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The occurrence of favorable geothermal conditions for the commercial generation of electricity is limited geographically and geologically. Regions with geothermal potential are mainly located along belts of active magmatism, mountain building, and faulting principally localized along the boundaries of major Earth crustal [[Plate tectonics|plate]]s, belts where either new material from the [[mantle]] is being added to the [[crust]] (spreading ridges) or where crustal material is being dragged downward and consumed in the mantle ([[subduction]] zones). In both cases, molten rock is generated and moved upward into the crust and near the surface of the Earth. Geothermal energy for the commercial generation of electricity is absent in the stable [http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/continental%20shield continental shields], which are characterized by lower-than-average geothermal gradient.
The occurrence of favorable geothermal conditions for the commercial generation of electricity is limited geographically and geologically. Regions with geothermal potential are mainly located along belts of active magmatism, mountain building, and faulting principally localized along the boundaries of major Earth crustal [[Plate tectonics|plate]]s, belts where either new material from the [[mantle]] is being added to the [[crust]] (spreading ridges) or where crustal material is being dragged downward and consumed in the mantle ([[subduction]] zones). In both cases, molten rock is generated and moved upward into the crust and near the surface of the Earth. Geothermal energy for the commercial generation of electricity is absent in the stable [http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/continental%20shield continental shields], which are characterized by lower-than-average geothermal gradient.
[[File:Figure 1|400px|thumbnail|right|Figure 1: Remaining heat and radioactive heat [http://www.mpoweruk.com/geothermal_energy.htm].]]
[[File:Figure 1.png|300px|thumbnail|right|Figure 1: Remaining heat and radioactive heat [http://www.mpoweruk.com/geothermal_energy.htm].]]
==Sources of internal heat==
==Sources of internal heat==