Getting The Best Geothermal Energy Fact
geothermal energy disadvantages
Geothermal Energy Facts. Wind, geothermal and solar energy are viable alternatives but they have their detractions. But given the facts, geothermal energy, at the very least, deserves equal billing. Actually, the US is already the world’s largest producer of electricity from geothermal energy. A fact that few, outside industry of the geothermal, according to the Geothermal Energy Association, “geothermal power makes up a total of 3.15 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity in the United States, its largest producer, and more than 10 GW worldwide.” So, while geothermal gets media attention and fewer headlines this energy actually supplies more mega-watt hours of electricity than either solar or wind.
The power plants of geothermal energy provide what is known as base load power i.e., they produce power at a constant rate, just like natural gas, coal-fired, hydroelectricity or nuclear power plants. Solar and wind energy are generally considered intermittent power sources. That doesn’t mean that solar and wind energy are unimportant, we need all three – four if you add in hydropower. The resources of geothermal are not available everywhere, at least not for power plants. Home geothermal heat exchangers are used and utilized almost anywhere.
Geothermal energy is a renewable energy. This energy is created by generates heat by magma from underground to surface of the earth. The magma heats everything around it. Sometimes magma travel directly through water sources and heating it up. Geothermal power plant extracts this water and run it through pipes placed together with another pipes that contains a liquid with low boiling point. The liquid will turn into vapor and then can be used to run steam turbines that ultimately produce electricity.
As like as any sources of energy, geothermal energy has advantages and disadvantages. During process of creating electricity, it does not burn any fossil fuels and the steam will continue to be used to generate power. It means, the geothermal energy is environmentally friendly. In the long run, geothermal sources of energy is efficient in the sense that the cost are fairly low.
There are many types of geothermal power plant such as binary cycle power plants, dry steam plants, hot dry rock geothermal energy, flash steam plants, geothermal heat pump and direct heat. These power plant produce power at a constant rate. Because the main components are underground pumping the water, it does not take up very much space.
The low boiling points fluids are corrosive and therefore when handling it will take extra maintenance. Although geothermal power plant does not burn any fossil fuels the other things could be happen. An example is that it might disturb the methane deposits beneath the surface thus the methane could be release into the atmosphere and polluting the environment. This is could be happen with another pollutant material such as sulfur and carbon dioxide.
Geothermal energy is an alternative energy that available in the world and like any source of energy it has advantages and disadvantages for your consideration.
To conclude, an interesting geothermal energy fact is that the power source is so vast that it is more than that of coal, gas and uranium joined together. Iceland and the Philippines are two leading countries in the world that produce this power.
