Geothermal Energy

The heat generated from earth is generally called as geothermal energy. Click here to know more about the geothermal energy. The production and use of geothermal energy is discussed here.

Geothermal Energy

“The name “geothermal” comes from two Greek words: “geo” means “Earth” and “thermal” means “heat””

The name “geothermal” comes from two Greek words: “geo” means “Earth” and “thermal” means “heat”. As long as Earth has been around, Geothermal energy has existed. Almost everywhere, the shallow ground or upper 10 feet of the Earth’s surface maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C).

  • The heat we get from the earth is called geothermal energy.
  • Geothermal energy is clean and sustainable.
  • Geothermal energy is a renewable energy.

How we get geothermal energy from Earth??

Earth has three different layers. They are,

  • Earth crust
  • Mantle
  • Core
    • The outer layer of the earth is called earth’s crust.
    • The middle layer is called Mantle, which has hot liquid rock called Magma.
    • The innermost layer is called Core.

How we get geothermal energy from Earth

  • For every 100 meters below ground, the temperature of the rock increases about 3 degrees Celsius.
  • So, if you went about 10,000 feet below ground, the temperature of the rock would be hot enough to boil water.
  • This hot we get from the Earth can be used to produce electric energy and also for various other purposes.

How we get geothermal energy from Earth

  • Hot rocks under the ground, heat water to produce steam.
  • Holes are drilled down to the hot region, steam comes up, is purified and used to drive turbines, which drive electric generators.
  • There may be natural “groundwater” in the hot rocks, or we may need to drill more holes and pump water down to them.

Advantages of Geothermal energy

  • Geothermal energy is pollution free.
  • Geothermal energy does not contribute any green house gases.
  • More space is not needed for the power plants that work on geothermal energy
  • Installation cost of geothermal energy is very low.
  • Once geothermal plant is installed, the energy produced from them is free.

Disadvantages of Geothermal energy

  • We can’t build geothermal plants in wherever we want.
  • There is possible for hazardous gases from the ground.

Important events in the History of  Geo thermal energy

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Important events in the History of  Geo thermal energy

  • In 1892, America’s first district heating system in Boise, Idaho was powered directly by geothermal energy.

    • A deep geothermal well was used to heat greenhouses in Boise in 1926.
    • Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power generator on 4 July 1904, at Larderello dry steam field. It powers 4 tube light.
    • In 1911, the world’s first commercial geothermal power plant was built in Larderello dry steam field.

Geothermal Energy

  • Lord Kelvin invented the heat pump to draw heat from geothermal energy in 1852.
  • In 1960, Pacific Gas and Electric began operation of the first successful geothermal electric power plant in the United States at The Geysers in California.
  • In 2006, a binary cycle plant in Chena Hot Springs, Alaska, came on-line, producing electric energy from a record low fluid temperature of 57°C (135 °F).

Geothermal energy in today’s world

  • People use the heat from geothermal energy in swimming pools and in health spas.
  • The hot water from below the ground can warm buildings for growing plants, like in the green house on the right.
  • In San Bernardino, in Southern California, geothermal energy is used to heat buildings during the winter.
  • The City Hall, animal shelters, retirement homes, state agencies, a hotel and convention center are some of the buildings which are heated by this geothermal energy.
  • In the Country of Iceland, many of the buildings and even swimming pools in the capital of Reykjavik (RECK-yah-vick) and elsewhere are heated with geothermal hot water.

Other types of Atomic Energy