What Geothermal Resources Council - GRC does

Geothermal Rising (formerly Geothermal Resources Council – GRC) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit professional and educational association founded in 1972 in Davis, California, and self-described as the oldest geothermal association on Earth. The organization unifies the geothermal sector through tiered organization and individual memberships (organization dues ranging from $1,300 for Small Organization/Startup to $11,000 for Earth Energy Visionary; individual dues from $40 student to $1,500 Geothermal Legend), with all memberships running on annual recurring terms. Its core revenue comes from membership dues, conference and event registration (most notably the annual Geothermal Rising Conference hosted in Reno, Nevada), advertising and sponsorship across geothermal.org and events, and donations.

The association operates a portfolio of community, content, and advocacy products rather than a technology platform. Flagship events include the Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC), the Indigenous Geothermal Symposium (traveling between Reno and Calgary), Geothermal Discovery Day, workshops, and field trips. Content assets include the Geothermal Library (described as one of the world's largest online geothermal repositories), a weekly "Geo Community at the Core" newsletter reaching over 6,000 enthusiasts, the Full Steam Ahead Webcast Series, and a Bulletin Blog. Member-facing infrastructure includes a Geothermal Directory, Job Board, Regional Interest Groups (RIGs), the Student Committee and Next Gen Geo program, and the Honors & Awards program (including the inaugural Dr. Jim Bose Excellence in Heat Pumps Award in 2025).

Geothermal Rising sells sponsorships and directory listings to industry members and sells advocacy reach and convening power to corporate and government stakeholders. Distribution is primarily through geothermal.org (self-serve registration and member portal), the annual conference, and direct member outreach. In January 2025, Geothermal Rising acquired the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) and rebranded it Geothermal Rising Canada, extending its footprint into Canada and supporting the World Geothermal Congress 2026 in Calgary. The association also operates U.S. and Canada Policy Councils for federal and provincial legislative engagement; in 2024 these councils held 58 Congressional meetings during Geothermal Rising Hill Day. The organization rebranded from GRC to Geothermal Rising in 2025 and has 11-50 employees.

Name

Geothermal Resources Council - GRC

Legal name

Geothermal Resources Council

Website

https://geothermal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Geothermal Rising (formerly Geothermal Resources Council – GRC) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1972 that unifies the geothermal industry through tiered memberships, an annual conference, the Geothermal Library, advocacy programs, and a Canadian affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Organization Memberships: Annual membership fees from organization members at tiered levels (Earth Energy Visionary $11,000, Geothermal Champion $6,400, Clean Energy Sustainer $4,000, Renewable Energy Enthusiast $2,700, Small Organization/Startup $1,300) providing benefits including conference discounts, advertising discounts, directory listings, and recognition.
2. Individual Memberships: Annual individual membership dues at various levels (Geothermal Legend $1,500, Geothermal Supporter $175, Geothermal Icon $100 for seniors, Early Career Professional $100, Next Gen Geo $40 for students). Benefits include library access, newsletters, and webcast series access.
3. Conference and Event Registration: Revenue from the annual Geothermal Rising Conference, Indigenous Geothermal Symposium, Geothermal Discovery Day, workshops, field trips, and other events. Members receive discounted rates.
4. Advertising and Sponsorship: Digital advertising on Geothermal.org and sponsorship opportunities at conferences and events. Organization members receive 10% discount on advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Geothermal Rising is a tax-exempt, nonprofit professional and educational association that supports the professional development of its members in the geothermal energy industry. It sells tiered organization and individual memberships, operates the annual Geothermal Rising Conference, the Indigenous Geothermal Symposium, Geothermal Discovery Day, and other events, and provides access to the Geothermal Library, Policy Councils, Regional Interest Groups, and workforce development programs.

