China's geothermal industry has maintained its position as world number one in terms of scale, driven by the rapid development of its use in heating applications, according to the China Geothermal Industry Development Report 2025.

The recently released report details that, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the use of geothermal heating and cooling in China, in terms of area, grew at an average annual rate of 6.5 percent. By 2025, area coverage had reached a total of 1.65 billion square meters.

According to the report's forecasts, China will maintain a growth rate of approximately 7 percent for geothermal heating and cooling over the next 10 years.

By 2035, the cumulative heating and cooling area in China is expected to reach 3 billion square meters, and the cumulative installed capacity for geothermal power generation is projected to reach 500 megawatts.

The report predicts that geothermal technology will continue to expand in scope and capacity, with technological breakthroughs expected to support the development of geothermal power projects across China.