GEOTHERMAL

ENERGY
and
GEOTHERMAL
POWER PLANT
 Geothermal Energy
• Earth’s Geothermal Energy Basics
• The temperature at Earth’s core measures close to 7200
degrees Fahrenheit.
• According to the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), the
geothermal power industry reached about 3,442 MW at the end
of 2013. Add to this about 1,000 MW of planned capacity at new
and refurbished power plants in Utah, Nevada, California, and
New Mexico.
• The GEA’s 2014 annual U.S. and Global Geothermal Power
Production Report states,
“The international geothermal power market is booming, growing
at a sustained rate of 4% to 5%. Almost 700 geothermal projects
are under development in 76 countries. Many countries
anticipating the threats cuased by climate change realize the
values of geothermal power as a baseload and sometimes flexible
source of renewable energy.”
• First, heat from the Earth’s surface can be used with geothermal
heat sump an air delivery system using ductd, along with a heat
exchanger buried in the summer, removing heat from inside the
building into heat exchanger. That hot air can also be used to
provide hot water.
• Secondly, there is the option of electricity, writes
Koontz.
”Electricity-generating power plants convert
hydrothermal fluids to electricity, depending on the
state of the fluid and its temperature, in three ways-dry
steam, flash steam, or binary cycle. Dry steam
systems extract steam out of fractures in the ground,
harvesting hot water and steam that can drive turbines
on electricity generators.”
 Geothermal Energy Advantages
• Environmentally friendly-There are a few polluting aspects to
harnessing geothermal energy,and the carbon footprint of a
geothermal power plant is seen as minimal.An average geothermal
power plant releases the equivalent of 122 kg CO2 for every
megawatt-hour (MWh)of electricity it generates-one-eight of the
CO2 emissions associated witg typical coal power plants
• A renewable resource-Geothermal reservoirs are naturlly
replenished.According to some scientists,the energy in our
geothermal reservoirs will last billions of years.while fossil fuels
have an expiry date,renewable sources like gethermar energy is
not going to expride anytime soon.
• Potential capacity-Estimates for the potential of geothermal
power plants varry between 0.035 to 2 TW
• A satable resource-The power output of a geothermal plant can
be accurately predicted.not subject to the same low-energy
fluctuantions as with solar wind
• Great for Heating/cooling-There is significant growth in the
number of homeoemwrty utilizing geothermal heating/cooling
over the last couple oy years
• No fuel required-After installation,no mining or transportation
activity is necessay
• Small land Footprint-Smallest land footprint of any major power
source.
• Stable resource-Can provide base load or peak power
• Economic factors- cost-competitive in some areae
• Accessibility-Some level of geothermal energy available
most places.
• Renewable-Geothermal energy is extracted from earth’s
core and will be available as long as earth exists.it is
therefore renewable and can be used for roughly another
4-5 billion years.
• Abundant Supply-With geothermal energy,there are no
shortages or other sorts of problemas which sometimes
occur with other types of power
 Conclusion
As a result of this increase in population and
energy consumption, there is a huge need to
develop alternate, sustainable energy sources as
there is not enough fuel nor is it sustainable to rely
so heavily on fossil fuels. Therefore, geothermal
energy has resulted as a very viable solution given
that most of the world could be powered by
combining geothermal, wind, solar, biomass, and
hydrodynamic energy.
 Benefits
• A main benefit of geothermal energy is that it utilizes the flow of
heat, which means that it does not need any fuel. Furthermore,
using geothermal energy instead of electrical energy reduces
greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90%, demonstrating the
significant impact geothermal energy can have on fossil fuel
consumption. In Imperial Valley, California, geothermal energy
could provide enough energy to fuel the entire southwest for two
or three centuries; Imperial Valley has a $300 million geothermal
energy business. Iceland is another area that has utilized and
benefited from geothermal energy.
Geothermal energy is reliable
• Geothermal energy is constantly produced within the
earth, which means it can be relied on 24 hours a day
regardless of changes in weather.
Geothermal energy is green
• Unlike fossil fuels, the production of geothermal energy
requires no combustion and produce very low levels of
greenhouse gases. In many cases, geothermal power
plants operate with zero emissions.
Geothermal energy is local
• Traditional forms of energy require the energy to be
harnessed and then shipped or distributed throughout the
region. With geothermal energy, the source of energy is
located where there is a need.
Geothermal energy is affordable
• Most experts say that geothermal energy will save you
up to 80% on bills when compared to traditional fossil fuel
sources. Although the initial investment may be more,
geothermal energy sources will save you money in the
long run.
Geothermal energy is obtainable
• geothermal energy is readily available throughout the
world. The only issue is developing and improving the
technolnogy to utilize this energy source.