Geothermal Energy
| May 12, 2011 | Posted by admin under Earth For Energy |
Geothermal Energy Facts: Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons
Author: Chris Marshall
There is much talk about climate change, and the search for viable renewable energy sources. Everyone knows about the likes of solar, wind and wave power. But fewer have heard of geothermal, or know how does geothermal energy work. So here are some geothermal energy facts, which may help you understand the benefits and restrictions of geothermal energy.
How Does Geothermal Energy Work
The principle of this form of energy is quite simple. The ground beneath our feet gets heated by the sun on a daily basis. However, it is also a great insulator, and so retains a vast amount of this heat as stored energy. The idea is that pipes are run through a fairly large area of ground several feet down, where the temperature is more constant. Then, water is passed through the pipes, heating it.
The primary use for this type of energy is heating, as a regulated temperature can be achieved constantly with little variation dependent on time of year. It can also be used over larger areas to provide hot water, but this needs more time in the ground so more pipework and a greater area.
Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons
The advantages of geothermal energy are that once the initial investment is paid for, and energy is relatively free. And it's clean. There is little or no reliance on power from gas or electricity to provide heat, which is one of the main uses of energy in the home. The main need for electricity to run this system is for pumps to pump the water through the system. The advantages of geothermal energy are that it is cheap, once the ground works are done, and incredibly green energy. There are no emissions from the provision of heat for the home and water.
The disadvantages of geothermal energy are the initial expense and the amount of land required. It can cost thousands to dig out the land and lay the pipes. This is one of the geothermal energy problems and why it is not widely used. Another of the disadvantages about geothermal energy is that it requires a fair sized piece of land to implement. People with a fair-sized garden will be ok, but it is not possible to install in the yard of a Victorian terrace.
One possibility that some people use is a new system where pilings are drilled into the ground, with the pipe work in the foundations. Because pilings go much deeper into the ground, they gain the distance that is required underground to heat the water. This is great for new build homes, but obviously cannot be achieved in older homes.
How Many People Use Geothermal Energy
Because of the initial costs and need for space, geothermal energy is not widely used. It is becoming more popular in single builds however, and could provide an efficient method for providing heat for buildings such as apartments and new build housing estates through district heating systems or individual heating through pipes in the pilings. Because it is so expensive, it is unlikely that house building companies will install the systems in homes in the near future. But hopefully it could become the way we provide all our heat energy needs in the future.
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geothermal energy?
i need to make a chart of how much geothermal energy was used in the past years compared to how other alternative energy sources were used in the past years.
I know how Im going to do the chart, but I need the information. Ill keep researching on the internet, but I dont think Im going to find very much so if you have any information, please let me know. Thanks so much!
Other alternative energy sources are:
gas
oil
coal
hydropower
wind power
solar energy
etc.
Geothermal energy represents about 0.2% of the world’s electric power generation.
Oil 34%
Natural Gas 24%
Coal 29%
Nuclear 6%
Other 8% (including Geothermal)
Geothermal Energy?
I need to know the answers for a couple questions about geothermanl energy for a report.
I need to know:
#1: Who was the person who founded geothermal energy and when?
#2: What was the person’s resoning for researching that type of energy?
#3: Why were they trying to comeup with a new type of energy?
I tried to find these answers but I couldn’t find them anywhere.
The questions are kinda strange and the answers are really unknowable.
for example, no “founded” geothermal energy. The first person to use geothermal energy was the first human to decide that it was warmer in the areas of geysers (Iceland, Yellowstone, etc.) during the winter than it was elsewhere. That person used geothermal energy for heat.
Other examples would be the person who discovered that it was much cooler deep in a cave during the heat of the day than it was sitting on the hillside. This is another passive use of geothermal energy.
From the tone of the second and third question, I would think there is something very specific you are seeking which is not really clear in your questions.
How can geothermal energy be used in the future?
The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). So, geothermal energy is heat from within the earth. We can use the steam and hot water produced inside the earth to heat buildings or generate electricity. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is replenished by rainfall and the heat is continuosly produced inside the earth.
Geothermal energy can be used in the future as an alternative to fossil fuels and coal. It is a good source of energy because it does not cause pollution, and there is obviously a constant supply of it. This means that prices for geothermal energy will be consistent, unlike oil.
However, it is a hard technology to master, and can only be used in parts of the world where there is enough heat in the earth (think hotspots or underwater volcanoes). I think some of the Scandinavian countries are using geothermal energy.
Other renewable energy sources include hydropower, wind-power, solar power or nuclear power.
Geothermal energy…?
Same science project… I need advantages and Disadvantages of geothermal energy and oh yeah it is a renewable source right…?
The advantages are it is relatively clean does and not use polluting fuels to generate energy.
The disadvantage are it is relatively expensive, geothermal vents are not always where you want them to be, and geothermal vents produce some very corrosive chemicals.
Now for the fun part you can use geothermal energy just about everywhere using a heat pump. The basic idea is that the earths temperature just a few feet below the surface is relatively constant. You can use that temperature difference to drive a compressor to heat/cool a structure with relatively low energy consumption.
Renewable well technically no once you use the heat it is gone, but the sun is the source of energy and unless someone extinguishes the sun….
Geothermal energy is often the great hope of renewable energy as it can be continuously and reliably produced?
Geothermal energy is often the great hope of renewable energy as it can be continuously and reliably produced 24/7. While it it has the best potential, it is very limited geographically. The best geothermal resources are in Alaska and California, and the best potential resources are west of the Rockies. How do we overcome the geographic limitations of geothermal energy?
The simple answer to your question is: ‘dig deeper in the ground.’ There are several companies out there at present that are willing to install geothermal energy suppies into the home. I live in England and I have had pumps installed in my gym. I save hundreds of pounds each year in electricity bills. Unfortunately I can only source my knowledge onto the e-book that I purchased but if you have any more questions about this please email me and I will answer the question to the best of my ability. Hope this helps.