Why Geothermal? Basics on Geothermal Energy

Many energy solutions are incorporating geothermal energy, which is energy generated from the earth’s heat.

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Image provided by Flickr Creative Commons user ~Brenda-Starr~

There are several sources of this heat, ranging from shallow ground  to geothermal reservoirs. Different sources of extraction allow geothermal to be used in small, medium and large-scale operations. Geothermal energy is being used in three ways; through direct energy, heat pumps and power plants.

 

The direct method involves pumping water to offices and homes directly from geothermal reservoirs, which goes into a heat exchanger for the transfer.

Heat pumps are located underground where the temperature remains 10-15 degree Celsius. Multiple pipes are located under the ground, which transfer the water to electric compressors and pumps.

Power plants are making use of pipes to generate electricity from the hot water for turbines.

 

A few important points about geothermal energy include:

  • Compared to other sources of energy, geothermal energy has been more cost effective and environmental friendly. This is because there’s no burning of fossil fuels involved.
  • Small amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur gases and nitrous oxide are released by geothermal power plants.
  • There are also savings in transportation costs as the generation takes place near the source of the energy.
  • Geothermal energy is also renewable as the process of replacement is continuous.

 

Many oil and gas companies are utilizing geothermal energy solutions. Reading about Charles Reed Cagle and other corporate experts indicates that the use of geothermal energy is going to rise in the next few years. Governments of different countries are also assisting and encouraging companies to make use of geothermal energy.

The destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy last year has also convinced home owners to implement geothermal systems that rely on underground pipes, but the systems have been slow to make way in New York City due to the installation difficulties. However, the number of installations is growing steadily as home owners realize the contribution they can make to reduce their overall carbon footprint.

 

In fact,

  • Companies are mostly installing geothermal systems in commercial, institutional and residential buildings.
  • Scientists also see a natural correlation between geothermal energy and oil & gas wells.
  • Developments in enhanced geothermal energy systems technology have also made it a contender in the oil field.

 

As a clean energy source, the potential for geothermal energy helps raise hopes of ending the dependence on fossil fuels.

There’s a lot of heat in the earth that’s waiting to be tapped, and with developments and innovation taking place, the future of geothermal energy certainly looks bright.

One Comment

  1. Phillip

    Could U guys see what you could come up with on these magnetic genteraters that will run their selves Maybe some plans

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