad for the "Geothermal Anywhere" revolution, Premier Danielle Smith made a compelling case for why Alberta is the ultimate proving ground. While Iceland, New Zealand, and other pioneers have blazed the trail for high-enthalpy "hot rock" geothermal, Alberta is uniquely positioned to accelerate the next phase of the industry. The province's real power lies in the collective skills of its drilling professionals and in decades of dedication to drilling innovations.

It is a full-circle moment: the very innovation that made Alberta a global leader in horizontal multi-stage fracking is also the reason geothermal was shelved in favor of unconventional gas back in 2008. As the shale boom exploded, the industry's focus shifted, and geothermal was sidelined. Today, that narrative has flipped.

Alberta is now leveraging its deep-subsurface expertise to solve the industry's most pressing challenges. To scale geothermal globally and make it a truly affordable baseload option. The major blocker to widespread acceptance is two-fold.  First, fossil fuels for power generation are significantly cheaper. Premier Smith focused on the massive upfront investment costs, which currently range from $2 billion to $6 billion per 1,000 megawatts.

Danielle Smith, Alberta's Premier gives opening remarks at the World Geothermal Conference in Canada earlier this month / WGC2026

The second is de-risking the development of thermal energy resources. The Depth-to-Value Equation is critical to financing projects. The geothermal industry must prove that it can access the best thermal energy resource with the same level of risk and efficiency as natural gas, hydro, or nuclear.

Once these technological and financial barriers are dismantled, the deployment potential is limitless. Alberta is not just talking about it; the province is highly motivated to use these rapidly scalable drilling solutions to double its own power grid from 12,500 to a massive 25,000 megawatts. By combining their drilling capabilities with the  "Geothermal Anywhere" mindset, they are dusting off geothermal resources that were put on the shelf nearly two decades ago.

"[When it comes to geothermal innovation], the world's top brass isn't just talking; they are shouting the same battle cry." 

Bjarni Palsson, president of the International Geothermal Association, reinforced the industry's revolution, declaring that geothermal has officially moved beyond a "promising opportunity" to become an essential, foundational pillar of our global energy future. He challenged the assembly to move past isolated projects, emphasizing that true progress demands radical collaboration: a cross-cultural collision of knowledge where industry veterans and young professionals bridge the gap between experienced geothermal pioneers and the new nations entering the race. By shifting our focus from small-scale experiments to a unified, globally recognized solution, we are finally leveraging the Earth's heat to secure prosperity for the billions who need it most.

Bjarni Palsson, president of the International Geothermal Association / Courtesy: WGC2026

"What better time than now?"

The global convergence of the World Geothermal Congress occurred as we are experiencing volatile weather worldwide. While we shivered through a cold snap here in Alberta, record-breaking heat waves are hammering the United States and throughout Asia, exposing the fragile, frayed edges of our current electrical grids. The demand for 24/7 stability—fueled by industrialization, urban growth, and the voracious appetite for more data—has turned geothermal from a dream into the ultimate weapon for energy security.  

The world's top brass isn't just talking; they are shouting the same battle cry as the opening ceremony wrapped with several industry-changing moments.  

First, we championed the International Geothermal Standard Committee, which presented the results of a global initiative to develop geothermal terminology standards. "For too long, we've been speaking different languages, killing investment before it starts." The new Global Geothermal Energy Terminology Report was a collaboration of 30 geothermal professionals from around the world. "It's the tool we need to harmonize the industry and stop letting technical friction hold us back," said the ceremony's MC, Dr. Marit Brommer, CEO of the International Geothermal Association.

Dr. Marit Brommer, CEO of the International Geothermal Association was the MC for the event / Courtesy: WGC2026

Next, Niu Shuanwen, vice president of Sinopec Group addressed the audience in Mandarin by dropping the mic on what "at-scale" actually looks like. By fusing Icelandic technical mastery with Chinese industrial execution, Sinopec Green Energy is already heating and cooling 140 million square meters of space. They aren't waiting for a "better time," they are already scaling, serving millions, and proving the math works. 

Finally, the chair of the World Energy Council, Adnan Amin, cut straight to the bone. "Geothermal is no longer about niche alternatives, but about the very foundation of resilient infrastructure. Amin stated that "in 2025, clean power achieved a breakthrough, meeting all growth in global electricity demand. For the first time, an investment in the energy transition reached about $2 trillion, roughly double fossil fuel investment."

"Geothermal is no longer about niche alternatives, but about the very foundation of resilient infrastructure."

He reflected on this key moment by explaining, "eighteen years ago, when I started, we dreamt of reaching $1 trillion of investment.  After this aspiring reflection, Adnan warned that tech isn't the constraint anymore.  He stated, “We need to de-risk with innovative finance, rewrite the permitting rules, and lock in 30-year power purchase agreements to give this industry the stability it demands."

Lights ON! Geothermal Radio!

The time is now! We have the expertise, and for the first time in history, the unified willpower to quit playing around the edges. As we look toward the 27th World Energy Congress in Riyadh in 2027, the objective is clear: we stop treating geothermal as an alternative energy and start building it as the literal bedrock of the global grid.  The time for hesitation is dead. The "Geothermal Anywhere" revolution isn't coming; it has already begun.