Geothermal Energy & Earth's Interior Simulator
Drill a virtual geothermal well into an Earth cross-section and compute real temperature-versus-depth, extracted thermal energy and electrical power output.
How to use: click down the Earth cross-section (or drag the depth slider) to set drilling depth, then tune the geothermal gradient, rock conductivity, fluid flow rate and well diameter to see how much thermal and electric power you can extract. Try the challenges below.
Challenge 1: reach 200 kW of electric power
Tune depth, flow rate, conductivity and diameter to push the estimated electric power to 200 kW or more.
Challenge 2: hit a production-plant temperature
Most commercial geothermal plants need reservoir fluid between 150°C and 250°C. Set gradient and depth so the temperature at your well falls in that range.
About the Geothermal Energy & Earth's Interior Simulator
Free geothermal energy & earth's interior simulator. Drill a virtual geothermal well into an Earth cross-section and compute real temperature-versus-depth, extracted thermal energy and electrical power output. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for geology, the geothermal energy & earth's interior simulator runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Drill a virtual geothermal well into an Earth cross-section and compute real temperature-versus-depth, extracted thermal energy and electrical power output. Use it to explore geology ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Geothermal Energy & Earth's Interior Simulator
- Use the controls to change Drilling depth, Geothermal gradient, Rock thermal conductivity, Fluid flow rate, Well diameter. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Press "Reset to defaults", "⚡ Max out the well", "📄 Lab Report" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Drill to 5 km and read the temperature the geothermal gradient predicts.
- Raise the fluid flow rate and watch extracted thermal energy climb.
- Compare a 15°C/km gradient region to a 40°C/km volcanic region at the same depth.
- See how well diameter and rock conductivity change how much heat actually reaches the fluid.
Key ideas you can learn
- Temperature rises with depth at the geothermal gradient, typically 25–30°C per kilometer in the crust.
- Thermal energy extracted depends on fluid flow rate, the temperature difference, and how well the rock conducts heat to the well.
- Electrical power is limited by thermodynamic (Carnot) efficiency, which grows with a bigger temperature difference.
- Real geothermal plants run well below the theoretical Carnot limit.
Where this is used in the real world
This is the real engineering trade-off behind geothermal plants like those in Iceland and The Geysers, California: depth, gradient and flow rate versus drilling cost and efficiency.
Who is this simulation for?
Students, teachers and curious learners of all ages.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't all geothermal wells generate much power?
Even with a good geothermal gradient, the temperature difference available is small compared to a fossil-fuel plant, so Carnot-limited efficiency stays low.
Why do geothermal plants favor volcanic regions?
Volcanic areas bring hot rock much closer to the surface, so wells reach useful temperatures at a fraction of the depth and cost.
Is the Geothermal Energy & Earth's Interior Simulator free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Geothermal Energy & Earth's Interior Simulator work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.