During the 2010s, France’s policies have tried to develop electric geothermal energy, but have later removed its support. This article uses a comparative analysis of three case studies. It combines press analysis, stakeholder interviews, scientific and technical studies, political geology, and geography literature. Its purpose is to elucidate the development challenges that encompass social, political, technical, and economic dimensions. It argues that social acceptability alone is insufficient to explain project failures. Fails are first and foremost technical (difficulty to adapt a technology in new geological context), economic (industry search an economic model, with stopping of governmental subsidies) and political choices in energy policies. We show that we need to go beyond the limited concept of social acceptability by looking at issues of project ownership and political support.