BEIJING-- China's geothermal energy potential roughly equals 853 billion tonnes of standard coal, and has the potential to replace coal in energy consumption, the country's energy regulator said on Thursday.

Current annual exploration of geothermal energy has reached only about three million tonnes, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA).

Exploration of geothermal energy will facilitate the restructuring of energy consumption as coal consumption amounts to about 66 percent of China's total energy consumption .

It will also reduce air pollution as one geothermal facility can replace 3,000 tonnes of coal each year, saving over 75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and 30 tonnes of sulfur dioxide.