Fault‐Controlled Permeability: A Key Parameter in Geothermal Electricity Production Assessment

ABSTRACT Geothermal energy is central to the global green energy transition, but its development has long focused on regions with positive thermal anomalies. Through a semi‐quantitative global‐scale review and spatial analysis of 361 geothermal sites, we show that 56.2% of global geothermal electricity production occurs in regions with thermal conditions typical of average continental crust, challenging conventional models that prioritize heat flow as the main exploration criterion. Our results indicate that crustal permeability, especially fault‐related permeability linked to active seismicity, is a major control on geothermal viability and remains underestimated in resource assessments. In these geothermal contexts, permeable structural networks can sustain deep fluid circulation, even without recent magmatic activity. Rather than replacing thermal criteria, we propose that permeability should be considered as a complementary and, in many cases, decisive parameter in geothermal exploration. This perspective provides a refined framework for identifying underexplored regions and improving global geothermal resource assessment.