What is Geothermal Energy used for

Visit this site for interesting facts and information about Geothermal Energy Used For. Learn about Geothermal Energy Usage. Description together with definition Geothermal Energy Used for.

What is energy for?

“What is energy for”

Geothermal energy is available throughout the year i.e. 365 days for any millions of year till the earth is going to exist. The geothermal power stations can run continuously unlike other power stations like wind mill which can’t run when there is no sufficient wind and the hydrothermal power stations depends on surplus water availability. From ancient times our ancestors have been using this energy to cook, hot springs for taking bath and to heat. Geothermal energy is cost saving as it has no dependence on fossil fuel, transportation and purchase of any materials for power generation.

Uses:

The geothermal energy from the earth can be used directly or indirectly.

Direct Usage: Direct usage involves the hot water directly without processing or transferring it to another form of energy. Such as hot springs for bathing and in spas. The hot water from the ground is being pumped through pipes directly to heat up the homes, office buildings. The geothermal water is pumped via a heat exchanger, where the heat from the water is transferred into the buildings heating system. And in summer the process is reversed.

Indirect usage: The geothermal energy generated is converted into other form of energy i.e. to produce electricity. The geothermal plants produce electricity to meet out the power needs.

What is energy for: Uses of geothermal energy in different areas:

Aquaculture:

The geothermal energy can be used in bringing up marine life that needs warm water to grow.

Animals like alligators, shellfish, tropical fish, catfish, trout, ect makes living comfortable in warm water.

People from Idaho, China, Japan, Iceland, Oregon uses geothermal energy.

World’s only prawn farm which is heated up using the heat from the Wairakei geothermal power station’s waste water before it meets the river and this prawn farm sold almost twenty tons in the year 2005.

Horticulture:

Green houses are using geothermal power to maintain a warm and moist atmosphere by making use of the steam and heat generated by geothermal energy.

Agriculture:

Geothermal energy has been used extensively by farmers over the years for growing non-seasonal plants.

In winter farmers use the geothermal heated water to grow plants during winter in Tuscany.

The major use of this geothermal energy for farming is Hungary as it draws about 80% of its energy needs from geothermal technology for farming.

What is energy for: Uses of geothermal energy in different areas:

Industry:

Geothermal energy plays a big and a vital part in much industrial process. The source they get by using geothermal energy is free of cost once the plant is commissioned and its availability is also unstoppable.

In New Zealand, the Tasman pulp and paper industry are drying timber using the heat from the geothermal steam by passing it through the heat exchangers to heat kiln air up to 140ºC

The geothermal heat from the ohaki power station has been used to make high-protein pellets by drying Lucerne to feed stock and is also used to make a protein concentrate from dried juice.

Food Industry:

The steam from the geothermal energy can be used to sterilize equipments, food processing and storage rooms so that usage of drugs or any other chemicals can be avoided.

Using the heat many plants and fruits can be dried and powered for further use.

Commercial usage:

In Netherlands bike lanes are heated up by the geothermal energy to avoid freezing in winter.

It can also be used to warm up sidewalks and roads     .

The most common usage is to heat up residential districts and business.

The French people were using this energy for many purposes from 15th century.

In 1893 U.S first used geothermal energy for heating up districts.

What is energy for: Uses of geothermal energy in different areas:

Electricity:

Geothermal energy has a major contribution in electricity production and it can provide large amount also without any harm to the environment.

An amount of about $280 million per year is the economic benefit of the U.S government by using geothermal energy.

Nearly 450 geothermal projects are under construction in U.S to meet out the large electricity needs.

The basic type of geothermal plants from which electricity is produced is as follows.

Dry steam plants:  The steam is collected by drilling wells from 7,000 to 10,000 feet deep into the earth.

The steam which is produced under ground is directly used to turn the turbines to produce electricity through the pipes.

In 1904, first geothermal plant was built in Tuscany, Italy where natural steam erupted from the earth.

Flash steam plants:  In this geothermal plant, high pressure hot water is taken from deep inside the earth and this is converted in steam to run the generator turbines.

When the temperature of the steam cools down it condenses into water and is injected back into the ground for further use.

Wairakei was the first plant to use this technology.

Binary power plants: In these power plants the geothermal hot water transfers its heat to a secondary liquid which gets vaporized and this vapor is used to turn the turbines to generate power.  

The vaporized liquid is reused by condensing it.

Russia was the pioneer in introducing binary power plants in the year 1967.

New Zealand has the world’s largest binary power plant. The 100 MW Ngatamariki power stations is the 3 project in the country.

The thermal efficiency of this type plant is about 10–13%.

Hybrid power plants: These power plants use both binary and flash techniques simultaneously.

Interesting facts about usage of Geo thermal energy:

  • New Zealand was the second major industrial producer of geothermal electricity when it commissioned Wairakei station, in 1958.

  • The geothermal power stations in New Zealand save almost 3 million tons of carbon emission every year.

  • 33 geothermal plants are installed in California that generates almost 90 percent of the nation’s geothermal electricity.

  • 14 geothermal plants where put up in Nevada

  • Electricity is now being produced using geothermal energy in about 21 countries

Other types of Geothermal Energy