Product overview

Geothermal Rising (formerly Geothermal Resources Council - GRC) is a professional and educational association formed in 1972 that serves as the oldest geothermal organization globally. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of programs and services including the annual Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC), Indigenous Geothermal Symposium, and Geothermal Discovery Day as flagship events. Membership programs span multiple tiers for organizations (Earth Energy Visionary, Geothermal Champion, Clean Energy Sustainer, Renewable Energy Enthusiast, Small Organization/Startup) and individuals (Geothermal Legend, Geothermal Supporter, Geothermal Icon, Early Career Professional, Next Gen Geo). Additional offerings include the Geothermal Library (one of the world's largest online geothermal resources), Regional Interest Groups (RIGs) for regional engagement, Policy Councils for U.S. and Canada advocacy, Student Committee and Next Gen Geo programs, Honors & Awards including the Dr. Jim Bose Excellence in Heat Pumps Award, Workforce Success initiatives, traveling Museum Exhibit, Bulletin Blog, Geothermal Directory, Job Board, weekly Geo Community at the Core newsletter, and Full Steam Ahead Webcast Series. The 2025 acquisition of CanGEA established Geothermal Rising Canada as an affiliate, unifying the North American geothermal industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Geothermal Rising Canada: Canadian affiliate formerly known as the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA), focused on advancing geothermal energy policy and development in Canada.

Products and services

• Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC) Annual flagship conference bringing together geothermal professionals, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss advances in geothermal technology, share research, and foster collaboration. Features technical programs, workshops, field trips, student activities, and exhibitions.
• Indigenous Geothermal Symposium A two-day symposium convening Indigenous leaders, geothermal experts, and policy professionals to explore geothermal energy's role in supporting Indigenous-led sustainable development, featuring discussions on emerging technologies, traditional knowledge integration, and Indigenous leadership in geothermal projects.
• Geothermal Discovery Day Family-friendly educational event featuring interactive exhibits and science demonstrations designed to teach the public about geothermal energy concepts and applications.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership structure including Organization Memberships (Earth Energy Visionary at $11,000, Geothermal Champion at $6,400, Clean Energy Sustainer at $4,000, Renewable Energy Enthusiast at $2,700, Small Organization/Startup at $1,300) and Individual Memberships (Geothermal Legend at $1,500, Geothermal Supporter at $175, Geothermal Icon at $100, Early Career Professional at $100, Next Gen Geo at $40), offering benefits including conference discounts, library access, and directory listings.
• Geothermal Library One of the world's largest online geothermal libraries providing access to industry research, publications, reports, policy documents, videos, and technical papers for members.
• Regional Interest Groups (RIGs)

Quantifiable outcome

• 58 Congressional meetings held during Geothermal Rising Hill Day 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Geothermal Rising Canada (formerly CanGEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025In January 2025, Geothermal Rising acquired the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) as an affiliate. The transaction was unanimously approved by both Boards and 100% of CanGEA's members authorized the affiliation. Geothermal Rising Canada now carries on CanGEA's pivotal work in advancing geothermal in Canada.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): National trade association for the U.S. solar industry with tiered membership, conferences (SPI), policy advocacy, and industry data — a structurally analogous model in a parallel renewable vertical.
• Geothermal Exchange Organization (GEO): U.S. trade association focused on geothermal heat pumps and ground-source heat pump technology. Highly comparable membership, advocacy, and education model, though narrower in technology scope.
• International Geothermal Association (IGA): The international umbrella association for the geothermal sector, organizing the World Geothermal Congress. Most direct structural peer to Geothermal Rising, operating at a global rather than North American scale.
• National Hydropower Association (NHA): U.S. trade association for the hydropower sector offering a near-identical service stack: tiered membership, annual conference, policy advocacy in Washington D.C., and workforce programs.
• International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA): Association advancing ground-source heat pump research, education, and installation standards. Comparable non-profit membership model targeting an overlapping (though more technical) geothermal audience.

Broad incumbents

• American Clean Power Association (ACP): Larger clean energy trade body representing wind, solar, storage, and transmission. Comparable advocacy and conference structure, but broader in scope; serves as both peer and potential competitive umbrella for geothermal advocacy.

Regional players

• European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC): Europe's geothermal industry association representing developers, drillers, and utilities at the EU level. A regional peer providing a model for GRC's potential future expansion into Europe.
• Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA): Canada's principal wind, solar, and energy storage trade association. Regional peer whose scope overlaps with Geothermal Rising Canada's recently acquired CanGEA mandate.
• Clean Energy Council (CEC): Australian peak body for clean energy including geothermal. Comparable membership, advocacy, and conference model in a different geographic market, useful as a structural reference.

Others

• American Petroleum Institute (API): Although focused on oil and gas, API is the archetypal U.S. energy trade association with tiered membership, federal advocacy, and conferences — useful structural benchmark rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GRC2001
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSqOWncVIrqAPH2pkPqCxTg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geothermalresourcescouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/GeothermalResourcesCouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Geothermal Resources Council - GRC