In the Yangtze River Delta, there are widely distributed shallow and medium-depth geothermal energy. Based on the geothermal geology data, we estimated the geothermal energy as 78.2 billion standard coal, and the annual recoverable amount is 0.16 billion standard coal, including both shallow and medium-depth geothermal energy. It has the potential to support space heating of 2.48 billion m²，and district cooling of 1.45 billion m². However, there is currently only 57 million m² area using geothermal heating and cooling, which is less than 4% of annual recoverable amount. Further, we showed that if the current district in the Yangtze River Delta could maximize the use of geothermal heating and cooling, the CO₂ could be reduced 10% more than the current basis, and if the new buildings could all maximize the use of geothermal heating and cooling, the CO₂ could be reduced 20% more than the current basis. Therefore, geothermal energy could play an important role in the target of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in the Yangtze River Delta.

geothermal energy assessment  /  geothermal energy  /  the Yangtze River Delta  /  volume method  /  carbon reduction