Geothermal Energy

Geo means “Earth” and Thermal means “Heat” in Greek.

Is a renewable resources. The Earth has

Geothermal energy is the heat produced deep

As you descent deeper into the Earth’s crust, underground rock and water becomes hotter. This heat can
be recovered using different geothermal technologies depending on the temperature. But the heat
resources in geothermal reservoirs are not inexhaustible.

Advantage ad Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Power

Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam. We drill holes 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 anyway, or we may need to drill more holes and
pump water down to them.

How is heat from inside the earth tapped as a source of energy for human use?

How Geothermal Energy Work.

The Different types of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal technologies differ with the temperature of geothermal water, which determines what ca be
done with it.

At 20º to 90º C, geothermal heat and water are used for geothermal heating. This is called low-
temperature geothermal energy.

At 90º C to 160 ºC, the water is used on the surface in liquid form. It transfer its heat to another fluid,
which vaporizes at low temperature and drives a turbine to generate power. This is called medium-
temperature geothermal energy.

At temperatures above 160ºC the water turns into steam when it reaches the Earth’s surface. It drives
turbines to generate power. This is called high-temperature geothermal energy.
The different temperature ranges are general and practices may vary according to the economic
conditions of the particular location.

Advantages to Geothermal Power

Disadvantages to Geothermal Power

High Temperature Geothermal Energy Power

From Dams to Plants

Hydropower, the Leading Renewable Energy

Hydorelectricity

A dam is build to trap water, usually in a valley where there is an existing lake.

Water is allowed to flow through tunnels in the dam, to turn turbines and thus drive generators.

Hydro electricity provides 20% of the world’s power.

A hydroelectric power plant has three main components:

A dam that creates a large waterfall and stores enough water supply the plant at all times. As well as
producing and storing energy, a dam also helps to regulate flooding.

A penstock that channels water from its natural environment (river or lake) to supply the daw reservoir .
It mat be an open channel, a tunnel or pipeline.

A powerhouse that houses the turbines driven by the waterfall and the generator driven by the
turbines.

Advantage Hydroelectricity and Disadvantage