Renewable Geothermal Energy Source: Earth’s Heat to Generate Electricity

The development or renewable energy sources is considered to be a major turning point in energy generation and investment. It eventually resolves the problem of possible energy shortage due to the depletion of coal reserves and natural gas deposits which is used as fuels for power plants. It also neutralized increasing prices of these energy resources which causes drastic price movements of other commodities.

Renewable energy sources are presently developed in order that it can sustain alone the needs of every household, community, or industry in terms of electricity and power. Most of these are utilized right now for electricity production, but this article will concentrate its discussion about geothermal energy. Continue reading and learn how Earth’s heat can actually generate electricity.

Geothermal Energy: An Overview

The word geothermal is derived from the Greek word “geo” which means “earth” and “therme’ which means “heat”. In other words, it simply means earth heat. Geothermal energy is derived from the heat coming from the hot steam that lies beneath the Earth’s surface. The heat derived from the Earth’s surface is used for electricity generation.

In locations with hot ground water temperature at low depths, wells are pierced into normal crack in basement rock or to porous sedimentary rock. Hot water or steam runs through these wells by means of pumping or by flashing flow. That is the common process of recovering heat from these sources.

Electricity Generation

The first electricity produced through geothermal energy was generated at Larderello in Italy in 1904. Since then, the use of geothermal energy as means of generating power has developed around the world, producing an estimated 8,000 megawatts; 2700 megawatts are accounted for power produced by the United States.

There are three types of power-generating plants which uses geothermal energy to produce electricity. These are discussed briefly in the following items:

• The dry steam power plant takes the steam out of the normal fractures and uses it to drive the turbine shaft which is connected to a generator.

• The flash power plant takes the hot water, generally temperatures exceeding 200 degrees Celsius, out of the ground and allowing it to boil in steam segregators and then running the steam through the turbine shaft.

• The binary power plants allow hot water to run through heat exchangers and then boiling an unrefined fluid that makes the turbine move.

Geothermal Power Plants in the United States

The largest dry steam power plant field in the world is The Geysers, which is situated about 90 miles north of San Francisco, California. It began its operation in 1960 which has 1,360 megawatts of installed capacity and can generate about 1,000 megawatts. It is recharged by injecting treated sewage from the city of Santa Rosa and the Lake County sewage treatment facility. This sewage is dumped into river and streams and piped into the geothermal field where it restocks the steam generated for power production.

Another major geothermal field is situated in south Central California, on the southeast side of the Salton Sea. There were 15 geothermal plants operating in this site as of 2001, and it produces a combined power of about 570 megawatts.

Advantages of Using Geothermal Energy for your Home

There are two distinctive advantages of using geothermal energy for electricity generation.

• It is flexible for use at residential level. Heat pumps and thermal energy storage structures provide both heating and cooling. You will find such systems more advantageous especially if you are situated in areas with hot climate.

• Geothermal systems do not have an impact on the appearance of your home. The piles and coils that will be used are placed 5 feet under ground. In addition, your system will not be altered by anyone without digging first to the ground.

Geothermal energy is certainly a favorable option in electricity generation. No pollution, low monthly electric bills, easy to maintain thermal systems. What more can you ask for?