8 Interesting Facts About Geothermal Energy

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8 Interesting Facts About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is energy that is made from inside the earth. The word actually comes from a combination of Greek words that mean “Earth” and “Heat.” Although technology has greatly improved within this industry, geothermal energy still only makes up a very small fraction of the electricity that we use every day. In the United States, geothermal energy makes up less than 1% of the total energy grid. Are you ready to find out a few more interesting facts about this power that comes from the ground?

1. It’s Hard to Find

Geothermal energy is remarkably cleaner and more reliable than other sources of energy, but it is hard to find where it is lurking underneath the ground. This is because the availability of geothermal energy tends to be limited to where tectonic plate boundaries happen to be. This is why countries like Iceland or the Philippines are able to generate up to 30% of their electricity through geothermal power, while other countries like far behind.

2. More Than Just Electricity

There are 24 countries in the world right now that utilize geothermal energy for the production of electricity. There are 70 countries, however, that utilize geothermal energy for heating purposes. You can find it being used in a number of industrial ways: space heating, heat pumps, and even as a heating source for hot springs which are used for bathing are common commercial uses of this power that comes from the ground. In Iceland, water that has been heated from geothermal plants actually runs underneath city streets to make sure that ice doesn’t build up.

3. Older Than You

Geothermal energy has been around for more than 2000 years. It is first thought to have been used in a stone pool that was found by archaeologists on Lisan mountain in China. The pool was believed to have been first built around the year 300 BC. This is a pretty remarkable achievement considering most geothermal energy requires a two-mile deep well to be drilled into the earth surface in order to capture the steam and hot water that rises.

There are three systems of power production that are used to change hydrothermal fluids into electricity: flash steam, dry steam, and binary cycle production. The specific type used depends on the state of the fluids that are contained within the geothermal fields that are about to be tapped.

4. It’s Hot – Super Hot

The reason why geothermal energy is so effective is because of the internal heat of our planet. The core of the Earth is actually hotter than the sun’s surface. It is easy to see geothermal energy at work when you visit locations like Yellowstone National Park because of the geysers and springs that are always in action. There are seven different states in the United States that have some form of geothermal power generation, but it still only accounts for 0.4% of total energy production.

The temperatures are actually too hot for humans to handle. For geothermal energy production to work, the fluids must be heated to at least 300°F. Power plants may operate at temperatures around 210°F, or right around boiling, but the initial reaction within the ground needs to be hotter for power to be found.

5. No Fossils Involved

It does not take any fossil fuels to extract geothermal energy. In addition, a field of geothermal energy produces only 1/6 of the carbon dioxide that clean natural gas power plants produce. Binary geothermal plants release almost no omissions whatsoever. Unlike other forms of natural energy, geothermal energy is always available. It’s also rather inexpensive once a plant becomes active. Users of geothermal energy can save as much is 80% on their power bills compared to users who have fossil fuel based systems exclusively.

6. It’s Not Completely Safe

Geothermal energy is not without its faults. One of the biggest issues that comes with power generation in this method is the creation of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide has a particular odor: it smells exactly like rotten eggs when it is in low concentrations. Geothermal sites sometimes produce toxic materials from the fluids that are produced as a result of tapping the power that is under the ground. Although the toxicity levels are usually low, there is still a danger of exposure that can result.

The good news is that most of the toxins which are produced from geothermal energy are the natural mineral and salts that we need anyway. When sludges are produced from the geothermal process, they typically contain sulfur, zinc, or silica. These resources can actually be extracted for sale from the sludge and this can create more profitability from the generation of electricity thanks to geothermal energy.

7. Say Goodbye

The one risk of geothermal energy above all others that may not always be present. It is entirely possible for geothermal sites to cool down after several decades of production, requiring the relocation or dismantling of a power plant. This has already been experienced in certain power plants around the world. To combat this issue, reinjection fluids are being sent through reservoirs that are experiencing reductions in pressure in the hopes that they will revitalize the system of geothermal energy that has been so consistently productive.

8. We Can Make Our Own

There are places in the world today that have hot rocks, but not enough fluids to create a geothermal reaction. In these circumstances, it is possible to create our own geothermal system of electricity. This is called EGS, or Enhanced Geothermal System, technology. Fluids are injected so that fractures are allowed to reopen so that permeability can be created. This allows a higher potential of geothermal energy to be used around the world, especially when there is injectable water in good supply.

With low operating cost and an almost inexhaustible supply of fuel, geothermal energy is an abundant resource that many nations have barely tapped. It really could be an alternative solution for energy if we need to stop using fossil fuels.