Geothermal Energy

This week I am going to talk about a power source that many do not know about. While solar and wind energy are popular choices in the world of alternative energy, geothermal energy comes from beneath Earth’s surface. Liquid-hot magma provides a continuous source of heat below Earth’s crust. Amazingly, there is 50,000 times more energy in just the first 10,000 feet beneath Earth’s surface than all of our oil and natural gas combined. So, how do we harness this heat energy? Click past the jump to find out.

The most common method that we have to extract this marvelous resource is by a naturally occurring process called “hydrothermal convection.” Cool water trickles down through the Earth’s crust, gets heated up, and then it rises up to the surface. Then the steam is captured and it is used to drive generators. In the simplest form of electricity generation, steam travels directly into the turbine, which then turns the generator. Then it travels through a condenser where the steam condenses back into its liquid form. The water then is injected back into the ground. This is free energy that doesn’t pollute!

The magnificent heat source can be used for more than just generating energy. Since it tends to maintain the same temperature year round, depending on location, it is used commonly in the United States to heat and cool building. Ground-source heat pumps circulate air or antifreeze liquid through pipes buried in the ground between the ground and the building. To cool a building, the pump moves warm liquid from the building into the ground. To heat a building, the pump moves warm liquid from the ground into the building.

These heat pumps can save homeowners hundreds of dollars per year in heating and cooling costs, especially in areas that face extreme temperatures. Geothermal heating and energy is definitely something to think about when constructing a new home. The cost savings are enormous and damage to the environment is minimal.