California is home to the greatest number of geothermal power plants in the United States. As of 2019, there were 30 such plants operated by electric utilities in the state. Nevada followed, with 23 geothermal power plants. That year, geothermal electricity generation across the United States reached a peak of 16.01 billion kilowatt hours.
The largest geothermal plant in the world is called the Geysers Geothermal Complex, located in the United States, with a capacity of 1,205 megawatts. It is made up of 22 power plants and spread over several kilometers, located north of San Francisco. It sits on top of a deep magma chamber that spans over 30 square miles. The United States also has one of the highest installed capacities of geothermal power in the world. The thermal efficiency of geothermal plants is low due to the relatively low temperatures of geothermal fluids; however, its capacity factor tends to be high as it relies on a stable source of energy, unlike wind or solar. Industry and commercial sectors charged significantly less than households.
Driving energy development from all sources, the retail price for electricity in the United States stood at an average of 10.66 U.S. cents per kilowatt hour in 2020. This was an increase compared to the previous year and the highest price in the period of consideration. The U.S. has one of the lowest electricity prices worldwide when compared to other developed countries. As a major producer of primary energy, respective energy prices are lower than in countries which are more reliant on imports or impose higher taxes (more).
Germany has the highest electricity prices worldwide. In September 2020, German households were charged around 0.36 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour plus value added tax. By comparison, in neighboring Poland, residents paid half as much, while households in the United States were charged even less (more).
Differences Between the Electricity Market in Germany and Qatar and California
Electricity prices vary widely and sometimes even within a country itself, depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and politically determined taxes and levies. In Germany, grid fees and the renewable surcharge make up nearly half of total electricity prices. German electricity prices sharply increased in 2012, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the government's swift response in shutting down numerous nuclear reactors. As the country aims to transition away from fossil and nuclear energy, the share of renewable sources in electricity generation has notably increased. Since 2017 renewables have accounted for over one third of electricity produced and the price of electricity increased substantially in Germany (more) and in California (more). According to data from the Energy Information Administration, the all-sector price of electricity in California last year jumped to 18.15 cents per kilowatt-hour, which means that Californians are now paying about 70% more for their electricity than the U.S. average all-sector rate of 10.66 cents per kWh (compare with other sources of prices (here).
For the electricity prices per state, see (here).
Thanks to its high crude oil and natural gas production output and being a net exporter of energy, Qatar enjoys some of the cheapest electricity prices in the world. Here, the average household pays only 0.03 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour.
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