Geothermal Energy 101
There’s a need for alternative energy sources in this world that seems to inhale power these days. For many years, coal has been used to create energy. Now, there is solar power, hydroelectric power, wind power, and biomass energy. There is also geothermal energy and it’s becoming noticed more all the time.
Geothermal is made from the Greek words, “geo” meaning “earth” and “therme” meaning heat, and this is a good description of geothermal energy. This is energy that originates from deep underground in the Earth. Chemical reactions create phenomenal heat in the Earth’s Core, which is located 4,000 miles under the surface of the Earth. Temperatures of this heat can go as high as 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit and can be used in the production of energy.
That’s the basic premise of geothermal energy but there are many other steps in the process of making viable heating systems from it. For various reasons, it’s not possible to get this heat directly from the Earth’s core. So systems must be created that can hold the residual heat found in molten rock located under the crust of the Earth. The water reservoirs located in the molten rock is tapped into and the heat can be channeled. Some of that water is as high as 700 degrees Fahrenheit. You can compare it to Old Faithful located in Yellowstone National Park.
The geothermal reservoirs can be utilized by drilling wells into the Earth. This heated water and steam are allowed to surface and are used in running geothermal power plants and more. The heated steam is most often used to run power to turbines. Then energy is generated and harnessed as electricity. That’s great news because geothermal energy will be much more affordable in terms of those high electricity bills that just keep climbing all the time.
When the heat and water from the Earth is used to create energy, it can be utilized on any size project, large or small. It’s also a renewable energy source because you can’t use up all of the Earth’s heat. There will always be more of it. This energy is safer and cleaner than a lot of other energy types, which makes it an amazing source of ecologically sound energy.