Oman’s renewable energy transformation is becoming increasingly visible across its landscape. Solar installations capture the intensity of the desert sun, while wind turbines operate along some of the country’s strongest wind corridors. Yet another source of renewable energy remains almost entirely out of sight, stored beneath the mountains and plains in the form of natural heat.
Geothermal energy harnesses heat from beneath the Earth’s surface and is already used for electricity generation and heating in several countries. Oman does not have the volcanic landscapes normally associated with major geothermal resources, but its geology tells a more interesting story. Naturally heated water emerges at thermal springs in several areas, providing visible evidence of heat and water movement deep underground.
Some of the best-known examples are found around the Al Hajar Mountains, including Ain Al Kasfah in Al Rustaq. Groundwater can travel through fractures in the rock and descend into deeper geological layers, where it is gradually heated before faults provide pathways for it to rise towards the surface again.
Recent research into thermal springs in northern Oman has provided further insight into what may be happening below ground. A 2026 study examining springs across the Batinah Plain estimated underground reservoir temperatures of approximately 66 to 103 degrees Celsius, with water circulating at depths ranging from around 400 metres to 1.9 kilometres. The findings suggest that Oman possesses underground thermal resources that could warrant further investigation.
Harnessing this heat does not necessarily require the extremely high temperatures found in volcanic regions. Binary-cycle geothermal technology, for example, transfers heat from underground water to a secondary fluid with a lower boiling point. The fluid vaporises and drives a turbine before being cooled and reused, allowing electricity to be produced from lower-temperature geothermal resources.
For Oman, however, the potential may extend beyond electricity generation. Geothermal heat could eventually support applications such as desalination, industrial processes and building cooling. Desalination is particularly relevant because producing fresh water from seawater requires considerable energy, while cooling accounts for a significant share of electricity demand during Oman’s intense summer months.
There are still considerable obstacles. Deep drilling is expensive and identifying a usable geothermal reservoir requires extensive geological surveys and testing. The presence of a hot spring does not automatically indicate that a commercially viable energy resource exists below it. Solar energy also has a major economic advantage in Oman, where sunlight is abundant and photovoltaic technology is already well established.
Geothermal energy does, however, offer one important advantage: consistency. Solar generation falls after sunset, while wind generation depends on changing weather conditions. A suitable geothermal resource can potentially provide energy around the clock, making it an interesting complement to variable renewable sources.
Solar and wind will almost certainly remain at the centre of Oman’s renewable energy expansion, but the transition may also create opportunities for less familiar technologies. Geothermal energy could find specialised roles in cooling, water production or industry, particularly as drilling and lower-temperature technologies improve.
For centuries, Oman’s thermal springs have been valued for the warm water emerging naturally from the Earth. Today, they may also offer a glimpse of an overlooked renewable resource beneath our feet.
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