https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/bvz8ba/underwater-volcanoes-generate-enough-energy-to-power-the-entire-us-study-finds

Volcanic eruptions, complete with glowing lava rivers and towering plumes of ash, are among the most visually spectacular phenomena on Earth. But while these eruptions have made history, captured imaginations, and reshaped landscapes, the vast majority of volcanic activity on Earth occurs deep beneath the oceans. 

As it turns out, these submarine volcanoes may be even more impressive than their familiar terrestrial counterparts, because the enormous energy they generate could power entire continents, according to a study published on Monday in Nature Communications. As a bonus, these eruptions could also provide insights into one of the most tantalizing unresolved questions in science: how did life first emerge on our planet?